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Updated 3/11/19: Cardaccept.com appears to have been fully absorbed into eVance Processing, the parent company of Calpian Commerce. See our eVance review for up-to-date information about this company.
Cardaccept (cardaccept.com) is a small merchant account provider serving most business types. The company was founded in 1993 and is located at 1515 Hancock Street Quincy, Massachusetts 02169. Cardaccept is a subsidiary of Calpian Commerce (formerly known as Pipeline Data) and a registered ISO/MSP of BMO Harris Bank, N.A. of Chicago, Illinois, Meridian Bank of Devon, Pennsylvania, and Wells Fargo Bank, Walnut Creek of California. There is some evidence to indicate that Cardaccept is no longer an active brand within the Calpian Commerce family of businesses, but the company still has an active website. We will therefore assume that it is still operational for the time being. MacAllister Smith is the last known president and CEO of Cardaccept.com.
Cardaccept.com Reviews and Complaints
Here's What Their Clients Say
Complaint Summary
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Total Online Complaints
10+
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Live Customer Support
Yes
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Most Common Complaint
Fund Holds
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Due to some technical difficulties at other consumer protection websites and the apparent deletion of Cardaccept.com’s Better Business Bureau profile, there are only a few Cardaccept.com reviews to be found at this time. However, at the time of our previous review, there were at least 12 publicly listed Cardaccept.com complaints online, several of which accused the company of being a ripoff or a scam. Aside from disputing the company’s advertised terms, most of these reviews described difficulty cancelling the service, trouble reaching a company representative, and withholding of funds. Withheld funds in particular were a common complaint (see this review), and although we generally don’t penalize companies for engaging in this standard fraud prevention practice, it does seem as though merchants were not receiving appropriate justification for the holds they experienced.
Cardaccept’s affiliation with Calpian Commerce suggests that the company’s clients may deal directly with Calpian customer support representatives, which could in turn funnel complaints away from Cardaccept’s online profiles. One factor increasing the company’s score in this section is the fact that many of these complaints were old reviews that make reference to Pipeline Data rather than the company’s current processor, Calpian. It is therefore possible that things have improved since the change in partnership. Given the troubling claims we unearthed at the time of our last update, we will hold Cardaccept’s score at a “C-” despite our inability to replicate those search results at this time.
Cardaccept.com BBB Rating and Report
Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment
Note: We have adjusted this company’s BBB rating according to our own standards. To better understand why we adjust BBB ratings, please see our Rating Criteria.
One online review of Cardaccept.com discloses a former “F” rating with the Better Business Bureau due to the company’s failure to respond to merchant complaints. At this time of review, however, Cardaccept.com no longer has a BBB profile. Given what we know about Cardaccept’s former BBB profile and the former presence of at least 12 other online complaints, we are adjusting the BBB’s grade to a “D” for the purposes of this review.
Cardaccept.com Fees and Rates
A Closer Look at the Contract
Cost Summary
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Swiped Rate
IC + 0.25% +$0.25
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Keyed-in Rate
IC + 0.25% +$0.25
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Early Termination Fee
$300
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PCI Compliance Fee
Variable
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Equipment Lease Terms
Variable
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The standard terms of the Cardaccept contract appear to be in dispute. The company markets itself as a provider of Interchange-plus pricing, quoting a rate of interchange + 0.25% + $0.25 for all transactions, online or in-store. This pricing structure does not appear to be in dispute among merchants. There is widespread disagreement, however, about the company’s contract length and fees. The company advertises no contract or cancellation fees, while merchants allege monthly minimum fees and an early termination fee of $300, both of which imply some kind of standard contract length. It is possible that these terms may have changed since Pipeline Data’s assets were acquired by Calpian Commerce, but without any verifiable information either way, we are awarding the company an average grade of “C” in this category. If you have any knowledge of the standard Cardaccept.com contract, please describe your experience in the comment section of this review.
Cardaccept.com Jobs and Employment
Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment
Key Points
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Employs Independent Resellers
Yes
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Advertises Deceptive Rates
Yes
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Discloses All Important Terms
No
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Multiple online complaints seem to indicate that Cardaccept employs independently contracted sales agents to market its services, although this could not be confirmed at the time of this update. Generally speaking, this hiring practice makes it difficult for a company to monitor and regulate the conduct of its sales team. Many Cardaccept.com reviews cite misrepresentation of rates and fees by sales agents, which mostly occurred when the company was operating as an ISO of Pipeline Data.
The Cardaccept.com website advertises no application fees, setup fees, AVS fees, gateway transaction fees, shopping cart fees, programming fees, shipping and handling fees, American Express setup fees, long-term contracts, or cancellation fees. It does note a statement fee of $9. However, despite these claims, we were able to locate several reviews that cite undisclosed fees, including monthly minimum fees approaching $50, an early termination fee of $300, and possibly some sort of merchant obligation to purchase Sprint smartphone hardware for a monthly rate. The claims in these reviews vary, but the common theme is that many merchants dispute Cardaccept’s promotions about its low or nonexistent fees. Given the reputation of Cardaccept’s processor, Pipeline Data/Calpian Commerce, we are inclined to view these merchant reports as more credible than the company’s ad copy.
Cardaccept.com Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts and Opinions
There appears to be a great deal of confusion about the products and services offered by Cardaccept. Without any way of separating misinformation from truth, we are compelled to rate Cardaccept as a substandard merchant account provider until more is known. The company’s score could potentially improve if its BBB profile is ever restored and it logs some positive reviews in partnership with Calpian Commerce.
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Customer & Employee Reviews
What Others Are Saying About Cardaccept.com