Fiserv Review, Our Expert Take
(800) 872-7882 Overview
In this article we will provide an in-depth analysis of Fiserv, formerly known as First Data, detailing everything a business needs to know before utilizing the company’s merchant services. We’ll begin by detailing the company’s history, including its significant acquisitions and mergers. Then, we will delve into the various services offered by Fiserv, such as credit and debit card processing, hardware sales and leasing, payment gateways, and e-commerce solutions. We’ll explain Fiserv’s role as a direct processor and its partnerships with various resellers and sub-ISOs.
We will then address the challenges and controversies that have surrounded Fiserv, including common customer complaints, legal issues, and government fines. This will involve a critical look at the company’s customer support options, alongside providing essential contact information for different service needs.
Further, this article will explore Fiserv’s online ratings and customer feedback. We aim to shed light on the common issues faced by its clients, offering a balanced view of the company’s performance from the perspective of its users.
Additionally, we’ll examine Fiserv’s fee structure and contract terms, paying special attention to the implications of dealing with its network of resellers. The article will also scrutinize Fiserv’s sales tactics and the impact of its extensive network of independent resellers on its overall reputation.
Jump Ahead:
- Complaints & Service: Has received more than 1,000 public complaints regarding…
- Costs & Contract: Typically offers a multi-year contract with a variable early termination fee ranging from…
- Online Ratings: Has garnered over 500 reports with distinguished organizations, such as…
- Sales Tactics & Employee Reviews: Hires independent sales agents and has received a high number of complaints about its…
About Fiserv
Fiserv, also previously known as First Data, stands as a global giant among credit card processing services. The company primarily generates revenue by offering back-end card processing services to Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs), banks, and various merchant service providers worldwide. Fiserv has also made strides in the point-of-sale technology sector with its Clover POS system (see our Clover POS Review). A significant expansion occurred in May 2017 when Fiserv acquired CardConnect for $750 million, followed by the purchase of BluePay in October of the same year. In a landmark development, First Data merged with Fiserv in January 2019 through an all-stock deal valued at $22 billion, with Frank Bisignano, the former CEO of First Data, continuing as the CEO of the merged entity.
Continuing its growth trajectory, Fiserv acquired Radius8 for $14 million and Ondot Systems for $270 million in 2021, along with the purchase of BentoBox for an undisclosed sum. The company’s acquisition spree didn’t stop there; it also included Finxact, Merchant One, The City POS, and Yacare. Additionally, Fiserv has formed a strategic partnership with Central Payments, further expanding its influence and capabilities in the financial services technology sector.
Fiserv’s Services
Fiserv offers a comprehensive range of products and services primarily focused on financial transactions, merchant services, and payment processing, catering primarily to U.S. businesses and financial institutions. Here’s a summary of their key offerings:
- Credit and Debit Card Processing: Fiserv provides extensive card processing services, including authorization, settlement, and funding for credit and debit card transactions.
- Point-of-Sale (POS) Solutions: Fiserv offers a versatile point-of-sale solution with its Clover POS system, which includes hardware and software for processing sales transactions, managing inventory, and customer engagement.
- Mobile and Online Payment Solutions: They offer solutions for online and mobile payments, enabling businesses to accept payments through websites, mobile apps, and other digital platforms.
- Merchant Cash Advances: Fiserv provides financial loan products like merchant cash advances, offering businesses access to working capital based on their future sales.
- E-commerce Solutions: They offer a range of e-commerce solutions, including payment gateways and shopping cart integration, to facilitate online transactions.
- Fraud and Risk Management: Fiserv provides tools and services for fraud detection and risk management to protect businesses and their customers from fraudulent activities.
- Data Analytics and Reporting: They offer data analytics and reporting tools to help businesses track transactions, understand customer behavior, and make informed decisions.
- Financial Services Technology: Beyond merchant services, Fiserv is known for its financial services technology solutions, offering a wide range of products for banks and financial institutions, including account processing services, electronic bill payment, and digital banking solutions.
- Acquisitions and Partnerships: Fiserv’s growth strategy includes acquiring companies like CardConnect, BluePay, and Ondot Systems, and forming partnerships to expand its service offerings and technological capabilities
Reseller Network & Banking Partnerships
Fiserv distinguishes itself in the merchant services industry as a direct processor with major credit card networks like Visa and MasterCard. This direct processing capability sets the company apart from many other merchant services organizations that rely on intermediary banks or processors like Fiserv to handle transactions. Being a direct processor allows Fiserv to have more control over the processing and, potentially, offer more competitive rates to high volume businesses.
While Fiserv does maintain a modest direct sales force, the company predominantly leverages partnerships with third-party resellers through a white label program that allows companies to market and sell merchant services under their own branding. This extensive network of partners has enabled Fiserv to reach a broad range of clients across various industries and geographical locations.
Furthermore, Fiserv has played significant role in the credit card processing operations of some of the largest banks in the United States, providing the underlying credit card processing services for Wells Fargo Merchant Services and, formerly, Bank of America Merchant Services which ended its joint venture in 2020 to provide its own merchant services. These partnerships, along with thousands of others, contribute to Fiserv’s status as one of the largest, if not the largest, processor in the world.
Equipment Leasing Controversy
In addition to its core credit card processing services, Fiserv operates a POS (Point of Sale) leasing division through First Data Global Leasing. However, this division has received significant amount of negative reviews, with much of criticism directed at the terms and conditions of the leasing agreements and the quality of the leased equipment. In fact, a competitor offering nearly identical leasing services was was shut down by the New York Attorney General (see our review of Northern Leasing Systems).
Location & Leadership
| Address: | 255 Fiserv Drive Brookfield, WI 53045 |
| CEO: | Frank Bisignano |
| Phone: | (800) 872-7882 |
| Website: | fiserv.com |
Fiserv Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Online Complaints | 1,000+ |
| Testimonials | Few |
| Most Common Complaint | Hidden Fees |
| Most Common Praise | Technology |
| Lawsuits | 10+ |
As part of our research process, we dug deep into Fiserv’s customer reviews and commentary. Through this process we uncovered trends and patterns in client satisfaction that can help you know what to expect with this credit card processor. In examining customer feedback about Fiserv across various online forums and comment sections, it’s evident that alongside the challenges, there are also several positive trends in user experiences.
What Clients Say They Like about Fiserv
- Modern and Reliable Technology: A common thread of positive feedback was centered around the reliability of Fiserv’s “Clover” payment hardware product line. Many customers appreciate its advanced features and capabilities, which include efficient payment processing, robust security measures, and user-friendly interfaces.
- Support for Businesses of Varying Sizes: Fiserv is often commended for its support of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as its enterprise level payment systems. Users have expressed satisfaction with how Fiserv’s solutions are tailored to meet the unique needs of their businesses, providing them with tools that were previously accessible only to larger corporations.
- Customization and Flexibility: Another positive aspect frequently mentioned is the customization and flexibility of Fiserv’s services. Businesses from various sectors have stated that they benefited from the ability to tailor Fiserv’s solutions to their specific needs. This flexibility was particularly appreciated in situations where reviewers reported unique requirements or when their business was undergoing changes to its operations.
- Global Reach and Comprehensive Services: Fiserv’s global presence and comprehensive range of services have also been positively noted. Customers from different parts of the world have highlighted the convenience of accessing a wide array of financial services under one umbrella.
- Positive Customer Service Experiences: While there are mixed reviews about customer service, there are also numerous accounts of positive interactions. These include experiences with knowledgeable and helpful customer support teams, quick and effective resolution of issues, and a proactive approach to customer care.
What Clients Did Not Like
Fiserv also suffers from a considerable number of customer complaints covering varying aspects the company’s fees, policies, and services. We located a high number of negative Fiserv reviews, with more than 600 in our comment section below, and over 400 more on other consumer protection websites.
- Concerns Over Sales Practices and Transparency: A notable trend in customer feedback involves concerns about sales practices. Many users report experiences with deceptive sales tactics, particularly from resellers and sales agents. This includes instances where the terms and conditions of contracts were not fully disclosed at the outset, leading to surprises and misunderstandings later on. Customers have expressed frustration over being placed into merchant account contracts directly with Fiserv through resellers without clear communication about the important terms and conditions.
- Customer Service Experiences: Another significant area of feedback is customer service. There are numerous accounts of challenges in dealing with Fiserv’s customer support, including long wait times, difficulty in getting issues resolved, and a perceived lack of attentiveness to customer concerns. This has been a point of contention for many, especially when dealing with complex issues like billing disputes and service-length commitments.
- Billing and Contract Disputes: Billing issues are a recurrent theme in the feedback. Customers frequently mention disputes over billing, hidden fees, higher than expected rates, and difficulties in resolving these disputes satisfactorily. The complexity and length of contracts, coupled with a lack of clarity in some cases, have also been points of concern, leading to dissatisfaction among some users.
- Hardware Costs and Commitments: Common customer grievances regarding Fiserv’s credit card processing hardware often center around a few key issues. Firstly, we found frequent mentions of dissatisfaction with the costs associated with credit card processing hardware. Customers often express surprise at hidden fees or higher-than-expected charges. Secondly, the lease terms for Fiserv’s hardware are another point of contention. Users report that these terms can be lengthy and inflexible, making it challenging for businesses to upgrade or change their hardware without incurring additional costs. Lastly, some customers have experienced difficulties with the hardware itself, citing issues with functionality or reliability, which can disrupt daily business operations.
Problems With Resellers and ISOs
Fiserv Resellers
As previously mentioned, Fiserv partners with numerous resellers and ISOs (Independent Sales Organizations) to varying degrees. In some cases, resellers market Fiserv under the Fiserv brand and in others, resellers market Fiserv’s underlying processing under their own branding. This business practice as lead to some confusion for business owners, as well as a pattern in complaints related to resellers.
- Misleading Sales Tactics: Customers frequently report encountering misleading or aggressive sales tactics from some of Fiserv’s resellers and ISOs. This includes making promises about rates and fees that are not upheld, and providing incomplete or inaccurate information about the services offered.
- Lack of Transparency in Contract Terms: Many complaints revolve around a lack of transparency in contract terms. Customers often find themselves locked into long-term contracts with high cancellation fees, which were not clearly communicated at the outset. Some customer reviews reported that the unexpected costs placed financial burdens on their businesses.
- Hidden Fees and Unexpected Charges: Another common issue is the presence of hidden fees, higher than promised rates, or unexpected charges that were not disclosed during the sales process. Customers have reported being surprised by various additional costs that significantly increased the overall expense of using Fiserv’s services.
- Inconsistent Customer Support: The level of customer support provided by resellers and ISOs can be inconsistent, with support in some cases being supplied directly by Fiserv and at other times by the resellers themselves. Some customers have also reported difficulties in getting timely and effective assistance for their issues. This inconsistency has lead to frustration and a lack of trust in Fiserv, according to many client reviews.
- Quality and Reliability of Equipment: Concerns have also been raised about the quality and reliability of the credit card processing equipment provided by some resellers. Issues range from equipment malfunctioning to outdated technology, which some have reported as impeding their business operations.
- Pressure to Lease Equipment: Customers have expressed concerns about being pressured to lease credit card processing equipment, often at rates that are not competitive. These leasing agreements can also come with long-term commitments and strict terms, which are almost never in the best interest of the business.
Fiserv Lawsuits & Government Actions
Fiserv has been the defendant in several lawsuits and has caught the attention of regulators on a few occasions.
- Fiserv’s Acquisition of First Data:
- Valued at $22 billion.
- Faced a class-action lawsuit by Alan Skulsky, a minority stockholder in First Data, in the Delaware Chancery Court.
