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- August 21st, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Use of debit cards to pay unemployment benefits draws criticism” [via PrimeBuzz.com]
“The state began phasing in the use of debit cards on July 9. So far, every claim for unemployment benefits that is processed on Wednesday or Thursday receives the debit card, Olivo said. Claims processed other days still get either a check or
- August 19th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Premier Shopping Mall Agrees with WayTooHigh.com
I have long advocated against and drawn attention to the unscrupulous and anti-business practices of Visa and MasterCard’s electronic gift cards. The cards raise questions about the hidden interchange fees forced upon unsuspecting merchants
- August 13th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
The New York Times’ Personal Tech Columnist, David Pogue Profiled ScanMyPhotos.com
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 The New York Times’ Personal Tech Columnist, David Pogue Profiled ScanMyPhotos.com Read the New York Times August 14th ScanMyPhotos.com profile here. “… the ScanMyPhotos.com service could turn out to be
- August 9th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“The Hidden Fee That Costs Us Money” (via blogger)
Excerpt from a blogger Interchange fees. I’ve talked about these before, but not in a post all their own. These little buggers are responsible for consumers paying over $400 a year in “fees,” whether they use a credit card or not. And, in my op
- August 7th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
8-8-08: Visa’s Olympic Moment Tarnished By Mega-Billion Dollar Battle Against its Customers
Throughout the next two weeks, as the world gathers together to celebrate the Olympic Games, millions of businesses worldwide are sure to take note of Visa Inc’s Olympic sponsorship. While the company poses as a friend to consumers, each time
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Do Visa and MasterCard Force Stores to Accept Credit Cards?
Millions of dollars in Pavlovian-like marketing force consumers to use electronic plastic payments rather than cash; leading to also forcing merchants to accept Visa and MasterCard. Click here to view one example. How Visa and MasterCard Force
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Visa, MasterCard Interchange Definations
Want to know everything about Interchange? The below glossory of terms were extracted from the May 23, 2008 second consolidated amended class action complaint re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant-Discount Antitrust Litigation, filed in the U.
- August 2nd, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Resisting the Rush to a World of No Cash” (via NY Times)
Excerpt: Take Peter Luger, the famous steakhouse in Williamsburg, where dinner for two can easily top $300, but credit cards are useless. “I’ve heard people complain, but they don’t care: they’re full most every night,” Tim Zagat, owner of
- August 1st, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Hidden Credit Card Fees Are Costing You” (via CNN Money)
New legislation may mean an end to interchange fees, which cost the average family more than $400 a year By Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com staff writer Last Updated: July 31, 2008: 5:20 PM EDT NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Swiping your credit card
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Bank Funded Coalition Fires Blanks With Baseless Press Release
The bank funded association called Electronic Payments Coalition issued the following press release which is largely debunked from many of the prior WayTooHigh.com postings. It is as silly as Senator McCain’s commercial attempting to li
- July 25th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Did Visa and MasterCard’s Fees Contribute to Forcing Starbucks to Close Hundreds of its Coffee Shops?
Next time you queue up at Starbucks for your daily fix of java, notice how many others in line are having the barrister swipe their debit and credit card to buy a two or three-dollar cup of coffee. Did you know that the merchant interchange fee to pr
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Visa and MasterCard Branded Gift Cards Force Unjust Penalty on Consumers
Recently, I bought a new AT&T cell phone and the plan included a $50 rebate. Rather than providing a check or instant credit to my account, the new undaunted device to pocket even more money at the expense of consumers are electronic payment gift
- July 21st, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Technology = Savings (Except With Credit Cards)
As technology has vastly improved the efficiency and speed of many services, we’ve come to expect cost-savings as a by-product. If something requires less time and manpower, it makes sense that it should cost the provider less to provide and, in
- July 19th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Now Airlines Are Being Forced to Violate Their Merchant Credit Card Rules
According to The Travel Pirates blogger, Europe’s Ryanair is violating Visa and MasterCard merchant rules by charging extra for in-flight electronic payment transactions. Click here to read more. Where are the bank’s advocacy grou
- July 18th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“A New Business Model For Card Payments” (Via Diamond Management & Technology Consultants)
See below abstract from the Diamond Management & Technology Consultants report by Amy Dawson and Carl Hugener: Credit and debit cards have been a major profit engine for issuing banks, but legal and possible regulatory challenges to the interchan
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Cracking Down on Hidden Fees” (via Washington Post)
