charged an illegal fee

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "charged an illegal fee" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is accused of imposing a fee that is not permitted by law or regulation. Example: "The company was found to have charged an illegal fee for their services, leading to a lawsuit."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Mark Greenstone, a partner at L.A. class-action law firm Glancy Prongay & Murray, said that if a bank charged an illegal fee of $10 a month, no individual consumer would hire a lawyer to sue the bank — nor would any lawyer handle the case.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

And if the driver did pick them up, some "took them to the wrong location without warning, or charged an illegal extra fee".

Huffington Post

Of 42 cabs tested, using passengers with wheelchairs or guide dogs, 20 cabs - or 48% - either drove right past the passenger with a disability in favor of another fare, took them to the wrong location without warning, or charged an illegal extra fee.

Huffington Post

But in its early days, LendUp charged customers illegal fees, miscalculated interest rates, falsely advertised loans nationwide that weren't available there and misled people that borrowing from LendUp would boost their credit score.

TechCrunch

Visitors will be charged an entry fee.

BBC

(Sellers are also charged an 8% fee on every purchase).

Vice

None of the participants mentioned that any of the CMDs charged illegal fees.

BMC Health Services Research

In the case of North Fork, Mr. Spitzer announced a settlement in 2003 requiring it to refund more than $20,000 to dozens of homeowners and cease what he said was its practice of charging homeowners illegal fees.

The New York Times

Some workers had adopted strategies including doing locum in private facilities, charging clients illegal fees or reporting to work late or leaving work early.

Health Policy and Planning

At the AG event, demonstrators accused banks of committing widespread fraud, citing a broad array of abuses: evicting people who had already paid off their mortgage, charging illegal fees and illegally inflating home appraisals, among others.

Huffington Post

Users are charged a subscription fee.

The New York Times - Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "charged an illegal fee", ensure you can provide evidence or cite specific laws or regulations that the fee violates. Vague accusations can lead to legal issues.

Common error

Avoid using "charged an illegal fee" without specifying the type of fee or the context in which it was charged. Provide details to make the statement more credible and understandable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "charged an illegal fee" functions as a accusation or description of an unlawful action. It typically identifies a situation where someone has been improperly billed or assessed a cost that violates legal or regulatory standards. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in writing.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "charged an illegal fee" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to describe the act of imposing a fee that violates laws or regulations. Ludwig examples show it primarily appears in news and media and scientific contexts, reflecting its use in reporting and analyzing financial and legal issues. Ludwig AI confirms the usability of the phrase in written English, making it a valuable term for legal discussions, consumer advocacy, and journalism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

imposed an unlawful charge

Focuses on the act of imposing rather than just charging.

levied an unauthorized fee

Emphasizes the lack of authorization for the fee.

demanded an unlawful payment

Highlights the demand for payment rather than the charging of a fee.

collected an illegal surcharge

Specifies the fee as a surcharge and emphasizes its collection.

applied an unauthorized levy

Uses "levy" which is a more formal term for a charge or fee.

exacted an unlawful toll

Emphasizes the forceful extraction of the fee.

billed an illegal amount

Focuses on the act of billing the incorrect amount.

assessed an improper fee

Highlights the impropriety of the fee assessment.

illegally charged a fee

Reorders the phrase to place emphasis on the illegal nature of the charging.

wrongfully charged a fee

Highlights the wrongfulness rather than legality of the fee.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "charged an illegal fee"?

You can use alternatives like "imposed an unlawful charge", "levied an unauthorized fee", or "demanded an unlawful payment" depending on the context.

What makes a fee illegal?

A fee is considered illegal if it violates existing laws, regulations, or contracts. This can include fees that are not disclosed, exceed legal limits, or are charged for services not rendered.

In what contexts is "charged an illegal fee" commonly used?

This phrase is frequently used in legal, financial, and consumer protection contexts to describe situations where a business or individual has imposed a fee that is not permitted by law.

What is the difference between "charged an illegal fee" and "charged an additional fee"?

"Charged an illegal fee" implies that the fee is unlawful or prohibited, while "charged an additional fee" simply means that a fee was added on top of the original price, without necessarily implying illegality.