- Legal Issues of First Data (Part of Fiserv):
- In 2017, faced a class-action lawsuit in New York.
- Allegations of imposing excessive termination fees on equipment leases.
- The lawsuit demanded a jury trial, highlighting concerns over unfair financial practices.
- Lawsuit Against First Data by Peel Payments (2016):
- Peel Payments, a First Data reseller, filed the lawsuit.
- Alleged significant increase in authorization fees for some merchants, from $0.05 to over $0.60 per transaction.
- Noted that typical authorization fees do not exceed $0.30, even in high-risk environments.
- Lawsuit Against Fiserv by Bessemer System Federal Credit Union (April 2019):
- Alleged failure to address vulnerabilities in the platform for banking websites and online applications.
- Raised concerns about the security and reliability of Fiserv’s digital infrastructure.
- Lawsuit Against Fiserv’s Bank of America Merchant Services Arm (July 2021):
- Claims of charging excessive fees not included in merchant contracts.
- Highlighted ongoing concerns about billing transparency and fairness.
- Lawsuit by Municipal Credit Union Against Fiserv (2022):
- Alleged negligent and fraudulent practices leading to a data breach.
- Breach exposed sensitive information of thousands of MCU members.
- MCU sought compensation for protection costs and damages for member harm.
- Repeated Fines for Labor Violations:
- Fiserv/First Data has been fined multiple times for labor violations.
- These include wage and hour violations, totaling $51,565, and economic sanction violations amounting to $23,336.
- Settlement for Fraud Charges:
- First Data, a part of Fiserv, agreed to a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for its involvement in four scams.
- Settled FTC charges related to aiding illegal actions by an independent sales organization.
- The settlement amount was $40.2 million.
- These charges were from alleged illegal actions committed from 2012 to 2014.
- Source: Reuters
Customer Support Options
When it comes to customer service, Fiserv serves its merchant account customers directly via a 24/7 customer service call center. Resellers can also assist companies with their own customer service. As a third option, Fiserv offers customer support for resellers at an additional cost to the reseller. In a few Fiserv reviews, merchants have reported confusion about which company is responsible for servicing their account.
Customer Service Numbers
- (800) 872-7882 – Sales
- (800) 877-8021 – CheckFree Online Bill Pay
- (800) 848-1337 – CheckFree Online Bill Pay Collections
- (800) 554-8969 – Debit Card Services
- (800) 564-9184 – MyCheckFree
- (800) 967-9649 – BillMatrix
- (877) 675-6378 – Popmoney
- (800) 676-6148 – Walk-In Payments/CheckFreePay
See the top-rated merchant accounts for great customer service. before risking your payment acceptance with any merchant account provider.
Fiserv Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| BBB Rating | 1/5 |
| Trust Pilot Rating | 1.9/5 |
| Software Advice Rating | 4.3/5 |
| Average Rating | 2.4/5 |
Fiserv BBB Rating Analysis
Fiserv’s 1-star rating with the BBB
Fiserv, Inc. has an average customer review rating of 1 out of 5 stars on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, based on 89 customer reviews. Common themes among these reviews include complaints about poor customer service, issues with account handling, and dissatisfaction with the company’s response to customer concerns.
Negative Feedback
“I am with business for so long. Lately they tried to rob me by telling my processing machine is obsolete and needed to be changed. I thought it was true and they quickly sent me a new machine which I never use then they withdraw more than $1000 from my account without letting me know. I have to fight before they even refund $800 and they refused to refund the remaining. This is last two months fight and today with surprise they withdraw $361 and when I called them they said restocking fee. I told them if they don’t refund me they will hear from me. Be aware of scam.”
– Review from November 3, 2023
“This company (Clover) is a scam, they said that 3 of the deposit my company received were higher than our daily average so they put the funds on hold on 10/20 when I called back on 10/23 they told me that they decided to close the account and they would be releasing my funds and I would receive them within 24/48 hours. I still did not receive my funds on 10/26 so I called them back and they said that there was an issue but the funds were released I should be receiving them back on tomorrow 10/27. Tomorrow came and I still did not receive the funds and they said that there was a delay on their end and I would be receiving the funds by 10/30 or 10/31 at the latest and I don’t need to worry. Today 10/31 I called and they said that they were not sure who I spoke to and that there has been no attempt on their end to send the money to bank account and they were not sure because that is handled by a different department and the best she could do is send them an email but could not provide me with their contact info. Now I’m sitting here with my thumb up my A$$ and have no clue what to do or who to talk to and they are holding my $8835 with no timeframe of when I will get it back. I’m a SMB owner and not having this money is really going to put me a hole. Please please stay away from this company.”
– Review from October 31, 2023
Positive Feedback
“There are no positive reviews published about Fiserv, Inc. on Better Business Bureau.”
Source: Better Business Bureau
Trustpilot Rating Analysis
Fiserv, Inc. has an average customer review rating of 1.9 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on 13 customer reviews. The common themes in the reviews include poor customer service, issues with their merchant services, and difficulties in resolving problems.
Negative Feedback
Don’t do business with Fiserv or any business they own. Their merchant services are the worst and their customer service is worthless. No one can ever actually resolve anything. Reports for merchants are terrible. No customer order number for the transactions. They used to have order numbers and they took them away and refuse to put them back on the reporting. After spending thousands of dollars to have custom code written to reconcile the merchant account, bank account and sales from my website they changed the reporting and all the money I spent is down the drain. Now I have to reconcile by hand one transaction at a time. It’s crazy! Today I tried to issue a refund and it won’t go through their Clover system. I called customer service and they cannot get it to go through either. Now they tell me I have to wait 3 days for them to figure out the problem. I am supposed to call my customer and tell them to wait 3 days. How does that make my business look to my customer??? I have been on the telephone with them for over 2 hours and am on hold to speak with a supervisor. This company is the worst company I have ever dealt with. Very unprofessional! Save yourself a ton of stress and stay away from anything Fiserv, First Data, Clover….
– Review from November 13, 2023
You are NOT important to us!! I quit Fiserve on 8/1/2023 – I received an email from customer service confirming my request to close my account on 8/4/23. NO WHERE in any of the 3 emails I received did it say “trickle fees” would show up, for up to 60 days, after closing. I’ve been charged a Visa month end fee for 2 months now. I gave them August as we did process for the first 3 days. Now I want my money back! All the customer service rep (Appropriately named Boycott) said “It’s a valid charge” (You say!!!) He requested my fee to be refunded, but I needed to wait, up to 72 hours, for a response.
After being on hold for almost 30 minutes – Nothing says “you’re not important to us” like being on hold – or being transferred multiple times from CSR to CSR.
My bank now does inhouse credit card processing. If they go back to using Fiserve as 3rd party – I will find a new bank!
– Review from October 3, 2023
Positive Feedback
“There are no positive reviews published about Fiserv on Trustpilot.”
Source: Trustpilot
Software Advice Rating Analysis
Fiserv has an average customer review rating of 4.1 stars on Software Advice based on 23 customer reviews. Common themes in the reviews include appreciation for its ease of use and integration with other software like QuickBooks and Shopify. However, some users mention issues such as system lag, difficulties with customer service, and limitations in software functionality.
Negative Feedback
LISA from the banking sector, who has been using Fiserv for more than 2 years, reviewed the service in July 2021. She finds the Maxxar software for phone banking very basic and antiquated, lacking advanced features and voice options. She also mentions frequent service disruptions and a general lack of support for this product.
– Review from July 2021
Ryan, from the computer software industry, using Fiserv monthly for less than 2 years, reviewed it in August 2023. He appreciates the robustness of the payment processor but criticizes the slow customer service response time, mentioning that they have had tickets open for months without answers.
– Review from August 2023
Positive Feedback
Eve, from the hospital & health care sector, using Fiserv daily for less than 12 months, gave a review in November 2018. She finds it quick and easy to take payments, appreciates the integration with QuickBooks and Invoice ASAP, and likes the feature of resending receipts easily.
– Review from November 2018
Dustin, from the medical practice industry, using Fiserv daily for less than 12 months, reviewed it in August 2018. He praises the ease of use, the simplicity of processing payments, and the fast processing of transactions.
– Review from August 2018
Source: Software Advice
Fiserv Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Item | Result | >
|---|---|
| Processing Rates | Negotiable |
| Service Length Commitments | Possible |
| Early Termination Fees | Possible |
| Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes, Negotiable |
| Hardware Options | Purchase or Lease |
In this section we’ll discuss several important topics related to the costs and contract terms a business owner could experience when selecting Fiserv, or one of its resellers, for credit card processing services. We uncovered several factors that can greatly influence the service length commitment required and the associated costs.
Fiserv Rates and Fees Explained
Fiserv discussing rates and fees on its website.
Fiserv offers merchant account services directly with a pricing structure that can significantly vary based on a business owner’s negotiation skills and understanding of merchant account fees. Unlike some competitors, Fiserv does not publicly advertise a standardized fee structure for its credit card processing services. Instead, the company grants considerable discretion to its sales representatives to set fees and rates stuctures. This approach leads to a wide variation in pricing, often depending on the business owner’s level of knowledge the pricing models available in the broader market.
Business owners with a deeper understanding of merchant account fees and industry benchmarks are in a better position to negotiate more favorable rates. Knowledgeable merchants can challenge high fees or unfavorable terms, pushing for reductions or alterations that align more closely with industry standards or their specific transaction patterns. Conversely, less informed business owners often accept the first offer made by a sales representative, potentially leading to higher costs.
Costs Related to Sales Commissions
Fiserv’s sales representatives, motivated by commission structures, often have a financial incentive to sell merchant accounts with higher rates and fees. The commission system within Fiserv is designed to reward sales representatives for securing contracts with higher costs, creating a potential conflict of interest. This incentive can lead representatives to prioritize their own earnings over the best financial interests of the merchant, especially if the business owner is not well-versed in merchant account fee structures.
Tiered Pricing vs. Interchange-plus
Moreover, Fiserv’s sales representatives are more likely to offer tiered pricing models to merchants. Tiered pricing is often criticized for its lack of transparency compared to the Interchange-plus model. In a tiered pricing structure, transactions are grouped into different tiers, each with its own rate. This model can be more expensive for merchants, as it often includes higher markups and less predictability in fees. In contrast, Interchange-plus pricing is more transparent, as it separates the interchange fees set by credit card networks from the processor’s markup, making it easier for merchants to understand exactly what they are paying for each transaction.
Hardware Costs
Fiserv primarily markets it “Clover” branded product line of POS systems and payment processing hardware (See our Clover Review), but continues to offer various other traditional equipment options. The company does not openly disclose its pricing for hardware, which suggests that sales representative retain flexibility to negotiate prices, raise costs for higher commissions, or reduce costs to compete with other offers. It is unclear if Fiserv is still offering hardware leasing through the notorious division of First Data Global leasing, which marketed expensive lease agreements and trapped clients is leases that couldn’t be cancelled without incurring a costly penalty.
The Contract
As with Fiserv’s costs, the service agreement and its associated terms appear to also vary based upon a business owner’s knowledge and the sales person. The company was notorious for only marketing binding long-term agreements with stiff early termination fees, but appears to have softened its policies in this area. Although, it may be possible to achieve a month-to-month service agreement, numerous customer reviews state surprise over cancellation fees and automatically renewing contracts. Such agreements are likely influenced by discounts on equipment or other offers by Fiserv, but the general sentiment among clients is that concessions provided by Fiserv have not been equitable to the commitment required for services.