A bill that would allow merchants to negotiate interchange fees directly with credit card companies cleared a hurdle this week. In a 19 to 16 vote, the House Judiciary Committee approved the Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2008. And what exactly are inte
- July 17th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Merchants Are Already Lowering Their Prices In Anticipation of Interchange Fee Savings
ScanMyPhotos.com and 30 Minute Photos Etc. are not waiting for the closing bell to ring out what is a nearly $50 billion annual hidden tax on Americans. While Visa and MasterCard and its highly paid advocacy groups suggest that merchants will simpl
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Visa and MasterCard Interchange Fee Increases Impact PIN-based Debit Cards
While Visa and MasterCard attempt to limit the outrage over their windfall profiteering at the pumps, the ineffective rate reductions on gasoline electronic payments, were just met with new rate increases for merchants. PIN-based debit card fees tr
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Merchants and Consumers Welcome Judiciary Committee Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Crack Down on Hidden and Excessive Credit Card Fees
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — Credit Card Fair Fee Act Would Mean Free Market Transparency, End Card Price Fixing The retail community welcomed the House Judiciary Committee’s passage of the “Credit
- July 16th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“House panel favors retailers in vote to cut credit card fees” (via The Hill)
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted to give retailers a rare break from antitrust laws, approving legislation to allow them to band together when bargaining over the credit card fees they pay to banks. The 19-16 bipartisan vote handed a
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Three in Four Americans Support Credit Card Fair Fee Act
via MPC news release National Poll Finds Voters Want To Rein In Hidden Credit Card Fees That Inflate Prices; Legislation Would End Credit Card Secret Price Fixing Washington, D.C. - July 11, 2008 - Better than three in four (77%) voters favor the
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
House Committee Passes Interchange Bill, Doesn’t include Panel of Judges
You know a Bill is pro-consumer when the banking industry association, Visa Inc. disapproves of it. Click here for more info on today’s ruling.
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Merchants, Unions Press Congress on Credit Card Abuses” (via Consumer Affiars.com”
Several merchants teamed up with a prominent labor union to send letters to every member of the House of Representatives today, demanding action on bills that would restrict credit card companies’ more abusive practices. The coalition wants Con
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Gas stations say credit card fees are pinching meager profits” (via DallasNews.com)
The struggle with high oil prices has a new villain: credit card companies. While many drivers have grown attached to the convenience of paying with plastic at the pump, fuel stations are increasingly rebelling against the fees they’re charge
- July 9th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Tulips, Silver, Housing Market and Oil Speculators Have Nothing on MasterCard and Visa
Gas prices might plunge to $50.00 a barrel, yet MasterCard and Visa’s nearly $50 billion hidden tax on merchants and consumers is nowhere near cracking, without intervention. If even the oil industry might face swift downward pricing pressure
- July 8th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Inc. vs. Ticketmaster
On Monday evening, I attended the Los Angeles Staples Center performance of the American Idol summer concert series. When ordering the tickets online, I was drawn to the extensive and costly list of extra fees and charges imposed by Ticketmaster. T
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Even Death is Less than MasterCard and Visa Pricing Scheme
As 30 Minute Photos Etc. and ScanMyPhotos.com prepares for a major reinvention of our retail photo center (announcement on July 19th), we are explaining the changeover to our customers. One lawyer in estate planning understood how technology and eff
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Gas stations offer discounts for cash instead of credit cards” (via USA Today)
Gas station owners pay processing fees for both debit card and credit card purchases. But fees for debit card transactions — especially when consumers enter a PIN for the purchase — are usually significantly lower than credit card transactions.
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Consumers hit by credit card fees” (Via The Austrialian Business)
“AUSTRALIAN credit card fees have surged by 170 per cent in the past five years while other household banking charges have jumped by almost 50 per cent, a new report says” Click here to read more. [Source: The Austrialian Business]
- July 7th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
How Visa and MasterCard Discriminate Against Millions of Merchants
As MasterCard provides an interchange fee limit of $50.00 for service station gasoline fill ups, the question is whether this is just for debit cards, or also for credit card transactions? Then, with many card limits of about $75.00, are motorist f
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Merchants Rally Against Visa and MasterCard Fees
See below for a sample of signs that consumers, retailers and service station operators displayed during The Great American Rally Against Visa and MasterCard’s Fees on Gasoline. For an update on how Visa and MasterCard are forcing service stat
- July 6th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
TV News Coverage from Recent Credit Card Gas Rally
Click here to view the KNBC-TV July 3rd news segment on The Great American Rally Against Credit Card Fees on Gasoline.
