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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Danny's Auto LLLC
I have also found out that at one point I was part of Bank of America Merchant Services. And for whatever reason was told that I was going to be transferred to Fiserv. I recently went to the Bank Of America Branch office to complain about my money that has been put on hold which is not as much as what some have reported on there complaints. But to me it has kept me from paying my bills on time. But Bank of America has dropped them and now Bank of America wants me back with them. But I want no more part of any of them I have chosen Square. I see what I am being charged for and not getting charged for using there process servers plus other hidden charges like having to sign up for validations ever so many months and if you don’t you get charged for not doing so.
R.I. Davies
I will not waste time, first data is the worst company I have ever had to deal with and I am having to still deal with it. I have seriously considered going to the fraud department of the federal government to straight out the ridiculous various positions first data has taken I am not sure yet if I am dealing with a clever fraud operation or not.
Navinder Kaur singh
your service is not good you do not send monthly statement and never answer phone
Daniel Rivera
Beware this merchant Service has been in litigation with the Federal Trade Committee. For scamming customers I was charged twice for equipment I never purchased. Also charged $100.00 for collection fees.
Merchant
Fiserve has RUINED FirstData, their weekend support is absolutely atrocious! trying to retrieve full credit card information for customers is nearly impossible, the poor English speaking individuals in various countries where you get routed have no clue what they are doing. Typically acquisition fallout, I’ll be dumping them and going with another processor. FirstData/Fiserve/CardConnect one in the same.
Patrick
Horrible company scammers there in Canada Toronto Ontario, going through brokers, scamming small businesses for their money. I recently signed and changed over with your fast, talking sales representatives from the broker. I made a mistake and changed my merchant service now after two weeks, they are holding 30 K of my money. The risk department has no consideration. If there even is a risk department they were based in the US will not respond to me, asking me questions and want to three months of bank statements now they will not reply to me, nor give me my money I can no longer use my portal for transactions as I will not get the money. I did not know all this, especially with clover first data and changing their name. I did a few transactions everything went through. I did a bigger transaction and they held it now they will not talk to me nor give me my money I keep talking to the broker and they say I’m gonna get paid, but I never have yet. It has been almost 3 weeks and nothing in reply. The American government needs to come down on these crooks for good and I’m glad they got sued for all their money, and I hope they lose everything the people working for them. Yes I understand. They have a job and getting paid, but they should have some morals. The American government should get down to business with these people and I’m so happy for the people suing them for millions of dollars for overcharging because they are fraudsters in scammers and they will pay for everything they’ve done sincerely a small business in Toronto Ontario.
Patrick Boily
Do not use this company!! They freeze accounts that have been with them for years and provide some of the worst customers service imaginable. Incredibly rude customer service. Tens of thousands of dollars have been frozen from my account and I’m not sure when I’ll get it back. Based on other stories from previous customers, it’s not looking good.
Robert L.
Ee have been in business for 35 years, Huntington recently set up our merchant account for us, the first transaction we ran was flagged, all legit sales, we provided fiserv with everything, our product is gone, they have our 9,000 and said that they are holding it for 60 days upon further review. the huntington merch rep now conveniently wont answer her phone and we cannot pay our bills and our employees this week before christmas. If anyone can help please let me know!!!
Geri B
One of our customers asked if we would resell his 10 Clover Duo complete systems for them. Fiserv/ First Data told them they had to buy all new systems if they wanted to use a different credit card processor. They paid almost $2000 for each system, these were not “free” for using their processing service. The systems were not even a year old. No one will help or even answer questions as to why these can’t be used by another company. Even if they agree to use the original cc bank, Clover refuses to allow people to reuse them.
I know people who work in the concessions business who say that they can wipe these units to be reused. Many sports and entertainment venues that use Clover are able to update regularly and are not forced to purchase new equipment.
What a waste! Are we expected to just dump them all in landfills?
Marc
I called customer service and they could not find my acct.. Absolutely could not understand the tech and after 10 minutes of trying to get customer service and giving all my info i hung up. Now I switch bye bye
John Wilson
I told that i could keep an account on hold fir only $5 because i wasn’t using it. First thing they did was charge me a $125 fee. I then closed the account and they refused to refund any of the money. Gave me the run around.
Francisco Cid Del Prado
I made a contract with SDCCU bank, but they used Clover for merchant services and Clover uses first data. I decided to move to a smaller bank because it looked like a good deal with what they were offering over at San Diego County Credit Union.
On the first day of using these new terminals my first transaction, made on November 24, was for $1 and we saw that it worked but we didn’t see the deposit because normally it gets deposited the next day. So I continued to make charges with the terminal with no issues processing thousands of dollars per day until I noticed there was no deposit into my account. ( A total of $21,000 ) I got ahold of Clover and they said there was a security hold of my account. I was left to talk to their risk management department (someone named Terrance) stated that I needed to fill out some extra documentation. I finally called on December 6th, and they stated that my funds would be released within 24-48 hours. I then got a Letter from First data, which was dated the 2nd of December. I tried calling and was only able to leave a voicemail to Mr. Justin Benbow and all he stated was that he was going to conference with them on the 14th. I called on that day, no one answered. Ten minutes later Mr. Justin Benbow, stated that they were closing my account because of supposed ” Potential fraudulent charges.” I didn’t know why they were doing that because I was just trying to do business with a local bank. They stated that it was within their jurisdiction that they could hold my funds for up to 60 days. At this point in time, it has been more than 60 days and I can’t talk with anybody from the first data. I then spoke to Mr. Tony Rodriguez who was very aggressive. He stated that I would not get back my money and that my business was at risk. He also stated that he did not care. I am missing the $21,000 that rightfully belong to me still. I also stated that this was killing my business because I had no cash flow. He stated he did not care. I can’t get anyone to help me. These are a bunch of criminals and thieves who only use your money to make more money. I understand that this is a business, but what they are doing is stealing from people for no reason.