Pricing Through Fiserv Resellers
Fiserv’s costs, when it comes to resellers, is notable for its significant variability. This is largely because resellers have the discretion to set their own pricing terms, which can lead to a wide range of costs for the end user. While some resellers adopt an honest and transparent approach to pricing, clearly outlining their fees and margins, others may not be as forthcoming. This lack of uniformity can be attributed to the fact that resellers are permitted to add their own margins and monthly fees on top of Fiserv’s base rates. As a result, the pricing offered by one reseller can differ greatly from another. This variability underscores the importance for potential clients to conduct thorough research and comparisons when choosing a Fiserv reseller, as the financial implications of these differences can be substantial. The ability for resellers to independently set prices means that the same Fiserv services could come with vastly different price tags, depending on who is selling them.
Reseller Contracts
Resellers have the option to set a business up directly with Fiserv, wherein the terms of service, including the length of the agreement, cancellation policies, and costs associated with hardware, are directly tied to Fiserv’s policies. These direct agreements are often marketed by very small resellers that are acting more as sales agents than full scale merchant services organizations.
Larger resellers have the autonomy to tailor their service agreements, which can include modifying the length of the contract, offering different cancellation terms, and varying the costs associated with leasing or purchasing hardware. This flexibility allows resellers to create customized solutions that might be more closely aligned with the specific needs of a business. For instance, a reseller might offer shorter contract terms or more competitive hardware pricing to attract certain types of businesses. However, this flexibility can also lead to less favorable terms for the merchant. Some resellers might impose longer contract lengths, higher cancellation fees, or more expensive hardware costs as a way to increase their margins. Additionally, the level of customer service and support can differ when dealing with a reseller, as opposed to dealing directly with Fiserv.
We strongly encourage any business considering Fiserv or a Fiserv reseller to fully read and understand all aspects of the pricing and contract terms being marketed to them. Less complicated credit card processing options can also be found among this list.
Fiserv Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Independent Sales Positions: | Yes |
| W2 Positions: | Yes |
| Sales Tactics Complaints: | Yes |
| Glassdoor Rating: | 3.4 Stars |
| Indeed Rating: | 3 Stars |
We analyzed numerous employees reviews from various sources to gain insight into the company’s work culture, management practices, and overall employee satisfaction – variables that can also affect a business owner’s experience with the company.
Work Environment and Culture
Employees often describe the work environment at Fiserv as fast-paced and dynamic, reflecting the company’s position in the rapidly evolving financial technology industry. Many appreciate the opportunity to work on challenging projects that push the boundaries of financial services and technology. The company’s commitment to innovation is frequently cited as a motivating factor, providing employees with a sense of being at the forefront of industry changes.
However, some reviews indicate that the fast-paced nature of the work can lead to a high-stress environment. Employees have mentioned the pressure to meet tight deadlines and manage large workloads, which can sometimes impact work-life balance. Despite these challenges, there is a general consensus that the work is intellectually stimulating and offers opportunities for professional growth.
Management and Leadership
The leadership at Fiserv receives mixed reviews from employees. On the positive side, some employees commend their managers for being supportive and fostering a collaborative work environment. They appreciate the open-door policy of some managers and their willingness to listen to employee concerns and suggestions.
Conversely, other reviews point to inconsistencies in management styles across different departments and locations. Some employees have expressed concerns about a lack of clear communication from upper management, leading to uncertainties about company direction and employee expectations. There are also mentions of challenges in getting recognition and visibility for achievements, particularly in larger teams.
Employee Benefits and Compensation
Fiserv is often recognized for offering competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package. Employees appreciate the health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off policies. These benefits are seen as reflective of the company’s commitment to its employees’ well-being and long-term financial security.
However, some reviews suggest that the compensation may not always be commensurate with the workload or industry standards, particularly in junior or mid-level positions. There are also comments about the variability in pay scales across different roles and departments.
Sales Positions & Tactics
User reviews of Fiserv often touch upon the company’s sales tactics. These reviews, primarily from clients and customers, provide a different angle on how Fiserv trains it saleforce.
A recurring theme in these reviews is the mention of aggressive sales tactics. Some users have reported experiences with sales representatives who are highly persistent, sometimes to the point of being intrusive. There are accounts of representatives using high-pressure strategies to close deals, which can leave customers feeling overwhelmed or coerced.
Additionally, there are mentions of a lack of transparency in sales pitches, with some customers finding that the actual terms and conditions of services differ from what was initially presented. This includes discrepancies in pricing, contract terms, and the specifics of service offerings.
Actual Employee Reviews
People are great, not super demanding, great work-life balance, AMAZING maternity leave, and great benefits overall. Managers are wonderful and don’t micromanage.
I’ve worked for Fiserv for 10 years. I’ve been remote for the last 8. When leadership changed to Frank Bisignano the entire organization started on a downward spiral. This list is long so I will try to keep it succinct 1. Pay has not kept up with either the market or inflation. 2. No flexibility in work arrangements. Remote is no longer an option. Relocation is a requirement and working onsite from a local office instead of moving is not an accepted compromise.
Our Fiserv Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
Fiserv, formerly known as First Data, stands as a significant player in the credit card processing industry, offering a wide array of services that cater to businesses of various sizes and types. While the company boasts a comprehensive suite of products and a global reach, the customer feedback and reviews present a mixed picture.
On one hand, Fiserv’s vast array of services, including its Clover POS product line, merchant cash advances, and online reporting tools, are appreciated by many businesses for their efficiency, ease of use, and comprehensiveness. However, on the other hand, concerns about transparency in pricing, contract terms, and customer service issues are noteworthy. The variability in experiences, particularly with regard to hidden fees, long-term contracts, and customer support, suggests that while Fiserv has the potential to be a powerful ally for businesses, the actual experience can vary greatly. This inconsistency highlights the importance for potential clients to approach Fiserv with a thorough understanding of their specific business needs and a readiness to negotiate terms that are most favorable to their situation.
Furthermore, the role of resellers in Fiserv’s business model adds another layer of complexity. The ability of resellers to set their own pricing and terms means that experiences can differ widely depending on the specific reseller. This underscores the need for businesses to conduct due diligence when selecting a Fiserv reseller. As with any significant business decision, it is crucial to thoroughly research and understand all aspects of any agreements with Fiserv, or Fiserv reseller, to ensure they align with expectations and business objectives.
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William Dahglren
First Data has no interest in helping SMB’s. Their lease terms are predatory and cost SMB’s even if you’re providing them with multiple accounts.
This is a classic case of a big corporation not caring about their image because they KNOW you HAVE to work with them. You bank at Wells, you HAVE to work with them unless you want to get fleeced by a company that HAS to charge higher rates.
Awful customer service. Awful company. Avoid if you can.
Gary Gurney
DO NOT USE THE COMPANY There Coustmer Service Sucks
Adam Bailey
This company is a huge scam. I sold my business in 2014. I sent back the credit card systems and closed all the accounts. They told me they has two years left on the lease agreement. The new buyer said he would payout the two years that were remaining but they needed to close the account after that. They continued to bill and auto renew the monthly fee. Then they said they can only close out the account once the machines are returned. The issue is they were returned four years ago and now they want to charge me for them. When I called them about this they told me it’s not their issue and there’s is nothing they can do. when I asked to talk to a manager the agent told me there are no supervisors or managers that can assist me. She also told me she did not have an employee number nor would give me her name. When I asked to be transferred to someone else so I could get help she hung up on me.
terrance shaw
I would never recommend this company. As a new company We was sold a POS system 4 years ago that was already old as the hills. Once we sign the lease we found out that this company had up to date POS systems that they neglected to give us. Not once over the past 4 years did they offer to update our equipment or do anything to make us happy. Put us on the hook for a 48 months lease at 235.00(over 11k for a relic), I know we didnt know any better. All I can say is shame on 1st Data for treating any company the way we have been treated.
Yarina
I am so frustrated with this company that they deserve I left my first negative review ever!
They continue charging me even after I cancel the service. Fake leases and overcharging. This is the worst company I have ever had the misfortune to deal with.
James
Horrible company. We switched to them in 2013 only to find out recently that they never closed an account we had with them since 2002 (so they have been charging us for 2 accounts!). Both accounts have now been closed and we will never be doing business with them again (thankfully).
Peter
Do not, I REPEAT, DO NOT do business with these guys. They rip small businesses off with their plans and credit card reading machines. Do your research, do not sign any contracts without reading them. They don’t care about the customer and their ignorance, all they want is the $$$$$.
Cynthia Pascual
I bought a restaurant in Addison, Tx. 10/2015 I contact First Data as a bad recommendation of Carlos Escobar, in that moment he was working for BBVA in the Woodlands, Houston , Tx. This person insisted to send me a First Data person simply to guide about the POS and the service that they offer. This person push me to buy the equipment, he recommended something that I really don’t need based in the specifications of my sales and the type of restaurant. I called him, like 5 times, to say I changed my mind, I want the negociatiation back I said it was not what I need, but he said “Sorry you signed and no way back with the purchase” 12/2015 . Since that time to now 12/2017, I talked with First Data customer service, BBVA managers, First Data sales, and no One can give an answer and my money back! First Data simply took $7,300 from my business account and the equipment. Is this a robbery? This has been a nightmare!
Gael
5 years after my contract with the then BWAMS, now FDMSA, finished, they took an unauthorised direct debit payment out of my account. That’s called THEFT.
jeremy clarke
We changed our card terminal and First Data arranged to collect the old one which they did. Weeks later I got a letter stating that I hadn’t returned the terminal despite the fact that they collected it! I phoned to discuss and it was agreed that everything would be put on hold to allow investigation, 3 days later almost £900 was taken from our business account for “lost terminal”.
01/11 – I called First Data, they were unable to answer why the money had been taken and promised a call back – it didn’t happen.
03/11 – I called again was told the money would be refunded in 10 days.
15/11 – no money in our account I called again, was told they would look into it and call me back – it didn’t happen.
23/11 – still no calls back, still no money back in our account so I called again, was told refund had been authorised, I asked for the complaints procedure and was promised a call back – it didn’t happen.
29/11 – still no calls back, still no money back in our account so I called again, was advised that the refund had been raised on 24/11, not 3/11 as previously advised! I asked for complaints procedure and was advised that I would receive a call back from a senior who would instigate the complaints procedure – that didn’t happen.
01/12 – still no money, still no call back from First Data so I called again, was passed through to the person who had told me on the 02/11 that the refund was being processed who now stated that it was processed not on the 02/11 nor the 24/11 as I had been previously advised but on the 29/11! Was promised a call back – that didn’t happen.
06/12 – still no calls back, still no refund so I called again to specifically ask for contact details of the complaints team. After 15 minutes on the phone and having given security details and contact numbers at least 3 times I was told that it was not possible to give me the contact details of the complaints department as it was only available internally. I have now given them 1 hour before I contact the FCA and report them as FCA website states that members must have a complaints procedure!
All in all I have made 7 calls to this organisation totalling 94 minutes of my time and to date since the money was erroneously taken from our account on 03/10/2017, I have not received the refund an apology or a call back!
Mike M
First Data is involved in an ill advised, I’ll fated “Transformation” of an industry that corporate executives know very little about. They try multiple new directives, philosophies, waste everyone’s time and money and go back to the original way of doing business. It’s The Blind leading The Blind throughout this entire organization, thus the very poor customer experience and high dissatisfaction levels. High turnover, unqualified management at every level,inferior customer support, entry level employees at every position, First Data continues to implode 5 years into this ill conceived “Transformation”. First Data is the next GE or JCPenney. Stay Away.
Shawn Meyer
Worst ever! I was young n dumb n they ripped me off! It was all legal and I was dumb for signing but they at the worst company I’ve ever done business with in my 15 years of running a business. Spent over 5000.00 more than I should have
Brandie A.