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Credit card fees cutting into profits” (via Herald-Citizen)
Excerpt: Credit card transaction fees affect all retailers but have hit gas stations particularly hard because of low margins and the high costs of running the business. For example, if you purchase 25 gallons of gasoline at a cost of $4 a gallon wit
- July 4th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Rally protests gas prices, credit card fees” (via OC Metro)
Via OC Metro Magazine Irvine business owner organizes rally to call attention to the fees credit card companies are raking in with rising gas prices. By Olga BelogolovaPublished: July 03, 2008 04:10 PM More than 30 people gathered at the co
- July 3rd, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Goldstone on KFI-AM Talk Radio
On the 4 o’clock hour on the peak pre-holiday afternoon commute, Mitch Goldstone, editor of WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report was interviewed on KFI-AM Talk Radio. According to KFI, this is one of the most popular radio sta
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Dozens protest gas credit card costs” (via OC Register)
Via The Orange County Register July 3rd, 2008, 1:07 pm · posted by John Gittelsohn About three dozen demonstrators waved signs asking motorists to honk in support of what they billed as “The Great American Protest Against MasterCard and Visa Fee
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Gas station owners challenge credit card fees” (via Taking Charge Blog - CreditCards.com )
This morning, Irvine, Calif., consumers and gas station owners participated in a rally to support the Credit Card Fair Free Act. Rally coordinator Mitch Goldstone told me he was “very encouraged” by the turnout. “I planned it to oc
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Review: Great American Rally to Stop Skyrocketing Visa and MasterCard Fees on Gasoline
Thanks to everyone who participated in this major rally that is garnering national attention.It was encouraging that the event sparked such interest from the media and consumers. Carl and I have been battling Visa and MasterCard and its member banks
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Gas protest to blame role of credit cards” (via OC Register)
Visa and MasterCard fees drive up the price by up to a dime a gallon, a man leading an Irvine rally says. By JOHN GITTELSOHN THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER It’s hard to argue that soaring crude oil costs are driving up the price of a gallon o
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Fact Sheet: Do You Know How Interchange Fees Harm Service Stations and all Merchants?
Visa and MasterCard credit card fees inflate the price of gas by charging consumers and merchants hidden credit card fees that total 8-10 cents a gallon that inflate already skyrocketing gasoline prices. Credit card fees now tally up to $2.00 or more
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Gas stations charge extra for credit” (Via Florida Today)
Facing fees from Visa and others that erode already small profits on gas sales, some stations have started charging customers extra for using credit cards. Station operators say credit card companies charge them fees — often 2 percent to 4 pe
- July 2nd, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Credit card costs are driving up the price of gas” (via OC Register)
Reprinted from The Orange County Register “Gas Pains” blog, July 2, 2008 [posted by John Gittelsohn]. It’s hard to argue that soaring crude oil costs are driving up the price of a gallon of gas. But Mitch Goldstone, an Irvine businessma
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Gasoline surcharge protest planned for Thursday in Irvine” (Via OC Register)
Reposted from Irvine Retail Blog, OC Register, By Don Dennis Irvine business owner Mitch Goldstone is mustering the home guard not only against Big Oil; he’s got Visa and MasterCard in his sights, too, over the cost of fuel. Goldstone has put out
- July 1st, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Gasoline Marketers Underwhelmed by New Visa Interchange Rates” (Via Digital Transactions)
…[F]uel sellers are underwhelmed by the moves. “It looks like it’s more smoke and mirrors,” says a spokesman for the National Association of Convenience Stores, a vocal critic of interchange that represents 2,200 retailers. “There are s
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Rally to Stop Skyrocketing MasterCard and Visa Fees on Gasoline
Click here for Media Advisory NEWS RELEASE Consumers and Merchants Tell Congress to Support the Credit Card Fair Fee Act IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE) Consumers and merchants alike will rally in Irvine on July 3rd, Thursday morning at 7:30
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
RALLY ’ROUND THE PUMP (Via Irvine World News)
From The Irvine World News, July 1: Irvine business owner Mitch Goldstone is mustering the home guard not only against Big Oil; he’s got Visa and MasterCard in his sights, too, over the cost of fuel. Goldstone has put out a call to all motorists
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
“Old-time protest of high fuel prices might be a gas” (via LA Times)
Excerpt from July 1 Los Angeles Times Some people just sit around and complain about a problem (Note to self: Look in the mirror), and other people actually try to make things happen…. Small-business owner Mitch Goldstone is, however, and h
- June 30th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
NACS to distribute pumptoppers to communicate grievance over credit card fees (via Energy Business Review)
The National Association of Convenience Stores has announced that it will make pumptoppers available free of charge to US retailers, to help them communicate their aggravation over escalating credit card fees to consumers and the Congress…. Rea
- June 29th, 2008
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
Credit Card Fees at the Pump are a ‘Hidden Tax’ on Consumers (via ConsumerAffairs.com)
Rising oil prices a gusher for card companies By Martin H. Bosworth (reposted in its entirety from ConsumerAffairs.Com) June 29, 2008 Consumers are feeling pain at the pump from gas prices topping $4 a gallon but it’s not just gas they̵
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waytoohigh has posted a new entry on: WayTooHigh.com - The Credit Card Interchange Report
MEDIA ADVISORY: Rally to Stop Skyrocketing Credit Card Fees on Gasoline
MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Mitch Goldstone Ph: 949-474-7654 Email: Goldstone (at) ScanMyPhotos.com Rally to Stop Skyrocketing Credit Card Fees