First Data review: corrupt and dishonest company 54

First Data is scamming me right now.
They are reporting me wrongly to Collection agency in Texas, that is their own, I guess.
And they are saying their lease is for 48 months!
I already returned them their equipment (credit card machine) after 6 months of their bad, disorganized services with inconsistent statements records and debit-credit operations with my checking account, and after my numerous frustrating telephone calls to them and many letters asking to clear out their wrong charges and cancel the bad service.
I am collecting info on them in order to sue them in the appropriate court and/or class action. Please join me with your info.
I am a financially struggling educator (they laid us off in 2011 in CA and I have only 10 hrs weekly of teaching now with unemployed summer in front of me). I am also going through a bad divorce with an abusive husband/gambler.
I owe to CHASE bank for my small business 21, 600 dollars. I have always paid on time my debts and minimum payments.
The First Data does not leave me the other choice as to fight for my credit history, that have been always good.
Please join me, everybody, in the fight for Consumer Rights against the multi-state electronic soulless and shameless monster corporation First Data Global Leasing (FDGL).
FDGL get the electronic signature from the victim deceitfully and unethically without proper disclosure about the robbing Lease Agreement of 48 months.
They rip off honest taxpayers just on the base of their crooked Lease Agreement signed electronically.
FDGL take full advantage of a gullible small business owner who, trying to survive in a bad economy, needs credit card machine. First Data are hooking themselves to the victim's bank account or credit card account threatening with collection agency and spoiling credit history.
I am preparing a UTube post on them on my trilingual UTube channel in English and Spanish languages to help out other USA consumers.
Please join me in the fight for justice for a Consumer suffered from First Data Global Leasing/First Data Merchant Services. consign@zoiasfashions.com Please put in the Subject Line FDLG Sue so I could organize info effectively.
Zoia's Fashions 954 N Grand Ave, Covina, CA 91724, [protected]
(I will probably have to close my small business in a few months because of my bank debt)
I have the four addresses of FDGL in different states, and a collection of other complaints of consumers about FDGL rip off from a different Internet site. I also have a name and telephone number of a contact person for a class action.
Please help me to gather all the info together.
The scam company has to be stopped.
January 26 2014
Thank you for your info and support! ZoiaEducator

The took money from my account that wasn't owed and when I tried to part ways they demanded $1700. I continued to send them the same monthly payments in the agreement to protect my credit and they still reported me to credit bureau. When I asked the First Data Merchant service why they did this they said I was sending money to First Data Merchant service and not First Data Leasing. This duel company that acts as one is at the core of their scam

why are we all talking about this bunch of ###s lets sue them and get our money back

I think First Data Merchant Service is a dishonest trick. So, I want to say to the Director of First Data Merchant Service that you are the cheater; what the f*** your business policy is!

CPN will FEE YOU to DEATH. Their PCI compliance fees are the highest of any service company. Their fees for gift cards are also higher than any others. They are rude on the phone. I'm switching this week, and blocking them from debiting my account.

My previous comment has some extra stuff added to the Buyer Beware. Apparently this Webmaster doesn't know how to deal with quotation marks. My customer, and myself, are starting a Class Action lawsuit against the company. Anyone interested you can contact me at jpguckel@gmail.com. Our premise has been checked by an attorney and he thinks it has merit. Simply put, their contract specifies a specific manufacturers name and model number of a CC Terminal. They, unknowingly to the customer, altered the software chip inside the terminal before shipping it to their customers. This modification renders all other processors software useless and detrimentally locks the terminal from further use by anyone. An indication is alternating white & black screens with no key recognition. Their contract, that locks you into exorbitant payments, does specify the terminal, but makes no mention of their alteration. Hence, they violated their own contract by misrepresentation of the product supplied.

Adhere to the old addage ... "Buyer Beware"!

