Ignite Payments / First Data review: High fees and unscrupulous practices 1

Early in 2017, I went online to Authorize.Net to sign up for a gateway to go with a merchant account that I already have. I did not realize, nor was it made clear, that Authorize.Net has a partnership with Ignite Payments. I filled out a sign-up form that I thought was for the gateway only. Turns out that it was for an Ignite Payments merchant account.

Once I realized the mistake, I immediately called Ignite Payments customer service to cancel the account. The customer service person told me that cancellation would be no problem.

But, the cancellation never occurred. Instead, they have been withdrawing hundreds of dollars from my bank each month for an account that I cancelled and never used. They charge a gateway fee of $10, a settlement statement fee of $9.95, a PCI compliance fee of $119.00, and a monthly location fee of $1.25. None of this was disclosed on the fancy sales sign up page, I promise you.

When I called back to demand restitution, I was told that there was another $30 fee to cancel the account and they would not cancel the account unless I authorized the fee. What?! How about the fact that I already canceled this stupid account two months ago?

Then they said that they couldn't help me with refunding all the fees I've already been charged. Mind you, the account has never been used.

Moving up the chain to the Business Solutions department doesn't even get you a phone number to call. You're told to "send an email" with no information or timeline on a possible resolution.

That's where I stand now - still out of pocket all the money for their fees, a sneaky sales practice, and not very likely to get any of the money back.

Stay FAR AWAY from this company. They shouldn't be allowed to continue these dreadful business practices.