I was told by the rep that clover by first data was capable of meeting my needs. The rep showed me all the wonderful aspects of the system and then touched on what I needed it do. I trusted him. Over two years later, I am still operating and paying for two systems because it does not meet my needs as a service provider. I can see how it works great for strictly retail but not ideal for booking and tracking services. I was so bummed and of course 2 years ago I was told I could “buy out” the lease for over $3,000 even though I was lied to about it’s capabilities. Fast forward, I am no longer able to deal with having to work out of two systems so I called again. I have 21 months left and they said I could return the equipment and pay the remainder of the lease. Return it so you can re-lease it to another sucker and still charge me the remainder of the lease??? Is that even ethical?
I have never left a negative review in my life! I am sick over this. Making this poor decision because of a shady sales rep has cost my small business just over $2,500 and counting. By the end of the lease it will double. I will never use first data or clover. Poor business practices.
Shinae Kim
They are scammers and deceitful. I signed up with a pos company and they messed up big time and it was too much of a hassle to stay with them so they let us cancel everything and even said they would take care of the contract with first data since we never used their system. Well we thought everything was fine and all of a sudden I get a call from the collections agency wanting 1100.00 for cancelling their contract. I was seriously thinking they got the wrong person but nope. They said even though we cancelled with the pos system service we signed a contract saying we cannot terminate this contract for 48 months. I was flipping furious because no one ever told me nor did I see that anywhere in the contract. So everyone needs to be careful of this and I will for sure publicize this matter and make sure the merchant services verbally explain what will haplen even if there is a 30 day money back guarantee that you are still stuck with the credit processor first data that demands a 48 month contract.
Crystal Norman
Absolutely worst company. Do not go with them. The customer service is a complete scam. They play a game to keep you on the phone until you are tired of not understanding.
Giselle Rutledge
They are a horrible company DO NOT do business with them they will get you in a contract where u have to $4500. For a ridiculous little machine that is worth $300. They suck
Ken S
Poor customer service, excess service charges and purposefully confusing statements. I should have shopped for processors before accepting my bank’s recommendation to use First Data. After changing processors and notifying First Data, I have continued to receive charges for minimum services. Excessive attempts to contact customer service have been futile. 20 minute hold times, unhelpful agents, and outright lies are standard business practices with this company. Amazing that after 8 years of doing business with this company, they could care less that they lose customers. I guess their thought is that there is always another sucker out there to replace the the ones they lose.
Andrew Marshall
Run! Do not do business with this company. Fees are the worst.
Vinod Kapur
FirstData, IgnitePayments or First Data, Ignite Payments, previously known as Cardservice International creates all kinds of artificial obstacles so that their merchants (you and me) do not ever comply with PCI standards. If you’re not watching your account statement at least on a monthly basis their fees from around 2.4% and 4.2% respectively will quickly, within weeks, climb to 2.9% and 5.0% and more. They charge over $700 in PCI non-compliance fees and new charges are being invented as I write this review.
Vahe K
I’ve been in processing business for more than 15 years and all you need when opening a merchant account is an honest account manager/ sales rep.
Most people think when it comes to their money, they need a big reputable company like their bank or someone who also processes for big brands like 7-11 or shell etc..
Your sales rep has the power of put you on the best rate plan with no cancellation fees and free equipment OR the worst plan with NON-CANCELLABLE contract and charge you 100 times more than what the equipment is worth and you can not do anything because this industry is non-regulated.
You can be on the best plan with First Data or on the worst plan with Heartland.
Stop blaming the processors and if you have a rep who treats you well and does honest business, introduce her/him to your fellow business owners.
Want to know how to tell if your sales rep is honest?
Here are a few steps that will help you make a better decision although it won’t guarantee anything but at least you’re doing your due diligence.
1. Ask the rep to leave the paperwork for you to read and come back tomorrow, if they say they can’t for WHATEVER REASON, don’t sign up with them.
2. An equipment lease, never benefits the merchant but always benefits the rep.
The rep may quit the company tomorrow but you’ll be locked into that lease for 4-5 years.
3.they can always give you good rates with no lease or contract.
4.there are never special rates for 4th of July weekend or today or this week or this month. All rates are always available.
5. Ask your rep to give you a list of reference who are his/her current merchants.
You don’t have to call them but if the rep gives you the list, she is probably being honest.
6. READ YOUR CONTRACT, READ YOUR CONTRACT, READ YOUR CONTRACT.
you don’t need to know big, legal, non understandable terms.
Just look for the words “cancellation” “termination” “early” “penalty” “years” and “months”
There are more indications that can get too technical but the best way still is to find a guy who you can trust (not by instinct but by logic)
The good ones work really hard.
Chris Moller
This company is very suspect. Once they got a hold of my bank account number to process credit cards they began taking money out they were not approved to. I ended up having to close my bank account and switch banks in order to get then to stop charging my account.
Kim K
F
Worst customer service I have ever experienced!!!
Diana Schofield
I hated First Data and thought they were conniving in their set up and they charge an outlandish amount for their physical card processing machine. i quite them and got the identical equipment free with lower rates from North American Bancard. do NOT use this company.
JB
Been with this company about 5 years and found out they were raising prices for swipes without letting me know. So decide to go with different company and come to find out the First Data has there own encryption that other companies cannot erase .When asked for first data to take off soft ware and certificate so new company could download. They refused saying we were not with company anymore and they could not help! Glad to be leaving this company! Horrible customer service! Good news is new company giving us a terminal for free! and will be saving 8% each month!
Randy A. Breeden
I was previously employed by First Data and left the company on good terms. I left to start my own business and was told that if I ever wished to return to First Data, they would look forward to that day. It is now some years later, and I had always admired First Data and had decided to re-employment at their organization. I recently applied for one of the many vacant customer service positions at First Data. About three months passed during which I heard nothing in from the company. The other week I finally received an email thanking me for my application “However, the company is seeking better-qualified candidates for open customer service positions?
My experience in customer service is significant by way of measure. I have been a successful manager, senior customer service representative, business owner and as noted prior, a First Data CSR, in good standing. Since having left First Data some years ago, I have completed one college degree in Accounting and am about to finish a second Accounting degree, 3.9611 GPA.
The firms rejection and undervaluation of my qualifications, left me to ponder what went wrong. I performed very well for the company, in the past. I spoke highly of First Data, even used them faithfully for 20 plus years, as the credit card processor for my own business. Other processors would try and lure me away from First Data, yet I remained loyal to the firm even when their processing charges, were higher. So what went wrong, why did First Data reject what otherwise appear as an excellent, even stellar skill set?
I received word from several anonymous sources as to where I may have erred in reapplying to First Data. I disclosed a qualification in my reapply to First Data that I did not hold when I initially worked for the company. The latter qualification is one of my being a service connected disabled U.S. Veteran, Honorably Discharged. I made sure to make First Data aware that my military service connected disabilities in no way hinder my ability to function and that I required no special workplace mods. I have since been told though, that I should not have disclosed my service connected Veteran Status because First Data and other large corporations praise disabled Veterans publicly but frown upon them in private. So, a note to all disabled Veterans, keep your service connected Veteran status under wraps when applying to companies such as First Data Merchant Services, it will get your application, rejected.
martin maclean
Awful company .Nice machine/terminal but everything else is just bad .Lying salesman ,promised cashback then denied and other things have had to go to Financial ombudsman in uk about them ,Beware of them
Rfox
There’s mis-commucation with thr agent while we cancle our services. Our account was NOT CLOSED for 7 years. Of course we moved from our original location and did not received the statements. And we did, we call back many times to explained the situation and tried to close our account and get our money back since they withdraw certain amount every month(amount different than what statement indicate). We never got satisfied amount of money back or to close our account we had to wait for long time. Even though it’s NOT OUR FAULT. The conversation was recorded and they had file. However, they keep instated that it was mis communication and we had to follow their policy. Knowing most of their agents are foreigners and it’s been always so difficult to solve any types of issues with them… I do not think it was fair. Customer Royalty department or financial department were NOT sincerely Helpful or even tried to. To me, they were all very sweet when you have business with them but once you show them that you tries to get away from them, they turn into absolutely disgusting. I wish I can do 0star for this company. Absolutely horrible customer care or service. I always have been a business guy and I will be in the future. I will never go back to first data or recommend to anyone that I know. Thanks for the great life lesson first data ☺
Hector
My account with first data has been terminated for over 2 years. I don’t use their services for anything. Both devices have been sent back over 2 years ago. But i am still getting billed by ignite. Was on the phone with a rep about 20 minutes ago and she noticed that i haven’t been using their services, but I’m still getting billed. On top of that there’s a cancellation fee for a service I’m not using. This is outrageous!!! Do not use first data that company sucks ASS!!!
Howard
I have been a First Data Customer since 1988. First through one of their resellers, called Bypass, which they Ultimately bought & now run, and also directly. I have never lost a single dime in all these years. Yes there have been issues with equipment becoming obsolete and no longer being supported, in what I would consider too short a time frame, but that wasn’t something I believe they had much control over as regulations change & they simply have to adapt to them. I recall when Y2K was coming up. New Terminal. Then CVV2 and name and address verification became the norm, New Terninal. I had a great Relationship Manager who always took great care of me, so it was always a fairly smooth transition.
My recent issue was when the chipped card terminals became available. I was told I needed a new pinpad, but for over a year they kept sending me pinpads with the wrong encryption, so it wouldn’t work. Fortunately I had the original non chip type pinpad, so I was still able to process Debits, just had to continue to SWIPE.
Even after I got the correct pinpad, the next issue was that the software to support the chipped cards wasn’t ready, so another wait of 1 1/2 more years, and that brings us to present day.
The Terminal is now deemed at end of life, so even though the software is now ready, they won’t be able to download it to the old terminal, so now I need a new terminal again. Thankfully the new terminal will be chip card ready when I receive it.
I have read all the horror stories of not being able to get in touch with anyone at First Data, but I never had any problems.
I imagine most of these problems are simply due to people calling the wrong place. If you have a reseller they are where you must go for Customer Service.
If you call 1st Data and you don’t have an account directly with them, they are not going to even talk to you.
Yes there have been frustrations, but never LOST ANY MONEY processing with them.
Moral of the story, read your contract and KNOW WHAT you are agreeing to before you sign on the dotted line.
Susan Boggon-Smith
I was first told by the sales agent that the charges would be cheaper than paypal and i-zettle. Even with the terminal rental my small business sole trader account would end up ‘evens’ with charges with the advantage of being able to take money anywhere with the machine. It is true the machine works anywhere and is accurate and the support is good. But the cost of taking about £4,000 per annum is 4.7% for the card processing costs and a massive 12% in total including the machine rental. The contract small print is complex, and it is for 4 years. I think this is mis-sellng and deemed to be unfair contract terms being imposed upon the small business user. I will never use them again.
Harold Marshall
First Data Merchant card processing service is the worst!! WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! STAY AWAY FROM FIRST DATA, It’ll save you a lot of money and hardship! I own a liquor store and apparently someone’s been purchasing items from my store with a bad or stolen credit card, We take all proper steps in processing card payments, as far as, checking ID and getting the signatures. While someone fraud me while using First Data as my merchant service, they (First Data) treated me as if I fraud them. They’re holding my money in some “reserve account” while still trying to remove money from my bank account daily. The person (Shana Ballard) they have in charge of investigating these charge backs is sooooo unprofessional. She never answers the phone or return calls. Instead of trying to work with you to try to catch these people doing the fraud, they’ll rather come after you and your money. I’ve never wrote a bad review on any person or company in my life, but this company doesn’t deserve to be in business. I wouldn’t recommend them to my worst enemy!! I guest all things happen for a reason because after going through this, I’ve found out that I was paying high processing fees compared to other companies. First Data Merchant Service is the biggest fraud!!!