My husband and I were given First Data's info by Sam's, however, now that we're having problems with the company, suddenly Sam's has no idea how to get in touch with someone corporate for them.
The person who signed us up for First Data never mentioned anything about how the contract was not able to be canceled or that they would randomly take money out of our checking account...they take $100 at a time and say it's "one-time" fees for this or that...none of which was explained to us.
When I called the number, they said the lease was not able to be canceled...that we have to pay the entire 6 years even though the business has been closed for over a year...

unfortunately I just signed today and for some reason, I decided to look up this company afterwards and am panicked about this company...what now?
shrstou@gmail.com

I have a customer of mine, and I am not a competing CC Processor, that used Capital Processing Network. I have several issues I would like to raise. First, at the time of inception of their agreement, they were told that they would have to lease a credit card Terminal from THEIR leasing company. In fact they were working together for THEIR mutual benefit, not the customers. The leasing company was National Processing Company d/b/a/ Lease Capital Group. The lease was non-cancellable. The Equipment was manufactured by Verifone, Model Vx570, and the Verifone company has an excellent reputation it has maintained for many years. The lease amount was $49.00/month for a period of 48 months. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to do the math. On the open market these terminals can be bought for $300.00. The total lease obligation is $2, 352.00. I would call this a scam on the unsuspecting customer since they have no expertise in these financial matters. They are not a Credit Card Processor.

Secondly, one of these companies, probably the latter, modified the Verifone equipment so that it would work only with the formers software program. (Unknown to the customer) When a more cost effective processor was found that company tried to upload new software to the Verifone terminal. It was the customers right to do so since the leasing company only leased the terminal, not the terminal services. The result was that it blocked the installation and rendered the Terminal inoperative. It flashed a blank white screen on and off.

When the lease company was contacted, by myself, they openly denied that there were any software "Traps" built in to the system that would render it inoperative. They said the terminal had obviously suffered a failure. When asked to repair it they informed me that the customer unfortunatly had not taken out their extended warranty and therefore was basically out of luck. But would have to continue to pay on the defective machine until the lease terminated.

Now my contention is that the company is at fault, without the customers knowledge or permission, they modified the Verifone terminal to render it to fail if another proigram was uploaded from a reputable credit card processor, not an second ot third tier provider. The contract specifically points out that the customer is leasing a terminal manufactured by Verifone and gives a specific model numer of that terminal. There is no mention that it has, or may have been, modified at the time of purchase. This is misrepresentation of the product and the manufacturer and they should be held responsible for misrepresentation of the product. Therefore, the product was leased under false and misleading information specifically called out by their own lease agreement.

I can remember the start of all of these types of unscrupulous supposed credit card processors. The name of the second party reseller was Cherry Bank Systems. They ended up being put out of business by the federal government. There have been many companies started in a similar fashion. They all seem to stay one step ahead of the law by frequently changing officers and company names to avoid prosecution.

One word of advice I can offer anyone that reads this blog/compalint. Deal directly with the processor. Not your bank or a company similar to this one. The good ones are out there, like Chase Paymentech of Dallas, Texas. The fees will definatly be lower because you are dealing directly with a procesor, not someone that taks on the percentage and fees to handle your credit card procesing in addition to the processors fees and intercage rate.

If anyone has any questions you may contact me at jpguckel@gmail.com.

CAPITAL PROCESSING NETWORK
Regarding the comments from the 2 disgruntled employees below:

What they said is entirely consistent with my experience today. I received a cold call (despite being on the do not call registry) and the person on the other end was very persistent and persuasive. She told me that I was qualified for a better rate because my business was low risk. I asked her why she thought that and she said because of the info she got from D&B, (which is largely irrelevant to processing risk). I told her I have an e-commerce site (high-risk) and she said I still qualify because of my length in business and my low charge back rate. I told her I have quite a few charge backs. She said everyone does and they could still get me a better rate.

Conclusion: They will tell you anything (by saying nothing of substance) to get you hooked into their program.

For me, I DON'T CARE how good their rates are. I would NEVER work with a company that used those sales tactics.

If you have already set up an appointment (I did before I read this thread), the fax back a letter requesting to cancel the appointment and cease all communication with you.

Then, file a complaint if you were on the do not call registry.

I am in the same situation with First Data of Florida, - they dishonestly switched my contract with Paymentech Chaseinto to the Fist data through a third party equipment installer which does not want to hear about any issues with the equipment since, apparantely, his part is installation only. I had no idea contract is non-cancellable since there is nothin which specifies it as such on the agreement. I am trying to get out of the lease but First Data says there is no way. I am sure they are lieing as with everything else, and I will find the way out. If anybody knows how to get out of it, - please share and I will do the same.

