Commission fees on credit card payments victimize citizens: Warning on extra charges

The vehicle inspection process, which concerns millions of vehicle owners in Turkey every year, has once again come to the agenda due to credit card commissions. Bendevi Palandöken, President of the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), reacted to this practice, stating that citizens who pay for vehicle inspections with credit cards are being charged an additional fee ranging from 150 to 200 liras.

In his written statement, Palandöken noted that differences of up to 200 TL are being deducted from citizens for payments made by credit card. Noting that this difference is reflected to consumers due to the high commission rates of banks, Palandöken stated that this does not align with a fair trade approach.

The TESK President reminded that there are nearly 32 million vehicles in Turkey, and more than 10 million of these are in the commercial vehicle category. Emphasizing that vehicles such as taxis, buses, and trucks are required to be inspected every year after the first year, Palandöken reported that inspection fees increase annually and a 5 percent penalty is applied in case of delay.

Palandöken stated that the commission amount to be applied when paying by credit card during the inspection appointment process is not specified in advance, and that citizens learn this information at the payment stage. Arguing that this situation is contrary to the principle of transparency, Palandöken said, "You don't pay a commission when buying bread from a grocer or a refrigerator from an electronics store. If credit cards are removed, commercial life will be disrupted. This practice must end immediately."

"UNFAIR FEES SHOULD BE REFUNDED"

Drawing attention to the importance of protecting consumer rights in his written statement, the TESK President called for the refund of commission differences. He also stated that authorized institutions should increase their inspections against such practices.

The cancellation of additional fees applied in vehicle inspections and the creation of a more transparent payment process are among the most fundamental expectations of the public.

News Source: 12punto