New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has launched a crackdown on hidden charges and subscription traps that he says are unfairly targeting low-income residents. The new measures aim to curb junk fees, which he claims are making life even harder for working-class New Yorkers.
Mamdani signed two executive orders aimed at protecting consumers from misleading billing practices. One order establishes a task force dedicated to identifying businesses that engage in hidden charges, while the other empowers the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to crack down on subscription traps.
The issue is not limited to the gym industry; Mamdani notes that such practices are widespread, affecting everything from concert tickets to credit card bills. "It's a sign of disdain and disrespect towards working people," he said.
State Attorney General Letitia James has also been cracking down on companies that use hidden fees as a way to increase revenue. Equinox, a luxury gym chain, was recently fined $600,000 for making it difficult for customers to cancel their memberships.
Mamdani's move is part of his broader affordability agenda, which aims to make New York City more accessible to low-income residents. "It's hard enough to live in New York City without worrying about being ripped off," he said.
The new measures are a significant development in the city's efforts to protect consumers from unfair billing practices. With Khan leading the task force and James providing support, there is hope that these changes will make a real difference for working-class New Yorkers who have long been taken advantage of by companies with hidden fees.
Mamdani signed two executive orders aimed at protecting consumers from misleading billing practices. One order establishes a task force dedicated to identifying businesses that engage in hidden charges, while the other empowers the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to crack down on subscription traps.
The issue is not limited to the gym industry; Mamdani notes that such practices are widespread, affecting everything from concert tickets to credit card bills. "It's a sign of disdain and disrespect towards working people," he said.
State Attorney General Letitia James has also been cracking down on companies that use hidden fees as a way to increase revenue. Equinox, a luxury gym chain, was recently fined $600,000 for making it difficult for customers to cancel their memberships.
Mamdani's move is part of his broader affordability agenda, which aims to make New York City more accessible to low-income residents. "It's hard enough to live in New York City without worrying about being ripped off," he said.
The new measures are a significant development in the city's efforts to protect consumers from unfair billing practices. With Khan leading the task force and James providing support, there is hope that these changes will make a real difference for working-class New Yorkers who have long been taken advantage of by companies with hidden fees.
. It's about time someone took on the big corporations and their sneaky tactics. I mean, come on, who doesn't hate getting stuck with extra charges they didn't agree to? 
But, at the same time, I don't think we should be naive about this either 
. There are a lot of people in power, including politicians like Zohran Mamdani, who say all the right things but still let corporations off the hook sometimes 
. That being said, it's great to see some progress being made, especially with state Attorney General Letitia James cracking down on companies that use hidden fees. It's a small step in the right direction, and I hope it leads to more changes in the future 
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. It's disgusting when you're trying to budget and they find ways to sneak in extra fees. I mean, come on, it's not like we can't figure out how to cancel our gym memberships if we want to 
. But seriously, it's a huge issue and affects so many people, especially low-income residents who are already struggling to make ends meet. The fact that Equinox got fined $600,000 is insane 
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Mamdani's got my back on this one! Those gym chains think they can just sneak in extra charges and get away with it? Not on my watch 
I've lost count of how many times I've had to navigate those confusing subscription contracts. It's crazy that Equinox got fined $600k for doing the bare minimum 
Let's hope these new measures actually stick and make a real difference for low-income folks who are already struggling to make ends meet 
- I mean, it's about time someone took on those greedy companies! The gym industry charging people for "convenience" or "access" is just ridiculous. And concert tickets with extra charges? It's like they're trying to rip us off. Mamdani's doing a great job of standing up for the little guy and I'm glad to see state AG Letitia James getting in on the action too