Direct Processors Review

Over 100 Complaints

We are currently able to locate more than 100 negative Direct Processors reviews, some of which accuse the company of being a scam or a ripoff. Common themes include persistent sales calls, misrepresentation of rates, nondisclosure of fees, exorbitant equipment costs, and poor customer service. Direct Processors has received complaints at a steady pace ever since we published this review, nearly keeping pace with United Card Solutions. This is a strongly negative trend that has lowered the company’s score to a “D.”

Don’t Trust Every Review

Merchants who are researching the company should also note that company representative Jeff Easter, an online reputation manager, has left many positive reviews about Direct Processors on consumer protection websites. The Direct Processors website states that the company offers 24/7 customer support by phone, but this support line has not performed anywhere near well enough to receive any consideration for our list of the top credit card processors for customer service.

Direct Processors Lawsuits

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Direct Processors. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.

Direct Processors Customer Service Options

We have assigned Direct Processors a “D” rating in this section due to the fact that there may be no substantive difference between the service provided by Direct Processors and the service provided by its related companies. Direct Processors website states that the company offers 24/7 customer support by phone, but this number does not appear to do a good job of resolving merchant issues in-house. We therefore do not consider Direct Processors to be a top-rated merchant account provider for customer service.

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.

Concerning Complaint Total

Direct Processors currently has no rating with the Better Business Bureau, and it is not BBB accredited. The company has received 5 complaints in the past 3 years, considerably less than the 28 complaints from our last review. 2 of the complaints were due to a problem with a product or service, 2 were billing or collections issues, and 1 was due to advertising or sales problems.0 of these 5 complaints were resolved by the company to the satisfaction of the merchant. All 5 were resolved to the dissatisfaction of the merchant or received no final response. 

What Merchants Say

In addition to the 5 complaints filed against Direct Processors, the company has received 4 informal reviews. All 4 reviews were negative in tone, each giving the company a rating of 1 out of 5. A recent review filed against the company describes several issues, including poor customer service:

We too have had all of the same problems that you see below in the other reviews. We have spent hours and hours arguing with them over several different issues which usually resulted in nothing changing . Nothing but problems, lies, getting pushed off to another person ( who cared even less) that was supposed to help us and none of them ever did. They tell you they will get back to you and never do. If you are issued a refund, don’t expect to get it in the 7–10 days they tell you…it will take several weeks and several phone calls to remind them before you get it. I won’t use the word hate, but we really do not like these people. Nobody there ever cared about us and our problems! Until recently….. We have been working with a customer service rep there the last few days. Her name is Tessa. She has been great to talk to, to work with, and she seems to really care about the problems we are having and is willing to help us resolve them. Tessa is good at getting back with us and letting us know what is going on and what is being done to fix our problems. I don’t know if she is new or the company has re-vamped the customer service dept to be better at taking care of the customer. The customer rep’s and management that were there before ALL NEED TO BE FIRED. Which ever, it is good to finally be able to talk to someone who seems to be looking out for the customer rather than being treated like a piece of garbage all the time. Thank’s Tessa !!

Finding a merchant service provider with excellent customer service is essential to resolve any issues that may arise.

An “F” Performance Overall

Direct Processors has a pattern of complaint that is emblematic of the issues affecting the other companies it is associated with. Furthermore, it appears to have made zero effort to address the underlying issues. We have therefore adjusted the BBB’s grade to an “F.”

Three-Year Contract

Information on Direct Processors’ pricing structure is sparse. The company’s website offers little insight into the company’s rates and fees. Since Direct Processors is a DBA of Prestige Payments, this review will rely on information from its pricing structure. Prestige Payment Systems offers three-tiered pricing for qualified, mid-qualified, and non-qualified merchants with rates as high as 3.25% plus $0.09.

The agreement includes a PCI compliance fee of $150 which is billed annually.  Merchant reviews reflect other fees from these contracts including a $50 annual fee, a $15 monthly “help desk” fee, and a $10 monthly statement fee. Some merchant complaints state that the company’s standard early termination fee is $250.

Beware Equipment Leases

As a general rule, we do not advise merchants to enter into contracts that include long-term, non-cancellable equipment leases. This is because most credit card processing equipment can be purchased in full for a one-time cost of under $500, while most equipment leases cost thousands of dollars over four years. Accordingly, we do not consider the company’s contract terms to be even remotely competitive with the cheapest merchant accounts available.

Many Merchant Complaints

The high number of complaints about Direct Processors’ exorbitant equipment lease costs are a testament to the low value these leases offer. We have accordingly lowered our grade for Direct Processors in this section to a “D.” See the Direct Processors/BlueSquare Resolutions Program Guide, the Direct Processors/First Data Program Guide, or the Direct Processors/i3 Verticals Program Guide.

We also encourage merchants to check out our list of the providers of thebest merchant accounts.

Poorly Rated In Every Category

Direct Processors rates as a substandard merchant account provider according to our rating criteria. The company is not far behind United Card Solutions in the number of complaints it has received, and the content of these complaints is nearly identical. Furthermore, Direct Processors appears to be linked via ownership and other personnel to some very poorly rated processors on CPO. It appears that the company is on pace to make our list of the worst merchant account providers in the industry.