Please be clear that Chargeback rules are made by the Associations, Visa and MasterCard. Any processer, whether it's First Data, Bank of America, Heartland, etc... is bound by those rules.
The chargebacks are debited directly from your account in some cases, not all, and the issuing banks DO make the decisions on whether or not you receive your money back.
Any non face to face transactions, will NEVER be guaranteed. That is per Visa and MasterCard.
It may be more productive for you to go to the source to complain instead of blaming all of the processors.

To Members of the Genral Public :

I retract all comments made about CPN in my previous blog I was upset at the time and felt i had to express my opinion and had no intention of slandering any business or persons. or making any kind of defamatory or libelous statements that would impugn or effect the business practices and ethics of CPN. If I offended anyone I apologize this was simply my opinion about my personal experience.

I retract all comments made about CPN in my previous blog I was upset at the time and felt i had to express my opinion and had no intention of slandering any business or persons. or making any kind of defamatory or libelous statements that would impugn or effect the business practices and ethics of CPN. If I offended anyone I apologize this was simply my opinion about my personal experience.

RESPONSE TO LIBELOUS INTERNET POSTINGS

To Members of the General Public:

The two postings set forth above contain totally false and libelous statements impugning the business practices and ethics of Capital Processing Network, LLC (“CPN”). These postings were made by a recently terminated and disgruntled former employee of CPN and his friend from a temp agency. The employee was terminated for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, a lack of production, inability to execute a sales presentation, and overall poor work performance.

CPN’s legal counsel is attempting to secure a retraction of these defamatory statements as well as a public apology relative thereto, either by mutual agreement or through formal court procedures. Unfortunately, handling such things in a legal and proper manner takes time and while that process is being followed, the potential harm to CPN’s good name by these postings continues to exist.

CPN can only hope that members of the public who read such false and scurrilous accusations will be mindful of the fact that anyone can post anything on the Internet, whether true or not, and that there are usually two sides to every story. There most definitely is another version to the story in this case – the truthful one.

I worked there just got fired form CPN for saying to my coworker that i smelt beer on the work floor when the VP of the company walked by, sorry he did. I knew this place was bogus when i went through a 3 day training class with some used car salesman named navon nice guy but very crappy training environment . So anyway I stayed because i got 12.00 per hour I need a job and they had a lot to offer free benefits nice office m-f but it was all smoke and mirrors they offed 10.. per bogus appointment to make cold calls to random people saying i am calling a bout their current merchant account and that they have been marked low risk witch I have know idea who they even are or what they do at their business but I can knock off two levels of mark up if they qualify. I had memorize a script so it wont sound like I am reading one but i am and not to be a salesman but to at the same time to sell people into making a opponent so that they can get there shark salesman in there THIS PLACE IS A JOKE DO NOT MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THESE CLOWNS .

Keyboard being handed off now.

I was also a co-worker with the above author and have also had a negative experience with this company. Today marks the last day of my employment with this ever changing chameleon of a company, our sales training (if that's what you would call it) consisted of 3 days of constant threats to our employment, memorizing scripts and us being taught to be deceptively vague, to the point of lying without lying. Which is not something that i would normally go along with, but due to my financial circumstance, i figured a job was a job.. Well i think i might have missed the mark with that one. We were told that when a merchant hung up that we were to call them back immediately and harass them, and to pretty much "slap them around" meaning that we were to make them feel stupid and that their current processor was taking advantage of them, in retrospect i due believe that i have been setting bogus appointments for a company who's name changes more than my kids diaper...

First Data/Wells Fargo(same company really) are a terrible lot to do business with. But it is hard to find a processor not owned by WF. I thought I had and it turns out they are also owned by WF. Avoid these people like the plague.

These people are very deceptive! Hang up the phone when they call! I was never told that the contact was "Uncancellable". I told my representative repeatedly that I couldn't understand him. He spoke with a heavy Indian accent. He spoke very quickly! I had to tell him several times to slow down. He tried several times to solicit my social security number and I refused to give it to him. He tired to put me as a personal guarantor on the lease and I caught that. When the representative sent the finalization paper he put my name on the document and I had him make the correction with the corporation name on it, all the while I had him on speaker phone and have 2 ladies that witnessed the conversation. Now they are saying that I am personally liable for the remainder of the contract! They were taking money directly from my business account and so I quickly closed the account. I would love to sue these__________! I need a class action lawyer! Someone please refer me!

