AMEX not accepted or surcharge

[whatmeworry]

Ok I have some bad news to bear.

I have always paid by AGL Gas and Electricity bills via paypal. Since changing my primary card to Amex in my paypal account, I've started noticing a credit card surcharge on my following quarters bill.

It shows up on the last page of the bill as Other account charges - merchant service fees - $3.49

Has any AFFs seen this on their bills? Shouldn't AGL by law give notice of some sort if they are going to slap on a surcharge and advise the surcharge percentage rate?

I wasn't aware there is an Amex-Paypal surcharge.

Just checked my AGL Gas bill that I paid earlier this month. No Surcharge.

 

[Hvr]

Kennard Self Storage has just announced that they will not be accepting Amex from Jan 2014.

 

[Mal]

Kennard Self Storage has just announced that they will not be accepting Amex from Jan 2014.

Yep. Got same email. Thought it was only one location doing it... But unless we use the same location could be a company wide decision. Have noticed my storage rates creep up frequently. May make me move somewhere else (but oh what pita seeing I'm overseas).

 

[akeno]

Just checked my AGL Gas bill that I paid earlier this month. No Surcharge.

There's definitely a surcharge if you pay with credit card or paypal funded by credit card. I've just started noticing it on my bills.

If they skipped charging you. You are probably lucky this time or it might appear in the next bill as two entries.

 

[whatmeworry]

There's definitely a surcharge if you pay with credit card or paypal funded by credit card. I've just started noticing it on my bills.

If they skipped charging you. You are probably lucky this time or it might appear in the next bill as two entries.

I checked the whole bill. No mention at all of surcharges if paying by Mastercard or Visa, or by any other method. If they do charge me a surcharge without first mentioning it, I will be politely reminding them I will contact the ombudsman if they don't refund me the surcharge.

 

[Buzzard]

I live in the Burnside (SA) council area and they accept AMEX for payment of council rates

Not that you want to get them but I do know that Unley council allow you to pay expiation notices (parking fines) using AMEX.

No surcharges for either council.

 

[Mal]

In the UK... Had issues at KFC and burger king. (Could be franchise dependant). McDonalds accepts it.
Clark's shoes doesn't.
Seems like a global issue really.

 

[akeno]

I checked the whole bill. No mention at all of surcharges if paying by Mastercard or Visa, or by any other method. If they do charge me a surcharge without first mentioning it, I will be politely reminding them I will contact the ombudsman if they don't refund me the surcharge.

I'm not sure which state your AGL bill is issued in, but in NSW they started to add this line into my statement: Other Charges - Merchant Service Fee. I've never paid this fee before when using a credit card. I've started noticing this fee...

I hope my attached pictures worked.

 

[akeno]

I live in the Burnside (SA) council area and they accept AMEX for payment of council rates

Not that you want to get them but I do know that Unley council allow you to pay expiation notices (parking fines) using AMEX.

No surcharges for either council.

You are very lucky. My council slaps on a 1% surcharge for all card types for the Rates Notice.

Parking fines are an exception in my council. No surcharge lol. You probably don't want your fine any higher haha.

 

[whatmeworry]

I'm not sure which state your AGL bill is issued in, but in NSW they started to add this line into my statement: Other Charges - Merchant Service Fee. I've never paid this fee before when using a credit card. I've started noticing this fee...

I hope my attached pictures worked.

View attachment 18553View attachment 18554

Thanks for the picture Akeno. I am in Victoria and the bill we have has no Asterix at all after all payment options. I don't know if it is because we are in Victoria or because the bill is in the name of a pensioner or we have different terms and conditions?

 

[akeno]

Thanks for the picture Akeno. I am in Victoria and the bill we have has no Asterix at all after all payment options. I don't know if it is because we are in Victoria or because the bill is in the name of a pensioner or we have different terms and conditions?

Thank you for your reply. Hmmm very strange indeed. Could be for your situation.

The asterisks sentence has the keyword fee "may" apply. I will need to draw it to their attention that I don't want that fee tyvm. I will phone them on Monday and see what happens from there.

