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Telus customers ‘flabbergasted’ over new bill payment fee

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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.

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