Sue,
I am sorry to hear you fell victim to Capital Processing. By chance was the salesman's name Chris? There have been reports by merchants in the Southeastern Wisconsin area about a similar situation. I am in the merchant services industry. It is stories like this that make merchants even more cynical when I'm straightforward about their options..

My advice: You are stuck in the lease. If you plan to take credit cards simply use the machine. If you return it they will still charge you for it until the lease term is up so you may as well use it. Pay the cancellation fee and find a reputable direct processor. It will cost you $495 to get rid of Capital, but staying with them and rewarding them doesn't make sense.

Email tom@webawaremedia.com if you want more merchant account advice or to talk further about your options.

I have also been scammed by Capital Processing Network and First Data Global Leasing. Capital Processing Network called numerous times in November, 2009 and claimed if we were right for them, they could save us a lot of money on our credit card processing, and they wanted someone to come out and meet with us. I agreed. When the account executive (salesman) came out to meet us, he checked over our last three statements and told us how much money they could save us. When we agreed to change over to them, he came back with the contract (Dec. 7, 2009) The salesman filled out the contract very quickly, never said anything about leasing equipment; only said that the terminal we were using was not the right terminal for us and it would soon be obsolete, and he would get us a good terminal. He did say something that it was guaranteed for life. HE NEVER SAID WE WOULD BE LEASING THE TERMINAL OR IT WOULD BE WITH A THIRD PARTY, LET ALONE THE LEASE IS FOR 48 MONTHS AND IS NON CANCELLABLE. HE NEVER WENT OVER ANY FEES AT ALL. ONLY STRESSED HOW MUCH MONEY WE WOULD BE SAVING. HE NEVER EVEN SAID WE HAD A CONTRACT WITH THEM (CAPITAL PROCESSING), WHICH I LATER FOUND OUT IS FOR 36 MONTHS WITH AN EARLY TERMINATION FEE OF $495. WE ARE A VERY SMALL BUSINESS (3 EMPLOYEES) AND MY SISTER-IN-LAW OWNS THE BUSINESS. HOWEVER, I MET WITH THE SALESMAN. HE NOT ONLY WROTE DOWN ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THE BUSINESS, BUT SINCE MY SISTER-IN-LAW WAS NOT THERE, HE TOOK ALL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING MY SS#, BIRTHDATE, HOME ADDRESS & PHONE NUMBER. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A COMPANY ASKING AN EMPLOYEE FOR THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION. I FEEL VERY STUPID! HE FILLED OUT THE CONTRACT AND TOLD ME TO SIGN, WHICH I DID.

After New Year's we received a letter from First Data Global Leasing with the monthly lease and all other fees. I called both First Data, which you can never get connected to a person; and Capital Processing, who said there was nothing they could do, I signed the lease which was non cancellable. That was when I found out the contract with Capital was for 3 years and the lease with First Data was for 4 years. After looking over the contract very carefully, I saw nothing about the length of time with Capital. She said it was in the packet of information I had been given. I have been calling and calling with no satisfaction. I told them about all the complaints that I saw on-line about them and everyone says the same thing. They are fraudulent and have misleading and dishonest practices of getting SMALL BUSINESS to sign their contract and are in it with First Data.

My sister-in-law is livid and is ready to fire me. She doesn't want to do business with them. We want out of this contract with both Capital Processing Network and First Data Global Leasing (they can have their terminal back). I am very upset that they also have my personal information (which I find extremely odd anyway).

THEY ARE LIARS AND I AM SICK OVER THIS. ANY SUGGESTIONS... PLEASE HELP! (Sue)

Dear Wells Fargo Representative,

I had a business account and merchant services account with your company for my small business. I also had leased a credit card machine. Your representative misled me about the terms of the credit card machine lease, and I hold Wells Fargo responsible for the contract.

When your representative set up the accounts, I was never told that the credit card machine was being leased through an entirely different company, First Data Global Leasing. I was never told that the credit card machine lease was non-cancelable, and when I specifically asked if it was cancelable, I was outright lied to and assured that it was. I also was not given copies of the paperwork for the credit machine.

I will be upfront and say that I am young, and this was my first time in establishing a business, and Wells Fargo took advantage of my inexperience and trust. In setting up my accounts, I felt rushed and coerced into signing the credit card machine lease. I was never able to review it thoroughly, and since I do not have original copies, I have no idea if the claims First Data are making are even valid.

