Retailers, billers and merchants are supposed to offer a surcharge-free option for consumer payments, usually that is cash and sometimes BPay or direct deposit.

But often these days merchants are imposing a fee for accepting card and phone payments without any fee-free option.

Government departments can charge $4 or $5 for large payments, like car registration, rates, licenses and fines but often don't provide an alternative, fee-free option. 

Carparks shutting down their coin and cash payment systems and charging a fee for accepting card payments.

Airlines and travel agents have had to modify their surcharges following thousands of complaints but airport carparks are charging big fees without the a way to avoid those fees.

Some shops and merchants have chosen to go cashless and only accept card and phone payment options. Do these businesses have the right to then charge consumers a fee, a card surcharge, for accepting those card and phone payments? 

No they are not. The RBA is very clear about this issue: 

“… a merchant cannot surcharge all payment methods – it must offer at least one non-surcharged method of payment.”

Cash is private, reliable and surcharge-free. Increasingly it seems we are being herded into a cashless society where fees and charges can be piled on top of prices and we can't escape paying them.

Please support businesses that welcome cash and if you think you have been charged an excessive fee for making a payment, you can consider a getting in touch with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

The ACCC has taken enforcement action in relation to excessive surcharging against airlines, travel companies, hire car companies, auction houses and others. 

And please share our petition. Aussies are still signing to Say No To the Cashless Society and the more signatures we get the louder our voice becomes. Here is our easy link for you to post and share:

https://www.change.org/saynotocashlesssociety

Thanks and yours in cash, 

Jason