First Data Customer
I have to agree with this customer. First Data are awful and Shana Ballard will never call you back no matter how many times you leave a message. The best thing to do is to ask for her supervisor. I’m shocked she still has a job.
Tom
Beware, FirstData (Cardservice International, Linkpoint) is DANGEROUS! They ripped me off and even faked PCI non-compliance many times with huge charges and penalties resulting and then their employee started posting fake libel about their customers.
Sonja Salgue
Just be aware of the hidden prints and don’t trust this company for you business. We closed our business and no longer needed the service. We were charged for the cancellation of the services. They never informed us of this. My husband was send for collection by Northstar Location Services, LLC. We settle the claim and little that we know that they had another case. They never informed us of two claims, we were under the impression that we had settle everything . The First Data Global Leasing is a nightmare. I hope this does help other business owners.
Tim Cameron
Had terminal for four days and it crashed. Couldn’t replace it for 24-48 hours because we are rural businesses. I drive two hours and met technician and picked up replacement terminal and drove two hours back. Called FIrst Data to set it up. After two hours of trying… they decided this terminal was defective also.
We run a seasonal greenhouse and it’s planting season and the long May weekend is the busiest.
First data said one would be sent out with a technician to set up another terminal by 2:00 pm next day. Never arrived….
After many calls and speaking with floor manager at FD…and the technician on 3-way call… authorization will be emailed to drive to our location… Never happened…
Now it’s the next morning…Saturday of the long weekend… no terminal, technician has still not received authorization to attend….back on the phone with FD…. and the process begins again….
We have lost customers and sales because most folks rely on using a card for payment and don’t carry cash… there are at least 5 other greenhouse businesses in the area… our customers will and did go elsewhere…not to mention lost time by driving and spending 6-7 hours on the phone with them….ridiculous
I have never experienced such poor customer service by any company in my life and can’t believe First Data can be so useless….
We will be changing companies at first opportunity….
Keith Zetoff
I have worked with Vantiv, Heartland, and Elavon in the past, First Data is much better than all of my other experiences. The key is to connect with the right Agent. First Data has over 1000 1099 Agents, some are good, some are not. First Data itself is a highly Govt scrutinized (since they are the largest processor in the world) company that does provide virtually every service. I also only use Interchange Plus Pricing which means all fees are transparent to us. I wouldnt move anywhere else now.
Douglas Brown
Don’t get associated with this company, you will always lose, bunch of dishonest people
Wilene C Dunn
Bank of America chose them as their merchant company and they are horrible. Customer Service is not helpful and there process is guilty till proven innocent and they hold money. There is nothing ever okay with not informing a customer who uses their services for business credit card processing that you are going to hold their funds even after compliance with their risk management and their intrusive questions that border on confidentiality infringement
MajiRasooll
Beware of this company- They will do anything to get ur business and once you sign up with them, forget about getting any of your issues resolved. They have been giving me a run around for 5+ months even though they are holding on to about $20000 + of my money( through gateway services). I have called more than 50 times but nothing has happened. Just giving me a run around. The worst customer service ever.
Ruby Navarro
I would love to hear your experience on why they would be holding it. I might be going through the same thing!!!
Alex
I have no idea who this company is I called a few time asking to tell me why they were sending me a certified letter I have no business dealing no connections whatsoever I just want to know why is a compysending me a letter when I never even heard of them
Richard
What did your letter say? i got a certified letter too but refused it…. never head of them.
Jose
Very unprofessional company. First they couldn’t help me with my situation and they gave me the runaround. I’m disappointed that my bank does business with them. They sneak in fees into your agreement and they rack up. They don’t care about the American people. They come out of the woodwork once your business has dissolved to claim fees that you have no knowledge. Horrible company.
Rifai Market
I would also give them a negative also is possible to First Data. I guess they are in the monopoly business, they don’t care what you tell them or say about them and there are not willing to help you. We closed our business last year and we had 6 more months for the lease to end so we agreed to pay them the rest of the 6 months or they were going to charge us like $500 something. Anyways, after the beginning of the year they kept on charging us even though we never asked them to renew and we called and told them we closed down the business and they have it noted but they said if you don’t call us back or send the equipment back we will keep charging you even though we were not even using the stupid machine that cost maybe $10 from China. Tried to talk them into refunding our money but they won’t do it although I called them 3 times. Unfortunately, on top of everything we couldn’t find the stupid machine after so many months and we ended up paying them $180 to close the account. So even after 4 years or paying them $50 a month they made us pay $180 on top. I will admit that some of it is our fault not noticing the charges right away but the way they handled our matter what pissed me off. They don’t give a flying sh** about you or you loses all they want is to suck your blood. They never however mention that we have to call again and cancel again after the lease ended so we thought we are in the clear since we called and informed them of the closure. We had so many companies we were dealing with and they wanted to charge us penalties but they waived it as they felt sorry for us going out of business but these guys don’t give a flying crab about you.
Ritesh Bhatia
Worst company in canada probably well after global payments. Way too many problems every week and customer service just does not care. They are located in some 3rd world country so they are not happy with their $2/HR pay may be that’s why they are unhappy and rude all the time. I have dealt with them probably 6 or 7 times never have I ever had a good experience with them. Switching over to Moneris soon.
Sammy Davis
This company is a PURE FRAUD. Please stay away from them. My Bank of America teller/banker connected me to one of their reps and assuming they were legitimate company, I signup the cc processing machine. We did not like their payment processing and we returned their equipment within two months. We were insured that is all we had to do and we don’t owe anything. This same people placed erroneous negative balances on my personal credit reports! Mind you, we returned the equipment and paid all we owed in FULL before cancelling it. They are simply fraud. I called to even try to pay whatever amount they are alleging that we owe, they would not accept any payment other then Checking account. That is right, You have to provide routing number and account number is the only method of payment! why? Because they know they are fraud they would not accept a CC payment as you dispute it!
In short: PLEASE STAY AWAY FIRST DATA. IT IS A FRAUD.
Nicole
“I believe that the industry has been overrun by people who engage in fraud and deception in order to steal money from hard working business owners. ”
–This is such a true statement! I was scammed by First Data Payment systems which dominates the industry by subcontracting their patents and services out!
Bank of America uses them and also so does Citibank as well as Well Fargo. You don’t know this when you go to the bank to apply for a merchant account at those banks. I found out the hard way after they stole over $5000 of my credit card sales! Causing my 6 year old #1 tour company & travel agency that was IATA accredited to go bankrupt!
I used to use PayPal for the first 5 years but I decided to use a bank so that my business was more ‘credible” and so I could perhaps get a loan for tour vehicles one day, etc. I was using tour guides with their own vehicles at the time.
First, I contacted Bank of America Merchant Service which really is First Data Payment System. They subcontract themselves to Bank of America. After doing $10,000- 12,000 per month for 2 months suddenly my deposits stopped. Normally I get them every two days. I had $2800 in deposits for upcoming tours and did not receive my payment. After contacting my sales rep I was told that they “don’t provide merchant services to the travel industry”….my question is “Why did you approve my application then? Why did you let me do 2 months in sales? Why didn’t anyone phone me ahead of time?”
For the next 3 weeks I had to call them every day to get them to send my sales!!!! My boyfriend got on the phone and was harsh with the sales rep who lived locally and finally I got the deposit after 3 weeks.
After that I decided to use Citibank Merchant Services which also is First Data Payment solutions. UGH! So frustrating. Here I had the worst experience ever!
After doing 4 months of payment processing through them I was now doing $14,000-16,000k monthly in business. I was very happy that my business was doing so well!
I had a strong marketing campaign and was growing! Im a single mom with no college education, and I am self taught– and to have a business which website I designed and marketed myself now is a #1 website in Las Vegas and 5 stars on Trip Advisor and now IATA accredited was truly a great blessing! Unfortunately, First Data ruined it all and now I am having to work a 9-5 for someone else!
Here is what happened: There was a big Las Vegas convention and I did $5500 in one weekend for tours. I never got the deposit however. After a week I telephoned only to be told they had sent the deposit. I waited 3 more days. No deposit! I thought this was odd because I normally get it every 2 days. I telephoned again and was told there is a new “account manager” this account manager I would then talk to and email every single day for the next 5 months. Until I had no other option than to sue First Data Payment Systems/First Data Solutions, etc.
They literally kept my $5500 in sales! Many tourist in town had paid me and had expected to go out on tour. I had a tour company in which we treat the tourist on a 14 hour day tour and we also provide a lunch. Monies are needed to pay for their restaurant lunch, gas for the tour vehicle, tour guide pay, parking at the photo stops, etc.
When I complained to Citibank they had nothing to do with me! They just told me that First Data was the actual payment processor and I must contact them. In fact they had no sympathy either! Then every day for 7 weeks I was told via email that my money was sent. Then I was told that the monies were “lost!”, then I was told that the monies were found and would be sent immediately. Then I was told they needed to verify my bank account. When they verified my bank account they stole $2000 from it! Chase put the money back and filed a dispute as fraud! Thank Goodness. I also demanded that they refund the customers money because several customers wanted to pay cash. They told me to refund them from my own checking account. The nerve of them! How can I do this when I have not the monies from them?
Also, I am not able to provide services to the tourist unless I have payment for their tour ahead of time. The restaurant lunches and other expenses are expensive and I was just a small business owner. First Data refused to refund the customers credit card. I tried to do it via my credit card portal but they canceled it saying that I asked them too. I was was very angry after 8 weeks of not having the funds that I told them I no longer wanted to do business and to refund the customers. I had tried to refund the customers the first week but they told me they had my money on “hold”. They wouldn’t say why though.
The bottom line is they never refunded the customers…and they never sent me my sales. They caused $16,900 in damages and ruined my personal credit! I used my own money to get a truckload of 35 tourists out because they promised they had sent the funds and that I would receive them in 3 days. This was a lie. All a lie! 5 months later after not receiving the money, I took them to small claims court with a list of customers that didn’t get to do the tour and who also didn’t get a refund back to their credit card. I had all the emails from First Data in which they said they sent it, lost it, found it, etc.
Unfortunately the judge said that even if I won the case I would have to chase them down for the judgement check via my own money. At this point I am bankrupt and having threats of being sued. If they didn’t send me my sales willingly what are the chances they are going to send my judgement check. In addition, My #1 company with a 5 star rating now had 2 stars as tourists are saying that I stole their money and didn’t provide a service nor did they get a refund to their card.
No one cares nor understands that I didn’t. In court, the judge urged me to use a mediator because of the contract agreement and fine print basically we (people that use merchant services) have no rights honestly. I had to borrow the money to even pay the small claim filing fee, I was so broke. I called CNN and my local news station 4 times. No one wanted to do a report.
I settled using the court provided mediator for a mere $2200 of the $5500 that they stole. A big smack in the face! I used the $2200 to pay the people refund first come first served and the rest of the people unfortunately never got their refund. What is worst is that First Data didn’t even send the settlement check on time either! I had to file another complaint with the court in regards to that! They sent it 60 days late after the signed agreement with the court saying they would send it by a certain date!!! The court didn’t even punish them for this.
The bottom line from what I have read online is that First Data is billions in Debt. They steal from small businesses and use the money to invest in oil. With the money they steal they add it to a bank account to make their portfolio look nice for investors. I read this on several websites and also one news report.
….I was just another victim.
