What The Fuck In The Fuck Of Fucks Is A Fucking Privacy Fucking Fee ???

CG2014's Avatar
Bar Tab from a DFW strip club a buddy went to.

At bottom it looks pretty normal at first:


Total, the sales tax, then cash total, and then ....



Total _________ +
8.25% Tax _________ =
Cash Total _________ +
4% Privacy Fee _____ =
Credit Card Total _____


The Fuck?



7Zark7's Avatar
maybe the "privacy fee" is that bogus innocuous "company name" they use so it's doesn't say "Strip club" on the credit card statement ... I'm being facetious obviously, but I've never seen that before
CG2014's Avatar
There was a dollar amount next to the privacy fee that is added to the Credit Card Total.
Wile E Coyote's Avatar
And that is why you never pay for anything at a strip club with a credit card.
CG2014's Avatar
It's also illegal for any business to charge any fees that are not clearly posted on signs or menus or inform the customer ahead of time before a service or product is provided.
Sir Lancehernot's Avatar
It's also illegal for any business to charge any fees that are not clearly posted on signs or menus or inform the customer ahead of time before a service or product is provided. Originally Posted by CG2014

Got a cite for that, or some other confirmation? Used to be that charging a fee for using a credit card was a violation of the TOS. You could give a discount for cash, but you couldn't charge, in essence, a fee for using a card. That changed I-don't-know-when-ago. I'm sure I've been charged a fee without notice at some point, but I can't point to a specific instance, and, if what you say is true, I'll start looking out for that.
Texxan52's Avatar
The 8.25% says TX SOB surcharge. I'm not aware of an SOB surcharge, jus a flat entry charge. Wonder if sales tax was added too? Why not post the name of the club?
CG2014's Avatar
My friend said that 4% Privacy Fee is what they are charging when you pay using a Credit Card and you are not paying Cash.


But because it is illegal to do so in Texas (except for Debit Cards),


https://www.sll.texas.gov/faqs/credit-card-surcharge/


they named it Privacy Fee instead of Credit Card Processing Fee.


This club is also charging $5 when you ask to exchange $100 (in any denomination combination) for 100 $1 bills.

That is also illegal to do so.


The club can only refuse to do so if they determine the bills you are using ($5, $10, $20, $50, $100) are counterfeit which is hard for them to stand on since they have the marker to determine if the bills are real or counterfeit or if they are low on $1 bills.

But when has any strip club been low on $1 bills?
Wile E Coyote's Avatar
quit going to that club................simple
This club is also charging $5 when you ask to exchange $100 (in any denomination combination) for 100 $1 bills.



That is also illegal to do so.


The club can only refuse to do so if they determine the bills you are using ($5, $10, $20, $50, $100) are counterfeit or if they are low on $1 bills.


But when has any strip club been low on $1 bills? Originally Posted by CG2014

Bucks Cab Fort Worth does this, they charge $5 if you want $100 in ones. not sure if its the same club that charges the privacy fee.
Sir Lancehernot's Avatar
But because it is illegal to do so in Texas (except for Debit Cards),


https://www.sll.texas.gov/faqs/credit-card-surcharge/


they named it Privacy Fee instead of Credit Card Processing Fee. Originally Posted by CG2014

I found the statute:


Sec. 604A.0021. IMPOSITION OF SURCHARGE FOR USE OF CREDIT CARD. (a) In a sale of goods or services, a seller may not impose a surcharge on a buyer who uses a credit card for an extension of credit instead of cash, a check, or a similar means of payment.
(b) This section does not apply to:
(1) a state agency, county, local governmental entity, or other governmental entity that accepts a credit card for the payment of fees, taxes, or other charges; or
(2) a private school that accepts a credit card for the payment of fees or other charges, as provided by Section 111.002.
(c) This section does not create a cause of action against an individual for violation of this section.


But there's also a 2018 ruling by a federal judge in the Western District of Texas that invalidated the law as unconstitutional. My guess is that the state is no longer enforcing it because of that.


Note that the law refers simply to "a surcharge." It doesn't have to be called anything specific, so long as it's assessed on CC transactions only.