First Data has refused to cancel my lease, claiming it is non-cancelable, despite the fact that I returned their equipment. They are claiming I owe them $1, 300.00 in order to settle the contract and terminate the lease, and they have harassed me and threatened to ruin my credit or sue me if I do not pay. I was not aware of, nor did I agree to these terms when signing anything with the Wells Fargo representative, and I have no paperwork to confirm the legitimacy of these claims, except supposed copies that First Data has magically produced and which appear fraudulent. Given the reputation of this company, I feel justified in these suspicions.

I hold Wells Fargo responsible for connecting me with First Data. After doing more research on Merchant Lynx Services (an ISO of Wells Fargo) and First Data Global Leasing, I have become aware of the dishonest and unfair practices associated with each. Wells Fargo needs to accept this responsibility and correct the situation.

I am requesting that Wells Fargo settle my contract with First Data Global Leasing, so as to relinquish me of the unfair claims they are making. It would be unethical and poor business for Wells Fargo to shirk this responsibility and allow your former client, me, to take the blame for your fault in connecting a client with a dishonest company and for deceiving your client about the terms of that contract.

I have contacted Wells Fargo previously by phone regarding this issue and was dealt with rudely. However, First Data continues to harass me, and I will not drop this issue until it is settled to my satisfaction. Please contact me with your admission and plan of action at my cell phone number: xxx-xxx-xxxx.

Sincerely,
[name]

Join with others to build a preponderance of evidence against First Data in White Plains NY with
offices in Florida...

Join the Class Action Lawsuit against First Data...

If your business has been adversely affected by the Risk Dept. Of First Data please
send your contact information and story to: FirstDataLawsuit@Gmail.Com

daniel.o'connell@firstdata.com

Mr.. O'Connell,
I have been hung up on, told that I was complaining, and misinformed concerning a bank draft of $2, 604.00 for our merchant's lease agreement. David Deluci, supervisor of collections, requested to the owner of the company to go to Regions Bank on 01/22/2010 to insure that a bank draft block was not in place on our company checking account. The owner complied and called at 9:30 AM leaving the message at Mr.. Deluci's number, [protected]. Mr.. Deluci had informed the owner that a refund would be made into our company Regions banking account for the $2, 604.00. Mr.. Deluci has not return our phone inquires. His e-mail, david.deluci@firstdate.com is blocked. Employees, today, stated that "are you calling just to complain?" Mr.. Deluci placed a note in our merchant account that the owner must sent a bank letter head with statement that no bank draft existed. This is not what Mr.. Deluci agreed to with the owner on the phone conversation on 01/21/2010. Employee stated that we have been giving First Data "problems since July." July 7, 2009 was the activation date of our account with Funds Transfer and the only calls to First Data Leasing was to try to determine why we did not have a valid merchant's number. To date, we do not have a valid merchant's number not equipment connected to use Fund Transfer.

Employees with Customer Service at Coral Springs, Florida, [protected] or [protected]. office believe that:
Mr.. David Deluci has not supervisor.
No connection with the billing office in Denver, Colorado.
No connection with the collection office in Houston, TX
No connection with offices in Melville, NY.
No ability to transfer phone calls within the office despite the fact that the employee walked over to the desk of Mr.. Deluci to obtain information.
No ability to fax any information to customer when requested.
Unable to speak to any customer for more than nine minutes.
Ability to hang up when a customer ask for verification of the information the employee just said.

Ability to state that customer has been called and informed of drafts when they have no verification of this.
Ability to state additional fees are placed on an "collection notice, not an invoice dated 01/20/2010" will the customer has the Invoice in front of them.
Ability to hang up when customer reads word for word the invoice and where the payment must be sent.
Ability to inform customer that they must mail a check to Denver, Colorado. if they want lease to be placed back on monthly draft without the refund of the $2, 604.00 which was the balance owed on the lease.
Ability to insist that bank drafts will no longer be made to customer's company checking account and then hang up when customer asks them to verify this statement via a letter or fax or to have Mr.. David Deluci verify this information
Ability to inform customer that they must mail a check to Denver, Colorado. if they want lease to be placed back on monthly draft without the refund of the $2, 604.00 which was the balance owed on the lease.
All these contacts happen 01/25/2010 and 01/26/2010.

