Millions of NSW residents have been unknowingly overcharged a total of $144 million in illegal merchant fees over the past eight years, the state government has said.
Millions of people wrongly hit with surcharges when paying fines, registration and other government fees over an eight-year period could be waiting months for refunds. At least $144 million in merchant fees has been unlawfully charged by the NSW government since 2016, it admitted on Wednesday. The surcharges on 92 million transactions occurred despite repeated legal advice stating Service NSW and Revenue NSW could not legally pass on fees.
Millions of people repeatedly interact with Service NSW and Revenue NSW every year, leaving the average customer about $30 out of pocket due to the overcharging. About 80 per cent of surcharges have now been turned off. It could take a fortnight to address the remaining 20 per cent, such as by reprogramming payment terminals in Service NSW centres.
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