HDFC Bank charged me 1% extra for education payment in an HDFC Bank Gateway for a payment made using Tata Neu credit card

[CosmicCat]

I made a payment of ₹1,420 on NIOS (an education board like CBSE) 2 days ago using my Tata Neu Infinity CC on an HDFC Bank payment gateway operated by PayU.

Today, I noticed in my current statement that the amount HDFC added was ₹1,434.20 instead of ₹1,420, which is exactly 1% extra.

However, in the Payment Gateway, while I was making the payment, the amount being shown to me was ₹1,420 and nothing was mentioned about extra charges or anything like that. I even have a screenshot of the payment page.

Can anybody tell why I was charged extra? And is it worth it to take up a fight with HDFC Bank?

 

[D₹V]

I made a payment of ₹1,420 on NIOS (an education board like CBSE) 2 days ago using my Tata Neu Infinity CC on an HDFC Bank payment gateway operated by PayU.

Today, I noticed in my current statement that the amount HDFC added was ₹1,434.20 instead of ₹1,420, which is exactly 1% extra.

However, in the Payment Gateway, while I was making the payment, the amount being shown to me was ₹1,420 and nothing was mentioned about extra charges or anything like that. I even have a screenshot of the payment page.

Can anybody tell why I was charged extra? And is it worth it to take up a fight with HDFC Bank?

Call customer care & know the MCC of txn first.

 

[CosmicCat]

Call customer care & know the MCC of txn first.

Thanks for the suggestion. They said that the MCC of this transaction is 8220, which is for "UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, SR COLLEGES OR PROFESSIONAL Schools."

Really weird stuff. Usually, such charges are reflected on the payment gateway page before making the payment. At least they should have added a disclaimer or notice that 1% charges would be deducted or something like that.

 

[D₹V]

Thanks for the suggestion. They said that the MCC of this transaction is 8220, which is for "UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, SR COLLEGES OR PROFESSIONAL Schools."

Really weird stuff. Usually, such charges are reflected on the payment gateway page before making the payment. At least they should have added a disclaimer or notice that 1% charges would be deducted or something like that.

On this category, they should not charge convenience fees.

Anyway amount isn't that much to waste time in escalation.

 

[Predator]

I think CC payment attracts extra convience charges on NIOS like many other government websites. Its just that HDFC does not show it upfront.
Repeat same payment procedure with any other CC and you will see 1434 as amount to be paid, if not, then settled amount would be 1434.
So, the issue is not HDFC specific

 

[CosmicCat]

On this category, they should not charge convenience fees.

Anyway amount isn't that much to waste time in escalation.

True. I don't have any energy or motivation to fight for ₹14.

Soch lunga ki HDFC walon ko jalebi khaane ke paise de diye.

 

[cardio_guy]

In most cases, before making the payment, you can see how much extra charge will be levied for each case - net banking, debit card, credit card, UPI etc.
I see UPI has mostly 0 charges, others have different charges on case to case basis.

 

[CosmicCat]

In most cases, before making the payment, you can see how much extra charge will be levied for each case - net banking, debit card, credit card, UPI etc.
I see UPI has mostly 0 charges, others have different charges on case to case basis.

As I've mentioned, nothing was mentioned there about convenience fees or anything like that.




See this screenshot. The right side is where my card details were entered, and the drop down menu had various payment options, such as HDFC Bank debit card, HDFC Bank credit card, Other bank DC/CC, UPI, netbanking, etc.

 

[D₹V]

As I've mentioned, nothing was mentioned there about convenience fees or anything like that.

View attachment 36030


See this screenshot. The right side is where my card details were entered, and the drop down menu had various payment options, such as HDFC Bank debit card, HDFC Bank credit card, Other bank DC/CC, UPI, netbanking, etc.

Then escalate as you've screenshot of it.
And MCC isn't rent
So ball is in your court.
Play the dice with the help of RBI Ombudsman.

 

[Predator]

True. I don't have any energy or motivation to fight for ₹14.

Soch lunga ki HDFC walon ko jalebi khaane ke paise de diye.

