Credit card provider must pay back unauthorized fees

According to AK, card complete charged a processing fee of usually 1.65 percent of the respective amount for payments and cash withdrawals that were not in euros, and in some cases 1.5 percent – depending on the contract and period. Furthermore, discounts from the respective reference exchange rate were provided for in the exchange rate clause.

“As a result, customers had to pay an additional fee for each currency conversion,” explained the Chamber of Labor. The Supreme Court (OGH) agreed with the AK that this type of double billing was inadmissible because it was not transparent.

Reclaims until 2015

Upon request, all processing fees charged since the introduction of exchange rate discounts can now be reclaimed – card complete introduced double billing for Visa and Mastercard credit cards on August 1, 2018, and for Diners Club from March 1, 2015. Alternatively, you can fill out the application form online and send it as a printout by letter to card complete.

If desired, the credit can be made either to the card account or as a transfer to a checking account. For ongoing contracts and outstanding monthly invoices or payment arrears, the provider can offset the refund amount against the counterclaims due.

According to the AK, the OGH decision also applies to other payment service providers. “Other credit card companies also often charge double fees for foreign currency transactions.” These are often referred to as manipulation fees. These fees can also be recovered. The AK helps with a sample letter.