 

[whatmeworry]

Thank you for your reply. Hmmm very strange indeed. Could be for your situation.

The asterisks sentence has the keyword fee "may" apply. I will need to draw it to their attention that I don't want that fee tyvm. I will phone them on Monday and see what happens from there.

You should also note to them that a paypal payment is not exactly a credit or debit card payment.

 

[Flashback]

In the UK... Had issues at KFC and burger king. (Could be franchise dependant). McDonalds accepts it.
Clark's shoes doesn't.
Seems like a global issue really.

Yeh, both KFC and BK won't take AMEX. Ditto with all Clark's too.

 

[whatmeworry]

Just received my renewal notice for my rego.

There is no mention that I can pay by postbillpay. However there is a Aus post symbol and a barcode indicating that I can pay instore at the post office but only with Mastercard or Visa.
The first three numbers is the biller's code, which is 374. If you add a zero that is the code you use at the postbillpay website. However 0374 does not allow you to pay online.

So I the checked online payment methods for vicroads that you can do with postbillpay.



As you can see in the image above, there is one VicRoads Registration Renewal that still allows payment via postbillpay.com.au and thus paypal.

Intrigued by this I looked back on some old rego renewal letters and found one with the option of payment by postbillpay?

The code was different. So I checked the code with postbillpay and it indicated it was "VicRoads - Registration Renewal". Mmmm

I did a dummy payment but did not go through with it but it seems I could may be pay my rego with paypal and thus Amex.

I just wonder if my payment will go through or be allowed?

 

[Buzzard]

Now this is bizzare....

I have an Australia Post Charge Account which I always pay using EFTPOS at my Post Office.
Today I thought I might try paying it on the Post billpay website using a credit card or PayPal.
But guess what.... you can't pay an Australia Post account on the Australia Post (Billpay) website

Having emailed my account contact, I await a reply. It will be interesting.

 

[Buzzard]

It might be a bit OT here but below is the reply I received from Australia Post re paying their account.

Hi Buzz,

You have several options to pay your Australia Post account but I am afraid bill pay is not one.

You can make EFT payment online or you can go into your local post office and pay it also.

Or if you wish to follow the link below for My Business account this allows you to pay via credit card.

auspost.com.au/mybusinessaccount

Interestingly a credit card option is not mentioned as one of the account payment options. Am still going through the registration process so not yet sure if AMEX is accepted or restricted to Visa/MC.

Is it almost time to have a whole new thread on what can be paid by credit card?

 

[akeno]

Intrigued by this I looked back on some old rego renewal letters and found one with the option of payment by postbillpay?


The code was different. So I checked the code with postbillpay and it indicated it was "VicRoads - Registration Renewal". Mmmm


I did a dummy payment but did not go through with it but it seems I could may be pay my rego with paypal and thus Amex.


I just wonder if my payment will go through or be allowed?

Very interesting.


Any news from Vic Road? You might want to ring them to find out if you can do a postbillpay because the codes are on one of your old statement.

 

[akeno]

You should also note to them that a paypal payment is not exactly a credit or debit card payment.

No luck when I rang them.

All I can say is its disappointing with AGL's outsourced contact centre.

 

[hollydavid69]

I bought some new fast shoes today from the local running store, asked if they took AMEX was advised that's a negative as they would incur 3.6% fee on it, but that they took VISA / MC as they only charged 0.70 %, how ever the guy gave me 10% off the shoes as I was a member of a running group.
Afterwards headed to the local Donut King outlet, got a skinny cappuccino (got to watch my figure) & 2 donuts & low and be hold they took AMEX.
Go figure.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Afterwards headed to the local Donut King outlet, got a skinny cappuccino (got to watch my figure) & 2 donuts & low and be hold they took AMEX.......Go figure.

And you prolly spent $4 huh and AMEX consider it a restaurant so 3 x 4 = 12pts - whereas the upscale bar I went to in Docklands a coupla weeks back and spent $320 for 3 of us on wine and food earnt me 1 x 320 = 320pts cause it's a bar and not a restaurant - go figure?