Look up: First Data KKR
I shut down my travel agency…..after going to a third payment processor and finding out they also were First Data…..they called themselves National Payment Solutions. Their “systems” aka “gateways” are First Data. They held my funds after 2 months…..They did refund the customers who then paid cash for the tour. The bullshit thing is if I tell you on my contract that my business does over $12000 a month in sales. Why are you holding my money if I do $9000 a month in sales? At least National Payments didn’t take the money and run like the people whose patented product (gateway) they use First Data did…..However they held my funds the same week of my court date. Coincidence? I think not….
After all that I decided it isn’t worth it being a business owner and that I cannot succeed. If I am at my best and the “big rigs” can do this to me…then this will always be the case.
I closed my company after being harassed by those still seeking a refund. I did use some of my own personal money to pay $2100 more to those needing a refund over the next year but decided I just can’t anymore. I was suffering mentally also over this. I got my resume together and found a job in Digital Marketing…..
I am so thrilled that you have created this website Phillip!!!! It needs to be told!
PS. I did call many attorneys (9) in order to seek help to sue or file a class action lawsuit– even with proof of deception in all the emails of lies and stuff–every single attorney told me, “First Data is too big!” It will take a lot of money and time to sue them….it is just not worth it. They have too much money. Forget and move on. I also asked a personal friend lawyer who directed me to small claims court.
All this happened within 7 months in 2015.
I have a different outlook on life now….not a very pleasant one.
** Don’t forget to look up: First Data KKR oil
Harold Marshall
SMH…This company needs to be investigated!!
andrew
hello, all. my wife and opened an old fashioned 50’s diner. used first data and of course the clover system! do not in any way use the system or deal with these people. I just received a letter from a collection firm in florida. we were lied too, misled, did not receive our money from credit card purchases. you cant contact these people either. after seeing all of this, why hasn’t someone started a class action law suit on these people? im looking into it now.
Nicole
No attorney wants to file a class action lawsuit because they are too large apparently. They pretty much own 80% of the credit card processing industry. This is how they get away with it.
Read my review above. The same thing happened to me!
PS. I was also using the Clover system…as I found it to be an extremely quick way to process phone sales for my travel agency/tour agency. I could process a reservation in under 2 minutes. I’d save the receipt number and create a reservation. I loved the system during busy season! What I didn’t love is having my money stolen!
Robert
I forgot to mention in my earlier complain about First Data that the rude girl in the risk management dept told me in addition to saying she would close my account if I returned my customers money and if I had my customers push a chargeback through ( * because First Data was holding over $7000 and NOT depositing into my account) she also told me after I asked to speak to her manager in which she REFUSED to do so, that if I did speak to a manager that she would also close my account because SHE is the one who approves merchant accounts. This little girls name is Crystal Donaldson ( last name was unclear and that’s what I was able to get out of her.)
Either way DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH FIRST DATA UNLESS YOU WANT DAMAGE DONE TO YOUR BUSINESS AND LOSE CUSTOMERS AND SPEND HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH THESE MORONS trying to get something fixed that they will NEVER be able to do.
Robert
DO NOT EVER USE FIRST DATA. THEY ARE RIP OFF ARTISTS. Initially we chose First Data because we have a Sams Club business account. first data promises you one thing and then does another. Our contract was a flat rate amount per month and they took a percentage of my sales. Within 3 days they took money out of my account that didn’t belong to them and had to call my bank and report FRAUD. My new merchant account was activated and I had over $7000 in sales divided among 4 customers in a 3 day period.. First Data promised funds in my account within 24hrs. NO money was ever deposited into my account. 2 weeks go by and still nothing after spending mulitiple hours on the phone with them and being transferred to a manager that was NOT a US citizen and his location was in the Caribbean! I was threatened by a girl named Crystal in the risk management dept that if I returned the money to my customers she would close my account.She threatened if I told my customers to do a chargeback she would close my account. I did returns on all 4 transactions and remember NOT $1 ever made its way into my account. First Data was now holding my customers money hostage. I am not a new business owner Ive been in business for almost 20 years and have a very good track record for NO chargebacks. This company needs its ass sued off and be put out of business. It has inconvenienced my customers and myself and has caused damage to my business in this short amount of time. Time to sue First Data for FRAUD.
Donald Britton
Dealing with this company (Sam Merchants, First
Data, has been nothing short of a nightmare. I processed a credit card on Dec. 16, 2016, the funds were supposed to have been deposited in my account within 48 hours. I waited 3 days and finally call Sam Merchants aka First Data. and was told my funds were in risk management being handled by Aurelia Auguste. I call risk management and got an answering machine. I waited 2 day with no reply from Aurelia Auguste. After 3 more days i got an email from this woman, telling me to correspond through email. I tried the email she gave me and it wasn’t functioning. Long story made short these people kept my customers money and tried to go into my bank account and take money out. I saw the name Sam’s on the web and thought they were a reputable company, not so they are a rip-off.
Colin McLay
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! Before signing an agreement with First Data we were assured we would be getting a reduction in credit card/debit fees with NO HIDDEN FEES. As soon as we got the first statement we realized we had been duped. We called and were assured by the sales manager that we would only be charged the $495 cancellation fee and he would get the contract for 48 months of renting their piece of junk machine nullified. After waiting 2 weeks we contact First Data only to find the sales manager has NO AUTHORIZATION to do as promised. We have already switched back to our old provider and are currently trying to find a way to nullify this contract. Every response we get from the company is of course from someone who’s sole job it is to say “no” to everything we request. If you are ever approached by someone trying to “save you money” on your credit card transactions make sure they ARE NOT from First Data.
Brian bruce
Absolutely horrible! Their errors cost me business. Their inability to provide a machine that could function on a digital phone line is just an example of how inept and unwilling they were to do their job correctly. Lots of talk and they take no ownership of their errors.
Too expensive to get the worst customer service and consumer protection!
Sharon Paisley
Unbelievably rude customer service. I just called this company to find out why we had a bill from them when we don’t have anything being leased from them and I was told that I shouldn’t have opened the mail since it wasn’t addressed to me personally. It was addressed to the business. REALLY? I own the business, and it was addressed to the business. Then when I asked her what we were supposedly leasing from her, she hung up on me. I don’t know who these guys are, but I would never use them.
Luigi Guillen
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!! HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. PLEASE READ!
In October 2016 a young gentleman came into my office promising lower rates, a fancy equipment with no rental fees, no setup fees, and a 30 free trial. On my first bank statement. I saw that they took out $100.00 for setup fee and $87.00 for the rental of the equipment? I called the office to complain and they do not recall offering those promotions. Oh and the 30-day free trial ? non-existant on their books. I spoke to a manager that not only he was rude but he didn’t want to give me the information of the salesman that came to my office. It is 1/13/2017 and I am still being charged $87 for an equipment we don’t use.
If you have any question on how bad this company is, contact me. I will gladly tell you about my experience 202-630-8740
Robert Anthony
Almost all of you with complaints are not First Data customers. Someone called you and lied to you claiming that they work with First Data or are partnered with them when in actuality they are not affiliated at all except in that te 3rd party company that is ripping you off uses the first data platform. So those of you with Truly 360 or any company that your contract doesnt actually say First data then you are misled and are paying some random guy money to his company that he adds his fees to first datas fees. First data has nothing to do with these companies and are trying to expose lying companies who say they are affiliated or partnered with First Data. The reason your customer service issues are not being resolved is because you signed a contract with another company so because you were fooled into a long term contract with a 3rd party company you can not expect a different company to fix another companies issues. If you order from McDonalds burger king wont refund your money. I too fell for this and thought I was signing up with first data until i double checked the contract and the contract actually said MiCamp solutions so their rep kept telling me they were first data but they are not.
andrew boyak
Robert, as this may be true, it is not the case with my wife and I. FIRST DATA IS RIGHT ON TOP OF THE BILL.ive been doing some research, its sad how this company can still be in business
Nicole
Not true, I went used First Data through Bank of America & also Citibank…..through Citibank they kept my funds and I had to sue them in court.
Blake Newman
If you need a merchant account to accept credit cards for your business – DO NOT USE FIRST DATA. They are such crooks and make it expensive to stop doing business with them. They suck you into a long-term contract and then when you try to break the contract, they play whack-o-mole with you. If you call one minute before the contract expires, you get hit with a $500 early termination penalty. If you call one minute after the contract expires, you get automatically renewed and they hit you with another month’s fee. Unbelievable. And, every time you call, plan on 45 minutes to wait on hold, be transferred, wait on hold, be transferred. All their customer people know how to say is I’m sorry, I apologize, I’m sorry. But, they can’t solve any of your problems. Some of the sorriest people I’ve ever talked to.
Albert
I have been banking with Wells Fargo since 1993 and it is truly such a shame that Wells Fargo has such a terrible partner, First Data, who doesn’t care about business. The reps at First Data have NO customer service and they literally interrogate their customers. They challenged me to switch to a different merchant services company because they claimed my “transaction was too big.” First Data is literally playing God and very clearly has no interest in doing business. Because my “transaction was too big,” they closed my account and I was unable to run any other transactions. STAY AWAY FROM FIRST DATA!!
Paul Harrison
Unfortunately I have been a client of first data for less than 1 year and have no option but to pay a penalty or stick with them until my contract is up. I will most definitely cancel as soon as possible. If I were to rate the company’s customer service on a scale of 1-10, I would score them at -15. They are the worst payment processor I have ever worked with. Recently they have lost a rather large sum from a settlement I made on Dec 19, 2016. I informed them of this error on Dec20, I have the Visa slip with the authorization, from a large corporation that I have done business with for several years and have successfully used that card on several occasions. When the settlement was completed it showed successful, but again as I have stated the funds have some how been lost. They have responded with a standard “we will review and have an answer in 3 – 5 business days”. That put us into Christmas so we know that it will be closer to a week or more. I have been told by the companies support that there is not a hold, then I have been told there is a security issue, and then i have been told there is no security issue…so I am lost. Whenever you try to contact some one from corporate you keep getting sent back to the service center…talk about being stonewalled…..I am going to make it my personal goal in lifer to advise every business owner I meet to STAY AWAY FROM FIRST DATA. I belong to a few business groups in my community and get the opportunity to meet on a regular basis. Please if you read this STAY AWAY FROM FIRST DATA
The people I speak with in customer service are rude, and couldn’t care less that this is causing a major problem for my small business, when I stress that point, I get the standard “our policy is 3 – 5 days and you will just have to wait. This company has the WORST…by far customer service that I have EVER been subjected to. They are absolutely HORRIBLE, and every number you call takes you back to the same service center. I am left with only one alternative and that is to drive to head office and sit in the lobby and wait until some one in senior management sees me…..I will wait all day if I have to!!
Once again DO NOT USE FIRST DATA!!!
Jeff Hood
NEVER USE THEM
They are crooks. Any choice is better than First Data
Their services suck and they charge way too much
niki gower
First Data has to to the worse customer service and attitude from a company ever.
Trying to cancel my contract after 3 years due to having to start trading as a limited company. I was looking to take a new terminal out as the same time but had to cancel my sole trader one first. I spent hours on the phone explaining, they said I need to give 30day notice and just send an emai. so I send the email with correct info…. only to get a reply back a few day later saying “becuase the email address don’t and may name in it they cannot acknowledge the cancellation request due to data protection, (the same email I have used with them since day one). I then phone up to explain to them that it is a valid email fro me and my company, but I was met with constant stupid lies about data protection, yet the confirmed all my details over the phone to pass data protections.. yet another company trying to hold on to customer using scams and causing the contract to roll into another months billing period. The staff lack basic common sense in my opinion.
If toy are looking to use cardnet or first data then please take my advice and avoid them at all costs.
You can see they are a poor company just by looking on the search engines for 1000s of cases of bad feedback.
