Many Types of Hidden Fees Catch Consumers by Surprise

Hidden fees have become a serious consumer problem in the United States. Many people overlook these small charges that could add up over time. More consumers and consumer advocates are fighting for honest pricing that would help raise awareness about the dangers of hidden fees and the numerous people around the country who could end up spending thousands when taking all hidden fees into consideration.

American consumers are already familiar with the concept of extra charges, but companies are finding more creative ways to avoid transparency and prevent these fees from being noticed. Hidden fees can be found in many different industries. Some of the easiest to spot are hotels and hospitality with amenities fees, administration fees and resort fees being some of the most common.

Where Else Are Hidden Fees Found?

Some consumers have also argued that hidden fees have been added to their cable or satellite TV bills for channels that the consumers never elected to add. Consumers are encouraged to look at their bill closely to make sure that only the channels that have been ordered are listed there and nothing more. Gift card fees and home closing fees are other examples that can rack up quickly.

Most people are already familiar with some of the fees typically added to airplane ticket charges, such as checked bag fees. However, even more charges such as costs to use Wi-Fi, fees for booking travel arrangements over the phone, cancellation fees and seat assignment fees can all catch consumers by surprise. Cruise fees, credit card fees, ATM fees, utility fees, and event ticketing fees have all been reported by consumers as more common in recent years.

One Consumer Reports study found that upwards of 85% of people in the United States have experienced an unexpected or a hidden fee, and that 64% of Americans say that they are paying more in hidden or unexpected fees than they were five years ago.

Hidden fee charges could be tapping out U.S. residents as much as $2.9 billion per year for hotel fees, $11.5 billion in bank overdraft fees, and $7.6 billion in airline fees. These numbers are expected to go up even higher in 2019 and beyond.

The most commonly reported hidden fees show up on cable TV bills, but that’s not the only place they’ve been spotted. Some consumers believe that companies should be held more accountable for charging of these hidden or unexpected by at least making disclosures upfront.

If you’re curious about fees, make sure you take a close look at any invoices or receipts you view. When signing up for a new service, review the fine print carefully. Companies might be keeping some of these fees buried down in the comments inside the disclaimers and disclosures, a practice some consumers believe should be stopped.

Plenty of consumers expect fees with various purchases, but it becomes a gray area when companies are attempting to hide fees in smaller amounts that could be charged on a one-time or a recurring basis. These fees help the charging company to make more money at the expense of consumers who might not even realized they’ve been charged.

Join a Free Hidden Fee Lawsuit Investigation

If you believe that you were charged unexpected hidden fees by a merchant or service provider, you may qualify to join this hidden charge class action lawsuit investigation.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.