Refund Junk Fees and Hidden Charges
Junk fees are the mandatory charges that get tacked on at checkout: 'resort fees,' 'service fees,' 'convenience fees,' and processing charges that were never part of the advertised price. The Federal Trade Commission has cracked down on hidden and bogus fees, and many states have their own price-transparency laws. If a fee was not clearly disclosed upfront, you can dispute it and ask for a refund.
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The FTC enforces the law against unfair and deceptive practices under the FTC Act, including hidden and misleading fees ('junk fees'). The FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, which took effect May 12, 2025, requires businesses in the live-event ticketing and short-term lodging (hotels, vacation rentals) industries to disclose the total price including all mandatory fees upfront, before you reach checkout. More broadly, charging fees that were not clearly disclosed, or fees for services you never agreed to, can be an unfair or deceptive practice. Many states (such as California and Minnesota) also have laws banning hidden mandatory fees and requiring all-in pricing. You can dispute an undisclosed charge with the merchant, request a chargeback from your card issuer for a charge that does not match what you agreed to, and report the business to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.
Step by step
- 1Collect proof of the advertised price: screenshots of the listing or ad, your booking confirmation, and the final receipt or statement showing the added fee. Highlight the difference between the price you were shown and the price you were charged.
- 2Contact the merchant in writing (use the prefill below) and ask them to refund any mandatory fee that was not clearly disclosed in the advertised total price before checkout.
- 3If the merchant refuses, dispute the charge with your credit or debit card issuer. Explain that the final charge included undisclosed mandatory fees you did not agree to, and provide your screenshots and receipt.
- 4Report the business to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general's office. This adds pressure and helps enforcement against deceptive pricing.
What they'll say, and your comeback
“The fee was disclosed in the terms and conditions.”
Comeback, A mandatory fee buried in fine print is not adequate disclosure. The FTC's junk-fee rule requires the total price, including all mandatory fees, to be shown upfront for lodging and ticketing. Please refund the undisclosed fee.
“All hotels/sellers charge resort or service fees.”
Comeback, That does not make an undisclosed mandatory fee lawful. If the fee was not included in the advertised total before I booked, it is exactly the kind of hidden charge the FTC and state price-transparency laws prohibit. Please refund it.
“The fee is non-refundable.”
Comeback, A fee that was never properly disclosed is not a valid charge to begin with. If you do not refund it, I will dispute the charge with my card issuer and report the undisclosed fee to the FTC and my state attorney general.
FAQ
Which junk fees are clearly illegal now?
As of May 12, 2025, the FTC's fee rule requires live-event ticket sellers and short-term lodging providers (hotels, resorts, vacation rentals) to display the all-in price, including mandatory resort and service fees, upfront. Hidden mandatory fees in those industries are prohibited, and undisclosed or bogus fees in any industry can be challenged as deceptive.
Can I get a chargeback for a hidden fee?
Often yes. If your card was charged more than the price you agreed to because of an undisclosed mandatory fee, you can dispute that portion of the charge with your card issuer. Provide your screenshots of the advertised price and the final receipt as evidence.
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Reclaim it now, free →More money you might be owed
- UKHow to get a refund for a faulty product (even 'out of policy')
- UK / EUHow to get a refund when your order never arrived
- EUResolve a cross-border online purchase dispute (ECC-Net)
- SpainCómo reclamar la devolución por un producto defectuoso en España
- PortugalDevolução de produto com defeito em Portugal
- FranceProduit défectueux : garantie légale de conformité en France
A self-serve tool, not a law firm. General information, not legal advice.