I've read somewhere that the Amazon Associates affiliate program takes $15 off your $100 check when sending you a payment. Is that true? If they do charge the $15 fee, isn't there a possibility to set my minimal payment to e.g. $300, so that I could avoid the $15 fees?
Login and then: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/gp/associates/network/your-account/payment-info.html (you can't miss it).
If your billing address is in the United States and you opt to get paid by check, then they will take out $15 fee. Check this help article.
If you could post the link where you found it so we could all read it. I don't believe you read it correctly. You only pay if your address is in the US, international associates however, do not get charged any thing - they get the whole referral payment.
I think $15 is charged by the bank when you encash it. I remember a fees of $21 when my brother received his first cheque from adsense. ~RandomWoman
Those fees are charged by the bank, not Amazon. It's because you're depositing international checks. They need to be verified then cleared.
Amazon only charge US publishers this fee, international publishers are not liable for it. Your bank, however, will most likely charge you.