All I can say is Kirsty Miller Developing Senior you have lost a new customer for 2017, I have signed up with your competitors via my bank. I little customer service and common sense is all that is needed in life.
Developing Senior
First Data Global Leasing,
Jupiter House, Paycocke Road,Basildon
Essex, SS14 3HX
Paula McGill
I’ve been with First Data for two years. The first six months was horrible with numerous glitches. The company also took a extremely long time to provide me with a machine with chip software. Finally, in the summer of 2016, I received a new machine with the software. From that point until today things ran smoothly.
Today, I notice they had removed money from my account for November. This debit was 9 days early. From my understanding numerous merchants were debited early. I can only imagine the amount of interest this company is earning on this “accidental” early debit.
When I called they refused to correct the “mistake.” Instead, the company reasoned, it would just have to do it again in 9 days and it would take that long to correct the “mistake.” I just don’t buy it.
After two years, my New Year’s resolution is to get rid of this company and find another company.
Steve Brandt
Lately every time I wake up in the middle of the night or in the morning, I am thinking about how badly I was cheated and lied to by Richard West of Santa Barbara, a rep from Truly 360. First Data is a Truly 360s partnering company. They use Truly360 as a front man so to speak. Richard West of Truly360 came in our jewelry store and made lots of promises, like, there is only a $500.00 fee for stopping whenever you like. And it is mixed with promises of getting you at the top of google search and guaranteed to increase business by a lot.
It’s been over two months and my store does not come up on search and they basically get you to sign and then you don’t see them anymore. So at $200.00 per month for nothing I decided to cancel and go ahead and pay the $500.00 penalty. Then I find out that I can’t get out of it period without paying $9599.52. So I’m screwed. Don’t use Richard West from Santa Barbara as your agent and don’t use Truly360 the so called trusted company. And I believe First data knows exactly what is happening.
William Jenkins
I’ve been with these people for four years. Never been more disappointed in my life. They’re unable to resolve the simplest of issues. And lots of hidden fees. If not for the contract I would have left these people a long time ago. 0 customer service. This has been my experience.
Tim G
This company is predatory and should be avoided at all costs.
Darren Perry
This is without a shadow of any doubt, the worst company we have EVER dealt with.
They are incredibly over priced, have horrendous customer service and have made numerous and costly mistakes to my account resulting in stress, grief not to mention the extra money we had to pay.
I am now in the process of changing to World pay, whom I wish I had used in the first place.
Charlotte
DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH FIRST DATA!! They will rip you off in any possible way that they can. Although I clearly closed my account with them and paid high cancellation fees, they continue to debit my bank account on a monthly basis. Their business practices are unethical and revolting. Their “customer service” is terrible. Please take your business elsewhere. Try Square, for instance.
Joyce F.
To say First Data Merchant Services charges excessive fees is an understatement!! They charged us $20.00 per month additional fee for NOT going on the internet to fill out information that we didn’t know we had to fill out! When I did cancel their service, they continued to take out a minimum monthly fee plus the extra $20.00 per month. When I tried to get this account closed, I had to wait 1-2 hours to receive a message that they could not be reached. Since the payments were all done electronically through our bank account, I requested my bank to put a stop payment on the account. First Data Merchant Services sent this account to a collection agency in spite of my request to close the account. There was no recourse and the customer service representative said she could not make any changes to the account.
PA
I have an online health food supplement shop. The payments over the weekend have not been processed by First Data as they have not confirmed my merchant number with Realex, and Realex emailed the information request to FD on the 3rd. The WORST part is that I, the business owner, CANNOT SPEAK with a human at FD, that can help me with this problem, they refer me back to Realex. WHY NO CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER…. it is a pathetic way to treat their customers, in this day of technology.
Jeffrey Cyr
I had no issues with First Data until they decided NOT to contact me to tell me my lease was up 6 months ago on my FD100 and now they still want $168 to buy the terminal?!? I told them I paid $210 for 6 months that I didn’t even. We’d to pay. That money would have been the payoff on the equipment. So they will screw you and keep leasing you the equipment until you call. Instead of doing what an honest business does and call you to tell you your lease is up so you can buy the equipment or send it back. That just bad bad business. Will. It recommend to anyone.
Andrew Thomson
We wanted to change providers and found out that we had an UNCANCELABLE contract. NO BUY OUT. Trying to talk with them was a nightmare. They were super quick to ding your credit and take you to collections. Now they have sent me to collections again saying that i have another contract with them. I do not know for what, i am just a very small business.
Haluk Kantar
Has anyone had an issue with thefree paper program from First Data? I am in a rather unique situation whereas we were enrolled in free paper and ink program for what years and one day First Data decided to charge my bank account over $80,000.00 for paper that they say was not in the free paper program.
When we were getting paper, they would send monthly bills that showed the paper and shipping and the bills were $0.00 but after 2 years they decided to charge me.
We are in litigation and I am trying to find others that may have the same situation. First Data does not do business in good faith and we will prevail and possibly create a class action suit.
I can be reached at [REDACTED – personal contact information].
Michael Bagby
I made the mistake of signing up with First Data for my business.When I went to check on the deposit for the first day I couldn’t access my account with my phone like I had the day before.
Calling customer service was a long painful process that resulted in my being told that the representative couldn’t help me and that I’d need to talk with someone else. I quit using their service then and got a bill for $80 to process a $45 charge. When I called the local rep to cancel my service I asked if there was something he could do about the bill. A few days later I get an email from him saying I’d have to call customer service to cancel and called customer service again.
Another long call resulted in a representative telling me they couldn’t help me either with the rep asking for a time and number to reach me to discuss getting a refund. 1:00 – 4:00 was the timeframe I gave them, and they left a message before 10:00 this morning saying I couldn’t return the reader since I’d had it for over 60 days. I’ve actually only had it 58 days, and when I asked how they came up with 61 days was told that they included the time the reader was being shipped in determining the 61 days. When I asked about the delay in hearing from the local rep and having to leave a message because no one was available to help me the day before I was told that wasn’t their problem.
If they would have refunded me the costs of getting the reader and the minimum monthly charge amount I would have been satisfied and not found our about the class action lawsuit.
But since they didn’t do that I’m going to join the lawsuit as well as telling others about it so they don’t make the same mistake I did.
Gerard Mazza
I have a small physician office and contracted with First Data three years ago Their lease on the credit card processing machine was $150 a mont for three years. Now that ti si finally paid off, they ate charging me a $737 buyout fee. I have decided to go with another company and they are charging me $139 to buy a new unit outright and their processing fees are less.
Gary
Stay away from this company. We were mislead and told we had to take 3 credit card machines for a $387 lease fee and we only needed 1. Credit card processing fees were higher than we were told. Said we could get out of contract. Stay away from them we were lied to on just about everything. F rating
Jorge
They , First Data leasing credit card equipment and the USA international mechant service ,are a bunch of thiefs , they make contract where the leasing of the equipment end one year after merchant service. I am paying without receiving any service. It does not make sense , the only answer I found is They do it rip off the merchant.
bryan
Stay away! the fees are high and they take an extra $20 a month for doing nothing.
Ocean
Junk junk junk! I was charged 13 months each month after canceling my merchant services. WHY WONT YOU CANCEL MY ACCOUNT! Every time it’s some slow talker making me repeat my sentences 5 times. And every time it’s a different reason. Thanks first data for stealing almost $800 from me. Theives. G2h
Joy
Have this device for a year. Good thing is easy to use but insecure for business owner. Received several chargeback and the clover company can’t solve the issue or even willing to assist business owner. Not recommended if you are business owner.
annette
Geez, I really wish I had found this review page before I got suckered in by a full of crap sales person also. Absolute blatant lie after lie….but you don’t find out till it’s too late and they have you locked into a 60 month lease.
Since everyone on here has had a horrendous experience with First Data, we should get together and do something about it. As a small business owner I don’t have the means for legal fees, but after reading some of these reviews (443 complaints that are all too familiar with my own experiences) I am bursting with anger! I think it’s time the little guys fight back!
Patti
I agree with you Annette, I just out of a 4 1/2 year contract, after it was completely closed they still took $150 out of my account, I was told it can’t be refunded, I’m changing my bank account number.
clint
Terrible in any aspect. If you sign, you can’t get out and you will regret it for long time.
Signing with them, it was the worst decision I’ve made in my life.
Stay away from it.
M. Martin
First data (www.firstdata.com) should be investigated for theft and misconduct. First, they charge you much higher rates than they tell you when you signup. Then they add optional and unauthorized fees to your bill every month. When you question the fees, they give you the runaround and then say they will fix it, but don’t.
If you ask me, they need to be in jail for their gross misconduct.
M. Martin
Also, according the BBB, they go by many other names (below) and apparently are associated with Wells Fargo Bank and Bank of America.
https://www.wellsfargo.com/biz/merchant/
Why the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is not yet investigating or protecting consumers from this “Company” is unknown.
Other business names:
First Data McDonough, First Data Merchant Services Corporation (FDMS), First Data Northeast GA, Money Network, First Data, First Data Corporation, Concord EFS, First Data Technologies, Inc., First Data Resources LLC,, TASQ Technology, REMITCO, LLC, Ignite Payments, LLC, Clover Network, Inc., Clover MarketPlace, LLC, Integrated Payment Systems, Inc., First Data Payment Services, LLC, Valuelink, LLC, Star Networks, Inc., First Data Government Solutions, Inc., Perka, Inc., Money Network, LLC, FundsXpress Financial Network, Inc., First Data Canada, Ltd., First Data Solutions, First Data Card Services, Telecheck Merchant Services
Patrick
Very bad customer service. Agent was stubborn and not listening to anything I’m telling. I’m looking for a substitutes to this very bad company.
barb list
Worst experience ever,did not do what they promised after 6 weeks. I canceled my service, also MANY more fees from credit cards on top of 2.4% promised.They offered Sams club renewal to use their services & after 6 wks they told me to send copy of letter stating this & they would think about it. Really?
Dimple
I only can say worst service. We ordered terminals from this company in ontario almost 1 months before our store opening but we got more than 1 month after the store opened still after that we have to call them almost every single day to fix stuff. Worst customer service…I strongly don’t recommend this company.
Pam Dadoun
First Data
MUST be avoided they are Cowboys We weren’t happy with their terminal and cancelled the contract within 48 hours. We have spoken to numerous different departments but they still keep sending demands and even though we did not use the terminal and cancelled immediately they are now demanding over £600
Stay away from them
J.
I am unbelievably shocked on how bad the service was. My account was cancelled after a month and no one could tell me why other than my website wasn’t compliant. Well, that would be a reason to cancel an account if folks could make payments via my website but they couldn’t. Payment was only made through their Payeezy account which isn’t easy at all. The representative could not clearly articulate the reason the account was closed and fumbled through the conversation. She tried to redirect me to several other folks who also were clueless. I swear this was the worst customer service and information representatives out there. Please be wary of this and try out another service. Bank of America should be ashamed of themselves that they would allow their customers to deal with such a large headache.
Kraig
Let me start by providing a bit of my background, I am a web developer for a digital marketing firm. We have done countless merchant processing integrations for our clients using a wide variety of services from Authorize.net to PayPal to Stripe and nearly everything in between.
Recently I have encountered a handful of clients using First Data that wish to accept payments on their web sites. Normally this would be done through some kind of in house API and is fairly straightforward. This is not the case for First Data. Instead they have a 3rd party called Payeezy that has built and maintains their API. What this means for my clients is that support is basically non-existent.
