On September 17, 2026 the Federal Trade Commission announced a $100 million administrative settlement with FleetCor Technologies (now Corpay) and its CEO resolving allegations that the company charged small-business customers undisclosed and unauthorized fees on fuel cards while misrepresenting savings. The money is intended for customer redress. Finance, treasury and procurement teams that use or evaluate commercial fuel-card or payment programs should re-examine fee transparency, consent language and invoice practices this week.
The settlement follows a 2023 federal-court summary judgment for the FTC that was largely affirmed on appeal in 2026, and adds a monetary redress component to the existing permanent injunction against deceptive billing practices. The Commission vote to accept the consent agreement was 1-0-1, with the chair recused.
This is a factual summary of the FTCβs public announcement and is not legal or compliance advice. Companies should consult counsel regarding their own payment-card programs.
- What changed? $100 million redress fund plus continued prohibitions on billing without express informed consent and on deceptive savings claims.
- When? Settlement announced September 17, 2026; subject to public comment before finalization.
- Who is affected? Current and former FleetCor/Corpay fuel-card customers (predominantly small businesses) and any company whose own commercial-card programs use similar fee or disclosure practices.
- What to do this week? Audit fuel-card and commercial-payment statements for unexpected fees; review vendor contracts and internal expense policies for consent and transparency standards.
What did the FTC allege?
According to the Commission, FleetCor imposed a broad array of unauthorized fees that customers never agreed to pay, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars and harming tens of thousands of small-business customers. The company allegedly delayed the start of many fees for several billing cycles, failed to disclose fees clearly on invoices, and misrepresented the fuel savings, fraud-control features and fee structures associated with its cards. Late fees were also charged in situations where customers had paid on time or had been prevented from paying on time.
What does the settlement require?
FleetCor and its CEO will pay $100 million, which the FTC states will be used to provide redress to harmed business customers. The parties also agreed not to oppose reimposition of a federal-court injunction against the CEO. An earlier permanent injunction already prohibits billing without express informed consent, hiding material charge information behind hyperlinks, and making deceptive claims about the cards.
Why this matters for finance and procurement teams
Commercial fuel cards and fleet-payment products remain common tools for controlling vehicle-related spend. The case underscores that fee opacity and delayed disclosure can generate both regulatory liability and customer distrust. Teams responsible for selecting or managing such programs should treat clear, advance consent and fully itemized billing as non-negotiable requirements. Internal expense-audit processes should be capable of surfacing unexpected card fees quickly.
Concrete steps for this week
Pull recent statements from any FleetCor/Corpay or similar commercial-card programs and reconcile every fee line against the original contract and any subsequent change notices. Confirm that your organizationβs procurement or treasury policy requires vendors to obtain express informed consent before introducing new charges. If you manage a program for field or fleet employees, verify that end users receive transparent invoices rather than summary statements that bury fees. Document the review for audit and compliance files.
What to watch next?
The public-comment period on the consent agreement and the FTCβs subsequent decision whether to make the order final. Any follow-on private actions or state investigations. Broader industry response among other commercial-card issuers regarding disclosure practices.
Is the $100 million for consumers or the government?
The FTC states the funds will be used for redress to the companyβs business customers.
Does the settlement admit liability?
Consent agreements of this type typically do not constitute an admission of liability; the prior court judgment had already found liability on the core claims.
Are current customers still protected by the injunction?
Yes. The permanent injunction against unauthorized billing and deceptive claims remains in force.
Should we stop using the cards immediately?
That is a commercial decision. At minimum, finance teams should verify current fee schedules and consent documentation.
When does the order become final?
After the public-comment period and a subsequent Commission decision to finalize the consent order.
Son GΓΌncelleme / Last Updated: September 22, 2026. Related: Finance hub Β· Russia sanctions secondary tariffs Β· SEC and PCAOB scrutiny.
Discover more from Kurums | Business Intelligence
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.