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Financial Literacy

Credit card surcharges are illegal. Here’s what to do when stores try to charge you

Sep 22, 2026 · 1 min readBy KasKasan Buddies

DTI rules prohibit sellers from adding surcharges for card and digital payments, giving consumers the right to challenge illegal fees and report violators.

  • If a store ever added an extra fee to your bill just because you paid by card, then they broke the law. 🚨
  • Under DTI DAO No. 21-03, sellers are not allowed to charge you extra for paying with a credit card, debit card, prepaid card, QR code, or any digital payment method.
  • The rule is simple: the cash price is the card price. Always.

DTI rules prohibit sellers from adding surcharges for card and digital payments, giving consumers the right to challenge illegal fees and report violators.

  • If a store ever added an extra fee to your bill just because you paid by card, then they broke the law. 🚨
  • Under DTI DAO No. 21-03, sellers are not allowed to charge you extra for paying with a credit card, debit card, prepaid card, QR code, or any digital payment method.
  • The rule is simple: the cash price is the card price. Always.

If a store ever added an extra fee to your bill just because you paid by card, then they broke the law. 🚨

Under DTI DAO No. 21-03, sellers are not allowed to charge you extra for paying with a credit card, debit card, prepaid card, QR code, or any digital payment method.

The rule is simple: the cash price is the card price. Always.

It is also illegal for any store to force you into an installment-only payment. You always have the right to pay in full or in cash.

What to do if a store adds a surcharge:

1️⃣ Politely remind the cashier about DTI DAO No. 21-03 

2️⃣ If they refuse to remove the charge, do not pay it 

3️⃣ Report them to DTI by calling 1-384 or email ConsumerCare@dti.gov.ph

Violators can face fines of up to ₱10,000 and imprisonment up to one year.

You work hard for every peso. Do not let illegal charges eat into your money or your credit card points.

Speaking of credit cards, find the best one for your lifestyle on the KKB App. Download here: https://www.kaskasanbuddies.com.ph/download?source=web 

Share this with your shopping buddies so everyone knows their rights. 👇

Source: DTI DAO No. 21-03, Series of 2021.