Even just creating the connection between my developer account and their merchant account has been terribly trying and almost always involves a string of emails (sometimes dozens of them) between me, my client, Payeezy and First Data. In one of these exchanges the First Data people requested that I no longer speak to the Payeezy people but it was ultimately the Payeezy people that solved the issue.
In my most recent encounter my client was asked by First Data to have me call a number and speak to someone about getting them hooked up. The person I spoke to started the conversation by telling me that I called the wrong help desk number (even though I called the number my client gave me). She then argued with me for 15 minutes about what I was trying to do and finally told me I had to email someone else.
In 15 minutes I could have set my client up with a totally different API and by now the client would be watching the online payments coming instead we are still waiting on a response from the email I sent. How disappointing.
Lee Knight
I would like to say to anyone considering using First Data as their card processing company DON’T! My experience using them has been a disaster. After the initial call from the Sales Representative they promised very good rates for us to move from our existing supplier, promising to save us £100’s of pounds per year. This would of been the case if they did not decide to put the rates up after 6 months. So after they changed the rates we looked to cancel the contract only to find out that the overall cancellation settlement was extortionate. They tied us into a long term hire of the terminal to give us a lower rate and then failed to tell us that if we decided to leave we had to settle the contract in full! Totally mis-sold. There was also an additional cancellation charge, so we complained and negotiated a slightly better rate and continued with the service. Ongoing the customer services team have a terrible response time. When we had terminal problems we were put on hold for on average 15 to 20 minutes per time, only to get through and then being passed from one department to another. This was a frequent occurrence. Last November First Data had a system failure that resulted in their terminals from Spire not working at all. This shockingly went on for over 2 weeks. Luckily we had a virtual terminal with another supplier so we could continue card transactions without disrupting our business. First Data Merchant Services were blaming First Data Global Leasing (who hire out the terminals and are a separate company to First Data Merchant Services – another reason to avoid) and vice versa therefore resulting in us being passed from one to another – extremely frustrating and time consuming. No solution was forthcoming and as said before, it took them over 2 weeks to get a new terminal out to us. Needless to say we have now cancelled and this had other hidden charges. My Advice AVOID AVOID AVOID.
sasha hein
Our company has had the FirstData FD130 duo for about 2 weeks now. Out of this time the equipment has not worked for 4 days. I call support and Habib tells me it must be our internet provider’s fault. I call the internet provider and confirm it is the FirstData equipment that has the issue. I call FirstData back and a different person who barely speaks English tells me (I think) that it must be our internet provider “for the FD130 is functioning properly”. NO IT IS NOT. I can’t use it to make a sale and forget about getting a voice authorization! I was on hold for 3 minutes waiting for an authorization on a $5 sale. Customer walked out. FirstData is not concerned with customer service, they are concerned with getting YOUR money into THEIR collective pocket. Awful, awful, AWFUL!!!
Morry
First Data is a pathetic excuse for a processing company. Nearly impossible statements to read, terrible customer service. I cancelled service with them in Jan ’16 and they still charged me a fee for six more months. RUN, don’t walk from First Data!!! I was told in no uncertain terms…..too bad!
Valerie
I have a lease through First Date set up through the processing company – United Card Solutions. United Card Solutions is a company you definitely need to stay away from and First Data is a totally difficult lease company to deal with – I have been hung up on, they had my address wrong which was a 6 call fiasco to fix and they don’t care how much your processing company lied to you – they will not try to make things right.
I would not use equipment from them / right now mine is in a drawer and I’m trying to get things straightened out – which is not making much progress. Telecheck is just as bad –
Just an all around horrible experience.
Heather
Just found out that the sales agent who told me that I would be paying $30 a month lied and forged the contract and I now owe First Data $78.80 a month. I have called the police and they really can’t go far without proof and I can’t get the contract sent to me. Can someone please help me find a lawyer so we can deliver a class action lawsuit against First Data for all the fraudulent issues that have been happening to everyone? I really wish I had read these reviews first but I didn’t even know I was going with First Data in the first place. The sales rep took me to a dimly lit bar so I could hardly read what I was signing but I know for a fact that the charges were supposed to be $30 a month. Now I am stuck with these ASSHOLES? Time to sue these bastards and get what was stolen from us back! Contact me if you want at [REDACTED – personal contact information] to discuss plans to sue them for wrongful display of contract information.
Talk to you soon!
qing
I have same problem as yours. I feel so bad,bad,bad. I didn’t signed any contract but only fill out personal information with the person who’s name is Adel. A few days ago I received the mail from First Data to notice to me I signed 48 months contract with them. I said I want to cancel the contract, they said I need pay off over $3000. I call Adel, He threatened to me, if I cancelled without pay, my credit score will very bad. I want to find the way to sue him and First Data. You contact to me via this email: [REDACTED – personal contact information] and I knew the other lady want to sue him too.
John H
There is a reason First Data has to utilize collection agencies. In my opinion, the rates are high, the service is poor. After closing an old bank account that they were sucking money out of after several disputes we were sent to a collection agency for non-payment. After being sent to a collection agency, and repeated requests to have a copy of the contract/lease agreement sent over being ignored, we had a rough time deciding to blindly pay the balance. We reluctantly did so to clear the owners credit report and move forward. Do not do business with this company.
Anthony Jared
After over 10 years using Cardservice International’s LinkPoint / FirstData now I started getting the following message on a blank page without any prior notgice or explanation when I try to access my merchant account at http://www.linkpointcentral.com in order to process my business transactions (c hgarge customers cards): “The requested service cannot be accessed from your location.”
BEWARE!
Anthony Jared
Appears they have changed the URL address of their LinkPoint website for merchants without notifying their merchants!!! So unprofessional!!! Additionally, they closed my account for MyClientLine.net where I view my monthly statements and chargebacks etc.!!! That is completely insane. When I login to my account it just says:
==================================
xxxxxxxxx your account has been disabled due to inactivity.
Please contact your Security Administrator or Help Desk.
=================================
And that does not even provide a link or a phone number to any email, phone, chat etc. how tom resolve this!!!
Michael
Credit card machine was delivered after I opened a merchant account at a credit union. Sales person from First Data set it up without explaining recurring charge of $185. per month for the little machine. She also failed to set it as promised up for payments to be deposited the following day. When I have brought questions about this service to my credit union, their phone calls take hours of my time and fail to get any questions answered. The customer service people are obvious scammers. Lots of talk without any answers.
Chelsea
At least someone came to try to help you set it up at least. We just to screwed on everything. Stuck with a poor company for years unless we want to pay.
Wafie
First Data is a group of thieves. Their customer service is sucks, they increase the price without you being away until you find out by reading the details in the statement.
Stay away
James
My business, unfortunately, went out of business. I had merchant services through First Data under a non-binding – term free contract which could be canceled at any time for any reason. When my business collapsed, I did just that – canceled my services. Unfortunately, I don’t think billing received the memo because they kept billing my account and auto drafting funds – I called them to find out why and they stated the account is still active – again, I canceled and again received verification of the cancellation. Next month – they hit my account again. So I blocked them. Now I’m being contacted by a debt collection agency for what, I have no idea. They have not processed a single transaction in almost a year and I canceled their services about 8 months ago – and 6 months ago. Please, for your own peace of mind, do not use this service provider. Once they get your information they feel like they are perpetually entitled to your wallet. Use anyone else.
Carmen Fussell
The representative lied to get our business then refused to accept our calls. We were told certain charges would be waived and we can cancel within 90days wirh no charge. That was a lie. Although we returned the equipment because of incompatiblity and called numerous times they continued to charge us. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.
HELLO
This is how I got out from first data:
I went to wellsfargo as a starting entrepreneur. Everything looked ok. They innocently (because the bankers do not know the reality. Then bankers made me an appointment with wellsfargo merchant services.
Sales representative of the merchant services looked really nice, he gave me some paper to sign, i read partially and sign them. They are not willing to tell you that you will be charged monthly by 2 companies (wellsfargo merchant services and first data) plus the hidden fees and the % of the card processing.
HOW I GET OUT FROM FIRST DATA:
I call first data about 10 times. No one were willing to help me, they skip my questions by transferring me to other representative. I ended up talking with about 7 to 9 representatives in one call. I asked them for the contract I sang. They ask me for my email address and let me know that I was going to obtain the contract after 10 days for a technical problem. I knew they were lying, but I just couldn’t do nothing. if you talk bad to them, they won’t help you, well they don’t help.
as a believer, I started using my faith, praying , and doing the right things so God (asking him in Jesus name) can hear my prayers. Then I have the idea to look fo the contract online, and I found it!
I found in 10 pages an option that showed me how I can terminate the contract:
If they have send you a fee that you do not know where it comes from without a 90 days prior notice, then you have 30 days to CANCEL the contract! Within those 30 days you have to send a termination notice to them. (their fax do not work, so I send it via email and postal service)
Guess what? I was missing only 1 day, I was on the 29 day when I found the contract (not a doubt that God’ power took me out of there, so stop using your own forces if you believe me and ask for help while doing good thing in life & stopping what your conscience tells you is not ok). This is the termination notice I did.
This is a writing notice of termination of the agreement between Firstdata Global Leasing and (your company name), signed by (your name), the manager(or the position in your company) of (your company)
We acknowledge the termination rights stated on the agreement:
Not authorized bank charges/fees not stated on the agreement and not 90 days prior notice: an unexpected invoice on (date) for the amount of xxx$
As stated in the Article VI: general term and agreements: 25.1 section (i): <<—this is the agreement doc
I have the right to cancel this agreement within the 30 days of the last invoice for increase and additional fees (subject to a 90 days prior notice). The last invoice date is on (date of the invoice with the hidden fees).
Make sure to write your account # on the termination notice. I also send the notice with the invoice to their address by postal service:
First Data Global Leasing
IMSQB
Customer Service.
Intuit Canada PO BOX 4282
Edmonton, Alberta
T6E 4T2
And then I obtain a cancellation verification by email. Those are the emails I send the notice and invoice copy to:
[email protected]
[email protected]
And mainly to :
[email protected]
[email protected]
Ned W
Dear Sir – I am glad you were able to get out of this nightmare! Please advise, what kind of charge did you find that allowed you to get out of this contract? I am in the same mess and want to be out of it ASAP!
Thank you so much.
Joe
VERY LOW CHARGEBACK ACCEPTANCE RATIO – 0.0026%
I had some smooth processing with this MSP for a while we came to $100,000 in sales on over 2,600 transactions. Then one 80 years old client did not recognize a charge and disputed 2 chargebacks for $40 each.
Result — suspended account under review, no processing for one week and few part timers I had to let go to stay afloat and not bankrupt.
Eventually got the money on hold and letter with explanation, including:
Our review of your processing revealed that your chargeback to sales ratio was 0.0000 % with a year to date chargeback to sales ratio of 0.0026 %. It is requested that your chargeback to sales ratio be reduced to 0.0000%. Should you fail to do so, we may be compelled to terminate your merchant account.
I have not processed since then out of my choice and we have moved to a different normal and reasonable MSP.
STAY AWAY!
jj
Hi,
I own Dairy Queen its been 4 weeks. Dairy Queen has partnership with first data so we have to have merchant service from first data. we applied there 4 weeks back but still we are waiting for merchant account. They said my partner has some issue so he can’t open account but how about me?? why they don’t opening account on my name?? I keep calling there but still they waiting for reply from management. And its Dairy Queen common guys!!
and This business have been here last 10 years just changing ownership. I don’t know how long they will take it because we are using old owner account and that’s not good.
I hope someone see this and get back to me soon with good news
Nick
Horrible company. I don’t know why this big of a company does business like this. Run by a bunch of idiots who don’t know a thing about customer service. Bad communication, dispute process, and fees, fees FEES.