Merchants should not impose restrictions on the acceptance of credit card payment, the Consumer Council says, adding customers should report such malpractices to their card issuers.

The council today said according to three credit card associations' regulations, merchants must not add any surcharges to the credit cardholders' transaction amount, nor set any minimum spending limit.

Although 18 credit card issuing banks surveyed will handle requests for surcharge refund, consumers are unlikely to obtain the sufficient proof necessary to claim a refund because some merchants seek to deliberately avoid listing the surcharge separately on the invoice.

More education urged

The council said there should more educational publicity to improve the situation. Card associations or card issuers should issue a notice to cardholders drawing their attention to such malpractices. They should list out the application procedures for surcharge refunds, and tell cardholders their rights.

Consumers should refuse to accept any restrictions, including surcharges imposed by merchants, and report such cases to their card issuers.