In the late 2000s, as a broke college student struggling to make ends meet, I was contacted by a merchant services company after uploading my resume to a job listings website. This company promised substantial commissions and ongoing residual income for simply persuading businesses to accept credit card payments. It seemed straightforward enough—after all, what business doesn’t need to process credit card payments? Following a phone interview with a persuasive “sales director,” I found myself embarking on what I believed would be an easy job that would significantly boost my bank account with reliable monthly income and large sales commissions. However, the lessons I learned would profoundly change my life in ways I could never have imagined.
After completing my sales training, I hit the ground running, eager to make sales. This broke college student was determined to improve his financial situation! My first attempt at a cold call, with no prior appointment, ended with a burly man in his 50s yelling at me to leave, claiming he had been “totally robbed” by someone like me before. As I hastily exited, puzzled and intimidated by his reaction, I couldn’t help but wonder what he meant. Throughout the day, I encountered similar hostility from other business owners, all expressing disdain for the industry I had been so excited to join that morning. Confused and curious, I decided to shift my approach from selling to listening.
I quickly uncovered that the merchant services sector was riddled with unethical practices, including hidden fees, deceptive marketing, fine-print traps, and much more. It dawned on me that I had nearly been tricked by a dubious company into selling overpriced services under contracts with long-term commitments, all without being fully aware of what I was promoting. Outraged, I resigned from that company but learned that there were indeed ethical credit card processing companies that treated their clients fairly. Over the next four years, I worked for one such company, assisting hundreds of businesses in securing cost-effective processing solutions. Yet, I also met many more who had been misled and trapped in onerous service agreements. Determined to help people steer clear of these unscrupulous providers, I launched this website in my spare time, dedicating myself to researching and sharing my findings on every merchant account provider I could investigate.
Gradually, more and more business owners began to discover my articles. As word spread, search engines started to rank my content highly, amplifying its reach. My efforts were making a difference! Eventually, the website garnered enough traffic to enable me to leave my job and focus on it full-time, a journey that has now spanned over a decade. This path has not been without its challenges; unscrupulous company owners have tried to intimidate and sue me into silence on several occasions. Yet, I have stood firm against each threat. Here I am, continuing to publish reviews and articles, hoping to safeguard others from the pitfalls of the credit card processing industry.
If you believe in my mission and wish to contribute, please share my articles on your websites and social media. Thank you for visiting!
Ewa
It was recommended to me, at first everything was fine. Nice representative. During the cooperation, he answered e-mails and telephones. In addition to the regular fees charged an extra 10% on each transaction as a separate collateral account. After closing the account and cooperation, the money should be transferred to my account, but so far it has not been received. This has been going on for three months now. I do not recommend. No one can be contacted, I left a message on the answering machine, no one called back.
Caren Redlich LCSW
Michael Schiller did a fabulous job explaining the credit card payment process. He was also very nice and patient too!
Nathaniel McClain
we had an issue with processing that was only due to lack of knowledge but when we emailed the issue, within minutes we received an email and call with the solution as well as an over and beyond help to test out the system. We greatly appreciate the help and service we received today
CPO
Hi Nathaniel,
Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
Uzi Amar
hey are thieves, I had been with them for years, the credit cards stopped processing and directed me thru hoops at a critical time. instead of helping me they sent me into multiple different directions. Because of this incident of poor customer support that was their fault to begin with; we reviewed all the accounts and saw that they were not sending all the credit card transactions. we then switched to another provider. after such time they kept drawing money from my account, and no matter how much we kept trying to stop it, they kept drawing money directly from my account. They kept saying they will reimburse us. They never did… this will unfortunately end up in the courtroom.
This post will help: Why Credit Card Processors Hold Funds
-Phillip
Direct Building Products
Five star customer service! Always ready and available to assist their customers.
CPO
Hello,
Please reply to this comment with your business location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
Yitty Oppman
Fidelity merchant service is excellent, this was my best decision I’ve ever made, to use fidelity.
Especially with the first hand service from Avi, he is amazing.
Thanks to all of you keep it up
CPO
Hi Yitty,
Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
Le Chocolat
Could not ask for better or more competent service! Always a live person available to respond to questions or issues and always a professional solution with a pleasant disposition. Thank you.
NEMA FUCHS
I have been using Fidelity for nine years and have been very happy. They have excellent customer service and are always happy to help in case of any problems.
CPO
Hi Nema,
Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
PUBLIMAX PRINTING
HORRIBLE COMPANY , THEY continued to take money out of my bank account , with different names after my account with them has been closed for years. I was not never in contract with them!!! and i had been calling them for months already and still they do not fix the problem., they would promise to remove, but never kept up to their word.
Mo - Hvac Depot
Although we constantly receive solicitations by other card processos, I don’t even consider their offers, for the sole reason that I know that if I notice any issue with CC receipts, help is just a phone call away. I feel as though I am simply calling the extension of a coleauge to verify a bit of information, and its resolved. (Although I am sure that Fidelity’s rate are competitive as well, that is not the motivation that solidifys HVAC’s relationship with Fidelty)
Phillip CPO
Hi Mo,
In order to authenticate your testimonial, can you reply to this comment with your business name and location?
Phillip CPO
This testimonial has been authenticated as Hvac Depot in Brooklyn, NY.
I. Miz.
Fidelity continued to take money out of my bank account after my account with them has been closed. I was not in contract with them, and no explanation was given.
I have found Fidelity to be extremely dishonest and throughout my 3 year account with them, I was constantly being charged “fees” for unexplained reasons.
When I would call, they would promise to remove, but never kept up to their word.
I. Miz.
I have since been contacted by one of the managers at Fidelity, he was much more attentive to my needs and has since refunded the debit that was taken out of the account.
I. Miz.
I have since settled happily with Fidelity and have no complaints against them
John
We have a POS system with fidelity they have the best customer services a ever had, and the rates are the lowest possible a few other providers were running after us and they couldn’t match it…
CPO
Hi John,
In order to authenticate your testimonial, please reply to this comment with your business name and location.
Sam
I have been a happy Fidelity merchant for over 4 years now. I have sales reps from other companies coming in to me very often but they are never able to beat their rates.
Phillip CPO
Hi Sam,
In order to verify this testimonial, please reply to this comment with your business name and location. Thanks!
Shuli
I found their staff to be very knowledgeable and helpful. I worked for a small business that closed after it’s first year, and they were extremely understanding. Both the application and closing processes were smooth. Very positive attitude, a pleasure to work with them.
Joe
I used Fidelity for a little over a year and every month i kept on getting huge fees with no actual explanation i kept on calling the office and all they said was the bank charges them. I got so fed up and switched to another merchant provider and i so far i have not gotten 1 extra fee.
Barry
I just want to make clear some of the thing that was mentioned in your review, 1) they do handle customer service and not only that but they have a full team of tech support for any technical issue and they have almost everything that the actual bank provides and they have a very close relationship with the banks
Phillip CPO
Thanks Barry,
We have updated the review to reflect this new information.