BOSTON (WHDH) - Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced on Monday upcoming consumer protection regulations prohibiting “junk fees” — hidden, surprise, or unnecessary costs that drive a product’s price beyond what is advertised.
Campbell’s office said the fees violate the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act, as businesses often fail to disclose them or delay disclosing them until the end of a transaction.
“We’ve all been there: booked a hotel room, purchased concert tickets, or paid for a service that was advertised at one price and then charged for one exponentially higher — all because of hidden junk fees,” Campbell said in a statement.
The novel regulations — beginning Sept. 2 — will require businesses to clearly state the total price of a product, along with mandatory charges or fees, before a consumer has to give their personal billing information.
“It is a compliance burden when you think about some of the technical infrastructure required to be more transparent,” said Ted Rossman, Bankrate senior industry analyst.
When presenting a trial offer, businesses will have to disclose any charges a consumer may incur for accepting it, as well as specific instructions for consumers to cancel the offer before charges begin.
Campbell’s regulations will ensure consumers can cancel subscriptions “just as easily as they are able to enroll in them,” according to her office.
“These regulations seek to keep more money in residents’ pockets by combatting these unnecessary fees and ensuring consumers understand exactly how much and what they are paying for,” Campbell said.
Residents say they’ve found themselves running into hidden fees oftentimes.
Mike O’Brien is a huge sports fans who runs into these hidden fees when trying to get game tickets.
“I hate how you go buy a ticket on Ticketmaster or something and then you have to be, like, click a button on StubHub, do you really wanna see the actual prices? Like, yeah, I do actually, thanks for asking,” said Mike O’Brien.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)