White House, states tackle ‘junk fees’ that cost consumers

By FATIMA HUSSEIN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has brought together state lawmakers, federal officials and others for a virtual meeting where participants traded ideas about how to fight “junk fees” that inflate the cost to consumers for everything from hospital visits and airline tickets to student loans and concert seats. President Joe Biden said in February that his administration would work with state and local officials to identify ways to crack down on such fees. A government report from 2018 on event ticket sales found that primary ticket providers charged fees averaging 27% of a ticket’s price. The head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is encouraging states to enforce consumer protection laws already on the books.