These business practices of employees in Customer Service and Collections creates a sense that your corporation is a financial scheme to collected unauthorized funds via Funds Transfer and Wells Fargo Bank.

I recently had a fraudulent chargeback for OVER $10, 000! It ruled in my favor three times and then it went into arbitrations at which point it ruled in favor of the jerk that stole from me! On Christmas Eve First Data tried dipping into my bank account to steal that money! I was able to block it but the next CC transaction which was completely unrelated, they took it all! First Data is a JOKE, VISA is too- they are not keeping up with the times! They told me that thousands of online merchant chargebacks got rhough in favor of the cardholder everyday based on the fact that the cardholder is not present to sign for the merchandise at the time the transaction is presented! My customer signed approved the proof, signed for the delivery, signed all three credit card transactions and accepted my invoice which clearly states "All Sales Final." I followed ALL of VISA's rules and First Data's rules and they allowed this jerk to STEAL! I sent FedEx call-tags for the merchandise and he refused to return it! How can they let this happen? MERCHANTS BEWARE! DO NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS FOR LARGE $$$ PURCHASES!

I've been trapped by this company since May 2007. The sales guy did exactly the same thing as described in most other post. He didn't explain the option that I can actually buy equipment from elsewhere with much lower cost. When I found it is a painful 48 months non cancelation agreement, he started to play all dirty tricks said that it's already signed, that he would talk to his supervisor, that he would return my call. I realized it was all set up to screw little guys. This corrupt company should be out of business!

Same thing happened to me, only more corrupt. The salesman actually forged my wife's signature on a lease we never saw. First Data Global Leasing, or their associates, forged my wife's initials on what wasn't even a real lease . Didn't even see the paper till First Data sent me a copy.

I sure wish I had found this thread two weeks ago... I was contacted by Capital Processing Network. The agent that came to my shop told me I would be saving $150 per month and casually mentioned their "equipment for life" plan. Even after the $49 per month for the equipment he said I would still be saving over $100! He told me my current merchant account was over charging me for debit card sales with pin, that the equipment I had would be obsolete soon. They told me not to cancel my current account until I was sure all deposits were in my account. I never even noticed the lease was with another company (First Data Global Network) until days later. When I called my old merchant account to cancel they showed me how I was lied to - they went thru the statement line by line. Then I tried to cancel with Capital Processing and they said the lease with First Data is NON-CANCELABLE. I only processed with them for one week! Has anyone had any luck getting out of this lease? I've disconnected their equipment and I'm back with my old company.. I have the equipment boxed up and ready to return... my next step is to make as much noise about them as possible. Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Affairs, BBB, and as many websites as I can find. Stay away from these guys!

I'm in the same boat with First Data Merchant. The rep told me I was signing a 24 month lease. I never saw any paperwork, only signed in an electronic box. She told me the paperwork would come in the mail. When I did receive the contract, it was written for 48 months. Something I would have NEVER agreed to. When I questioned the rep about it, she simply stated my monthly payments would be lower and the contact was already signed and processed. Now the economy has put me out of business and I am learning about the$500 early termination fee (which was not disclosed during their sale pitch when then sold me their product). After reading all the comments on this page, I have decided to close my bank accounts before I contact them to cancel my lease. I also plan on contacting the Minnesota Attorney’s General Office to find out the proper and lawful procedures companies are suppose to follow when letting a client out of a lease early. I will pay them what and when I can, but basically you can't get blood from a turnip. I hope someone reads this before agreeing to do business with First Data Merchant and goes elsewhere.

I called Wells Fargo and they refused to help me or take responsibility for their role in connecting their clients with such a scam company like First Data.

