🚨 FYI Detroit: The 50¢ Debit Card Swipe Scam They're Hoping You Don't Question
Let me tell you something that’s been bothering me for a long time, and if you live in Detroit, I know you’ve seen it too:
You walk into a gas station, liquor store, or corner shop…
You grab something small, maybe a soda, a bag of chips, a single item.
You go to swipe your debit card, and they hit you with:
👉 “There’s a 50¢ fee for purchases under $5.”
It might not sound like a lot. But this is ILLEGAL. And these stores are making bank off of people who don’t know their rights.
I created this blog series, FYI Detroit, because we’re tired of being taken advantage of. I’m shining light on the small scams that add up to big exploitation in our neighborhoods.
💡 Pro Tip: If you’re being charged without proper signage, it’s likely a violation of both card network policy and state law.
Stores are not allowed to charge debit card fees like this unless they clearly disclose it and follow the law. In most cases, they’re breaking merchant agreements and possibly Michigan consumer protection laws.
📜 Michigan Law Reference:
🔹 Michigan Consumer Protection Act (MCL 445.903(1)(s))
"Charging the consumer a price that is grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold."
This includes undisclosed fees and fraudulent pricing practices.
📜 Card Network Policies:
🔹 Visa & Mastercard Rules
Retailers cannot charge extra fees on debit card transactions unless specific rules are followed — including clear signage and legal disclosure.
➤ Visa Surcharge Rules
➤ Mastercard Rules for Violations
💬 Have You Experienced This Scam? Tell Me.
If this happened to you, or if you’ve seen landlord threats, property management scams, or shady eviction tactics, I want to hear from you.
📥 Send an anonymous message or drop a comment below. I’m building a case. I’ll research it. And I’ll post what they don’t want us to know, receipts and all.
📬 Want More? Subscribe for Truth.
This is only the beginning.
📩 Subscribe to get more raw truth about:
✔️ Landlord-tenant fraud in Detroit
✔️ Disability-targeted scams
✔️ What’s really happening with the Wayne County Register of Deeds
✔️ Legal tools to protect your family and assets
These fees often target the most vulnerable:
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Low-income residents
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People using EBT, SSI, or disability payments
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Anyone making small, necessary purchases
And let’s be honest, it’s mostly happening in Black and brown communities, in high-traffic stores, where they think we won’t say anything.
But we are. And we will.
If you've been charged a fee like this in Detroit, take your power back:
✅ Step 1: File a Consumer Complaint with the Michigan Attorney General
👉 Download the form here
📎 Print it, fill it out, and send it in, protect your household and help stop the scam.
✅ Step 2: Report Directly to Visa or Mastercard
They investigate violations FAST.
✅ Step 3: Spread the Word
📣 Share this blog with neighbors. Post on Facebook. Let people know what’s happening.
🖤 Final Thoughts
Detroit, we are not powerless.
You have the right to speak up. To ask questions. To push back.
And I promise you this:
I will keep writing. I will keep exposing. I will keep researching.
Because this isn’t just about 50 cents, it’s about taking back our dignity, our money, and our voice.
🗣️ In Detroit, we look out for each other. If you’ve been scammed, mistreated, or misled, drop the receipt. I’ll help unpack it.
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