Telus customers ‘flabbergasted’ over new bill payment fee
Canadian customers are venting their frustrations over a new credit card processing fee that Telus is set to introduce next month.
Beginning Oct. 17, the telecommunications giant will charge a 1.5 per cent processing fee to anyone who pays a bill using a credit card.
“This is completely outrageous,” wrote Twitter user Maria Lantin.
“I’m done with you,” exclaimed another.
The change affects both home and mobility customers, and includes those who have set-up pre-authorized monthly payments.
“They make hand over fist, and I was just flabbergasted,” said realtor Robb Aishford . “You’ve got to be joking me!”
Telus declined an interview, but wrote in a statement that it needs to charge the fee to “help recover a portion of the processing fees we pay to accept credit card payments.”
Another Telus customer told CTV News he switched to paying bills directly from his chequing account to avoid the fee.
“They are a big company, and I do think it’s a little bit cheap,” he said.
The move comes when inflation is high, and interest rates are climbing.
“Taking money out of the pockets of Canadian consumers at a time when we are attacked from every other direction, is very poor timing,” said Bruce Cran, President of the Consumers’ Association of Canada.
Telus is a multi-billion dollar company based in Vancouver, and in May reported a 21 per cent rise in profits.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.