KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Even in a digital age, most people have a stack of receipts at the bottom of their purse or pocket. But that doesn't mean consumers are reading the fine print to find out exactly where that money is going.
"I normally just throw it in the trash actually," said Kale Masters, who we met on the Country Club Plaza.
Others said they let receipts pile up in an inbox.
"If I can email it, I'll do it just like that," said Jalil Sharrieff, who noted that he never goes back to review the receipts.
As the economy transitions increasingly from cash to cards, it's important for consumers to take a close look at receipts where swipe fees, a completely legal and often unnoticed surcharge allowed under Missouri law, can add up.
While buying snacks at several gas stations in Kansas City, Missouri, we noticed a swipe fee every time we used a card.
It's something that even took the Kansas City Better Business Bureau's Cherie Reese by surprise at a gas station in Lake of the Ozarks.
"Can they do that?" she remembered wondering. "So, of course I went home, did my homework (and) yes, they can."
The surcharge covers the processing cost for a merchant to run a credit card. It's different than a convenience fee, which you may run into when using a card to pay over the phone or online.
Surcharges on both credit and debit cards are illegal in Kansas, but the fees are legal in Missouri with some restrictions.
"They should not charge more than 4 percent on all transactions," Reese said, "There should be a sign at the point of sale, so look around when you're spending your money."
The receipt also should reflect the charge.
According to Visa, surcharges cannot be imposed on debit transactions.
If you believe you've been wrongly charged, you can reach out to your card issuer to report the merchant.
While 11 states have outlawed surcharges altogether, it is legal to offer discounts to customers who pay with cash.
