Association with Several Low-Rated Processors
Appstar Financial is a U.S.-based merchant account provider that primarily targets its services to small and mid-sized businesses. Although we have not been able to verify it independently, Appstar Financial may be under the same ownership, or affiliated with, the following companies (as indicated by third-party reviews and information): Apex Merchant Group, Eliot Management Group, Trans Tech Merchant Group, Summit Merchant Solutions, First American Payment Systems, Merimac, and Certified Payment Processing.
Location and Ownership
AppStar Financial is a registered ISO/MSP of Fifth Third Bank, Cincinnati, Ohio, with corporate headquarters located at 4619 Viewridge Ave., Ste. C, San Diego, California 92123. Mark Leibowitz is listed as the founder and CEO of Appstar Financial. AppStar Financial shares this address and ownership with the now-defunct Amazon Processing LLC. Mr. Leibowitz founded Amazon Processing in 2002, which became AppStar Financial according to their management team page.
Appstar Financial Review Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Appstar Financial appears to offer a three-year contract with a $495 early termination fee.
- Complaints & Service: Appstar Financial has received more than 100 public complaints.
- BBB Rating: Appstar Financial has an “A+” rating and has received 53 complaints and 30 reviews in the past 3 years. The company has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2002.
- Sales & Marketing: Appstar Financial appears to hire independently contracted agents and has received a high volume of complaints about its sales team.
- Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With Appstar Financial
Appstar Financial they are rubbing the small business they charge $125.00 a year plus astronomical fees and in case you want to cancel they they want $ 495.00 in the top of all the fees. You have to send them a cancellation letter 90 days prior to your contract end plus the equipment . They need to be taken out of business
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Worst expieruence i have rver had i cancled my account they took over 1800 dollars after the fact over several days no fees were in my contract just them verble telling mee it was $495 i put a stop paymnet and thy used a different code to get more money from me…when i signed up in november the agent said $40 in srvice fees and 64 for the machine rental for a total of $104 in actualaity it was $189 plus card fees wich they took from me and my clients so that added another $100 or so depending on what i did in card sales i called and when i tried to cancle at first i got told i couldnt cancle… outrageous fees for me and my consumers and terrible custermer service and the are sneaky for lack of a better word thanks you to my bank for uncovering this i have also reported it to the better business bureau they have several bank codes watch out stop payment wont work change your account numbers
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
In May of 2018 AppStar Rep. Robert M. contacted me, Charlton M. at my business and attempted to sale me a credit card machine when I declined the sale, Robert M. then contacted his Supervisor who recorded the conversation, stating that I could terminate the agreement at any time with no cancellation fee and offered me a tremendous discount. I was mislead by Robert M., AppStar, Merimac and First American Payment. After 3 months I noticed an unreasonable amount of fees and charges coming out of my account. I then sent the credit card machine back to them and blocked them from my bank account. I was then harassed by their collections department saying that I owed them a huge cancellation fee, which I didn’t. In March 2019 they filed a collection on my personal credit report, which I was never advised nor did I ever believe that I would be a Personal Guarantor on the agreement. How does a company have the right to lie, mislead, and ruin ones credit, who doesn’t owe them? How does a company have a A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, when they have over 64 negative complaints against them within a 3 year span?
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Don’t take no for a answer. Calls two times a day. Everyday !!! And also rude as hell.
Don’t mess with this company.
This post will help: How to Shut Down Sales Calls
-Phillip
They are the worst I ever came across.
There sale rep will come and lie to you about everything after a month when you receive statement you will be surprise.
And then you call them and they will tell you you are wrong it don’t matter what you say or think. .I’m going to court against them! !
This post will help: Find and Eliminate Hidden Fees In Your Monthly Bill
-Phillip
Horrible. Appstar won’t stop calling my business. I’ve asked nicely many times, and they continue to waste my time. They even sent a salesman to my shop, and before he was out of the parking lot…they were calling to complain that we didn’t give him a copy of our processing rates. Very rude on the phone.
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: How to Shut Down Sales Calls
Buried in their terms and conditions you have to cancel 30-90 days before the renewal date or else they will charge you a $495 fee. We were only told to call before the renewal date not 30-90 days before. This is a corrupt company stay away from.
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
I am a new business and was grossly mislead about AppStar services by the Rep who signed me up. I have tried multiple times to cancel my services as I am so uncomfortable with them that I will not process an innocent customers card for fear of what they will do with that information. They have taken money out of my acct without my approval. Is there anyone who has successfully cancelled with AppStar and avoided the $495 fee?
Horrible company. Worked for them for 2 weeks and could not take the pushy to the extreme sales tactics. I could not believe how they would not take no for an answer and made me feel like I was stalking those poor people. Read the reviews on their service. That is no better.
AVOID!!!
Jennifer, working there for about 1.5 month. sales managers are high pressure, no interest in trusting salespeople. Uncomfortable with their tactics. feel like I’m playing good cop to their bad cop. email me back with your experience,
A rep came into our dealership on several occasions wanting to talk to us about switching to Appstar. The last visit the person was here for over 4 hours trying to persuade us to switch but we said no. And because we said no, she refused to purchase a vehicle from us, that she drove for over an hour, and wasted the managers time. After reading all of the complaints, I am happy we did not switch.