Bank disclosed new transaction fee in terms and conditions and in email to customers

Categories:

Payment method, Fees, charges & rates,

Summary:

In November 2025, Rita noticed a 67 cent transaction fee on her account. She called the bank to query the fee, and the staff member told her the fee was related to a purchase she had made. Rita had ordered an item from a New Zealand website that showed prices in New Zealand dollars. However, the transaction had been processed overseas, and in such situations, the staff member explained, the bank’s new policy was to charge a transaction fee. Rita complained that neither the bank nor the merchant had made the fee known to customers. The staff member referred her to the merchant. Rita was unhappy with the bank’s response and complained to us.

Published:

January 2026

Our investigation

Our scheme’s rules do not allow us to consider a complaint about a bank’s charges (and this includes fees), although we can consider complaints that a bank failed to disclose, or misrepresented, information about its charges. We looked at whether the bank had disclosed the fee and found that it was referred to in its terms and conditions. It also emailed customers about the policy change to charge international transaction fees. We suggested Rita ask the Commerce Commission to investigate her dissatisfaction with merchants not disclosing that they process payments overseas, which may result in a customer’s bank charging a fee.