Visa and MasterCard have agreed to pay a total of US$336 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging the credit card firms short changed US consumers in foreign currency transactions.
By
AFP

Source:
AFP
27 Jul 2006 - 12:00 AM  UPDATED 22 Aug 2013 - 12:18 PM

MasterCard International said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that its portion of the settlement was US$72.48 million and will be used to pay claims by eligible cardholders and other expenses.

The agreement must be approved by a federal court in New York, the filing said.

The law firm of Berger and Montague, which represents plaintiffs, said in a separate statement that the case stems from allegations that the companies added surcharges to credit and debit card transactions denominated in a foreign currency or with a foreign merchant.

"The plaintiffs claimed that the defendants violated federal and state anti-trust laws, disclosure laws and other legal requirements," the law firm said.

Details of the settlement are to be released when they are filed with the court.