Still you are not getting it bro.
It is not HDFC that charged you this fee, but NIOS

 

[sharpened]

As I've mentioned, nothing was mentioned there about convenience fees or anything like that.

View attachment 36030


See this screenshot. The right side is where my card details were entered, and the drop down menu had various payment options, such as HDFC Bank debit card, HDFC Bank credit card, Other bank DC/CC, UPI, netbanking, etc.

The same thing happens when you pay advance tax via HDFC's payment gateway. The convenience fee is not shown on the payment page and is charged later. The final amount is only visible on the statement after a few days.

However, the tax payment website does show the convenience fee so it's not as unexpected as what you're describing.

 

[CosmicCat]

Still you are not getting it bro.
It is not HDFC that charged you this fee, but NIOS

I already understood it, bro. But the mistake is at the payment gateway's end too, which in this case is HDFC Bank themselves (even if it is being operated by PayU). At least they should add a disclaimer that the merchant "might" charge additional convenience fee. Even NIOS didn't show it at their end.

Then escalate as you've screenshot of it.
And MCC isn't rent
So ball is in your court.
Play the dice with the help of RBI Ombudsman.

Thank you for the motivation, but I'm not fighting them. ₹14 is not worth the hassles. 😛

 

[cardio_guy]

As I've mentioned, nothing was mentioned there about convenience fees or anything like that.

View attachment 36030


See this screenshot. The right side is where my card details were entered, and the drop down menu had various payment options, such as HDFC Bank debit card, HDFC Bank credit card, Other bank DC/CC, UPI, netbanking, etc.

This is a problem of HDFC's payment gateway. Other PGs show the additional convenience charges and also show how much will be the final amount. Sadly, for them, it is a hidden charge 🙁

 

[CosmicCat]

This is a problem of HDFC's payment gateway. Other PGs show the additional convenience charges and also show how much will be the final amount. Sadly, for them, it is a hidden charge 🙁

Yeah, I'm never choosing HDFC Payment Gateway ever again. So much so for the "hidden" charges and inconvenience fees.

 

[bhaveshbhai]

In most cases, before making the payment, you can see how much extra charge will be levied for each case - net banking, debit card, credit card, UPI etc.
I see UPI has mostly 0 charges, others have different charges on case to case basis.

+1 to this comment. The extra charges would never be shown on payment gateway or bank portal, the authorization would be taken only on the base amount which is 1420. The extra charges would be shown only I the school/institution website page, which would be just before this hdfc page

 

[bugmenot]

True. I don't have any energy or motivation to fight for ₹14.

Soch lunga ki HDFC walon ko jalebi khaane ke paise de diye.

I would recommend to check with HDFC team. At least your efforts could force them to show the surcharge upfront if they are at fault.

You should also raise concern with NIOS for failing to disclose surcharge if they are applying while paying using cc.

 

[MJN]

I need to pay around 1 L for my children education fee;

It will be paid thru school app and thru
Payment gateway - CC avenue
Merchant Name - The ******* International School

My question is that,
1) Will I get any additional charges if I pay thru Tata neu infinity?
2) Will I get 1.5% neu coins? (Customer care confirmed that education fee payment will give neu coins)

Can any expert pls help 🙏

@4uziaul @Abhishek012

 

[MJN]

I need to pay around 1 L for my children education fee;

It will be paid thru school app and thru
Payment gateway - CC avenue
Merchant Name - The ******* International School

My question is that,
1) Will I get any additional charges if I pay thru Tata neu infinity?
2) Will I get 1.5% neu coins? (Customer care confirmed that education fee payment will give neu coins)

Can any expert pls help 🙏

@4uziaul @Abhishek012

Can I go for it?

 

[Predator]

I need to pay around 1 L for my children education fee;

It will be paid thru school app and thru
Payment gateway - CC avenue
Merchant Name - The ******* International School

My question is that,
1) Will I get any additional charges if I pay thru Tata neu infinity?
2) Will I get 1.5% neu coins? (Customer care confirmed that education fee payment will give neu coins)

Can any expert pls help 🙏

@4uziaul @Abhishek012

No extra charges are there for education payments.
Only rent and wallet transactions are excluded

 

[sm9811911]

No extra charges for education