I have also been scammed by these crooks in White Plains, NY.
I am going to call Wells Fargo Bank to see if they can do something about this. Thanks for the tip.
Dan, Tenafly NJ

Dennis McDonough, did you receive a response from them after you told them you'd see them in court

As a small business owner I have found first data credit card processing to be a scam. Here is the background of the story.
- I am a small business owner and had a merchant account with Chase for over 25 years. In the course of these 25 years we might have had one charge back and that was due to us not responding in time but never due to poor business practice.
- In April of 2009 our account was taken over by first data. We did not receive any correspondence from Chase or first data that our account was going to move from Chase paymentech to Fist Data. We have called first data and there is no record in their system that any letter or contract was sent to us. We have noticed several hidden fees that First Data customer service cannot explain or justify.
- Second since the takeover has occurred we are seeing charge backs to our account with no representation from First Data of our documentation to the issuing Bank ( customer's Bank). We recently had a false claim from a customer that she did not receive her merchandise from us. She filed the claim 6 weeks after merchandise was delivered. We showed proof of delivery, e-mail notification to the customer of when we shipped the merchandise and when she should expect it. In addition to all other required documentation. Although we were given only one day from the date of receiving of charge back notice to submit, we did meet the deadline and were told that the issuing bank would receive the documents immediately. We were also told by First data representatives that they are only intermediaries and do not make any decisions on charge backs and that it is the issuing bank that makes a decision to reverse the charge back.
Three weeks after we had presented the documentation to First Data we receive a Rejection of charge back reversal from First Data. In the meantime we had been in touch with the issuing bank and were told that they were waiting for representation so they could settle the case to our advantage as the issuing bank had decided that their customer was lying. As first data refused to represent us we sent the documentation directly to the issuing bank, who then contacted their customer and the customer admitted that she did receive the merchandise and agreed to drop the case. However, without representation the issuing bank is not able to reverse the charge. The issuing bank has faxed a letter on their company letterhead to First Data, indicating that their customer has dropped the charge but First Data is still not representing our company.
My several attempts to speak to associates, supervisors and managers at first data has been frustrating and useless. They refuse to represent the case, referring to visa’s regulation that a signed POD is needed. They have charged us charge back fees, and we have lost $180.95 plus the merchandise and numerous hours of time on this case.This is absolutely outrageous, they have the customer dropping the charge and still not willing to represent us, the merchant, they are supposed to be on our side but they are not. Every and each supervisor who I spoke with was uninformed, stubborn and lied to us. We heard several stories non matched the other supervisors claims. One supervisor suggested that we send an empty box. to the customer saying that if a box was sent after her dispute date, we didn’t need signed POD. Why would we send a box when we have already sent one and have proof that it was delivered?
We are asking that FTC look into unfair practices of First Data and investigate their fraudulent institution.

First Data is not the main problem here, it is Merchant Lynx Services. Merchant Lynx Services is an ISO for Wells Fargo Bank [protected]) Call the bank and file a complaint about Merchant Lynx Services. Wells Fargo will help you get your money back as they take these complaints very seriously and they receive a lot of them about Merchant Lynx Services.

I was never told that there would be no termination fee for the 48 month lease. I returned the equiptment to the company and did a stop payment on my bank so they could not steal anymore of our money. They told me they would wreck my credit and I told them I would see them in court.
Dennis.

This company is EVIL. I don't know how such scam artists are existing as a legit company. Just as bad is wells fargo who set me up with them.

Agree. They are pulling a scam on small businesses by withholding their funds in a "non-interest bearing account" for months for NO REASON! They claim security issues but that's nonsense. By putting your account in security, customer service isn't allowed to talk to you! So, you deal only with scam artists and not the people that care about your business.

Check your credit report... First Data destroyed my credit! They might of done it to you too...
Make sure you pull your credit report... If your situation is anything like what I experienced with First Data, then you should check your credit report. My story can be found on NewLawsNow.com ... Good luck...

Over the course of the last year since we signed up with First Data we have had issue after issue... The equipment was not set up right and never worked for the 2 machines that used a hard line and the wirless was the same. I took call after call to them and my sales rep and in Dec of 2008 I managed to get the machines all working. The wireless wasn't even loaded with the right software and took, no joke, 15 hours on the phone to get working. The pres of the company said screw it send it back and now I can not get anyone to talk to me... I asked for a supervisor only to be told I had to call another number, I asked them to clerify that they wanted an irrate custome to call back on another number to speak to a supervisor, I was told yes... We get 3 bills a day at the office and the Pres of the company gets 3 bill every other day at his home. Two words seem to fit here, Idiots and ###s (used in the clinical sense).

"Global" in the company name is a euphemism for "India", doesnt everyone know that by now?
You will never get good service from companies that are indian-run. period. And nothing will be done in a timely fashion and god forbid you EVER are entitled to a refund for anything, because hell will freeze over before you'll get your money back. They are very different from American companies