Some retailers may impose a fee on credit card transactions beginning Jan. 27

The consumer advocacy group Consumer Action is urging people to be on alert for so-called checkout fees that some retailers could begin to impose on credit card transactions starting Jan. 27. Merchant trade groups contend most retailers, fearing customer backlash, will not charge the fee. But Consumer Action wants cardholders to be aware of the possibility and options for fighting back. “We’re not sure whether retailers are going to charge these fees,” said Ruth Susswein, deputy director of national priorities at Consumer Action in Washington, D.C. “They may not for competitive reasons. Some of it will depend on whether the other guy does it.”