1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

I’m writing to express concern about the growing practice of vendors charging a 3% “convenience fee” for using a credit card, while charging nothing for debit card transactions. While businesses are allowed to pass along some transaction costs, these fees are often excessive, inconsistent, and lack transparency. Consumers are not always told about the surcharge until checkout, and these fees disproportionately impact those who rely on credit cards for security, fraud protection, or rewards rather than convenience. Furthermore, many small businesses and service providers are using these fees to generate extra revenue rather than to offset legitimate processing costs—effectively penalizing consumers for their payment choice. I urge you to support legislation requiring clear disclosure and reasonable limits on credit card surcharges—and to consider federal standards ensuring fairness between credit and debit transactions. Consumers deserve transparency and protection from exploitative payment practices. Thank you for your attention to this issue and for standing up for fair consumer protections.