A
For several weeks first data has been stealing a large percentage of income from me. Clover reports show 1 figure that’s supposed to be sent directly to my bank, instead first data sends me much lower numbers. So far in the last 5 weeks they’ve stolen over 12k that I know of. At first I thought I was going bankrupt or tons of gift card clients were coming in. No turns out you cannot trust your merchant processor. I’m not only a small business but I’m a single woman who currently cannot pay her buildings rent or bills because of first data. I want my money back.
JACOB
Fiserv took 15% of my total profits last month. Only 68% of that was actually shown in bank statements. There is literally 32% fees, which are simply missing. It is time to drop this merchant. I would rather pay the early cancellation fee that continue to be robbed by these guys every month. To top it off, they planned on increasing my fees by 0.10% across the board for all card types, and I had to call them to tell them I am not ok with it, or they would just make it part of my terms of service. So basically, If I am not watching them like a hawk, they will try and pull a fast one on me without me noticing. What the hell is this company?
jerry
Bunch of criminals work at First Data or their new name fiserv. First the salesman lied to me telling me the equipment was free, no charges. Then after I got the machine, turns out I have to pay for the machine for 48 months. They also told me you only need a internet connection to hook up the gate way. turns out , I needed a landline to hook up the gateway. So, I decided to return the equipment to First Data and cancel the equipment, than 6 month later, they tell me they did not receive the machine, I sent it in a return package they sent me to ship it to. They said they will need to charge me for 4 years to pay off the machine. I said ok reluctantly because I did not want to damage my credit, it is now 6 years and they are still charging me for the machine every month. Tried calling them multiple times, but cannot get in touch. These guys are outright criminals. Don’t deal with these guys, they will steal your money and hold your money for months before paying you. Get more reliable company like Square.
Sue
The worse!!! I had over 11g taken out of my account because they said my TIN/FEIN was incorrect! They said the IRS required them to do so. The IRS doesn’t have my money and 1st Data says they do but don’t know.
I’m a sm business that got nothing from the pandemic..now this. Going to shut down my business. I can’t get anyone to help me…
Do not do business here.
Anonymous
Three words. Legalized scam company. Last year, Bank of America partnered up and handed their customers to Fiserv (First Data) for merchant services. I am absolutely FURIOUS at my own bank to do this to us. The company practically AND SECRETLY signed us up an additional contract without our knowledge and we were paying for unnecessary fees and equipment lease payments. Took us 3 months to cancel because they kept beating around the bush and sent us on different call departments that could hardly speak English.
WE FINALLY GOT RETURN LABELS TO SHIP BACK THE EQUIPMENTS, AND THEY SAID THEY NEVER RECEIVED OUR EQUIPMENTS UNTIL WE THREATEN TO BRING THIS TO COURT AND SUE THEM. DO NOT!!! DO NOT!!! DO NOT GET FISERV!! SCAM. COMPANY. TAKES ADVANTAGE OF SMALL BUSINESSES.
Zac Creel
I agree they are the most crooked in the business they should be held accountable for all the harm they have caused to small family owned business they have scammed ( robbed for all they could )
Dan Jones
Sent a written notice and called and never had my account cancelled. They’ll bring you through multiple loopholes and charge you.
Charles Flanders
worst company i have ever dealt with of any kind i am 77 years old and have dealt with many good people but this is not one of those i have always maintained perfect credit when these people want you pay charges you don’t owe they immediately threaten to turn you over to the credit bureau i have paid them way more than originally agreed on and paid my lease off way in advance to get rid of their deceptive practices , for approximately 3 and a half years i paid them without ever using their products or services even after they agreed to cancel my contact within 2 weeks after signing also it is almost impossible to get them on the phone and when you do they pass you from 1 agent to another and you never get one who acts like they know what your talking about if you do business with them you will be signed to an unbreakable lease and even if you never once use them or their equipment you still have to pay dearly to them and they throw charges on you that is not in the contract i was never late paying them but i had no choice or risk a negative report on my credit which is otherwise perfect. i understand they are being sued by several companies right now , i would sue them and have legal grounds to do so but the cost to sue them would be more than i could get from them and they realize that
Maggie Smith
I am currently shopping for processors. I have heard good and bad things about this company so im still on the fence. Though, i will say as i read these reviews id mark some of them unfair because i see a lot of reviews that only shows the business owners lack of accountability , all you have to do is read what youre signing. I dont think its a companies fault because u didnt care to read your terms.
REG THIESSEN
I strongly advise not to do business with this company. We made a huge mistake switching to them. Shortly after signing on we started getting false declines and had several customers that double paid. Called First Data and they blamed the consumer or user error which was an easy cop out. I could see that on one false decline but 5 in one day out of a total of 40 transactions? We made a mistake of ordering a second terminal which we realized we wouldn’t need after. They refused to take it back and gave some BS answer on how it was programmed for our business. These guys are crooks, they see nothing as their fault. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM PERIOD.
T.A Mcbride
Very disappointed to see that this company, though out all these lockdown, knowing there is no trading going on, are still happy to take your money. Absolutely disgusting.
Stef
We recently became a victim of First Data’s unethical tactics. We had a bot try and run several different card types over 65k times. We were told that we were not PCI compliant nor did we have security measures in place at the time. All which were false.
This has been a nightmare for my wife who has put all her blood sweat and tears into her 9+ year business to have it come to this. They took every single cent she had in her business account. Forcing her to have to close her business. All in a pandemic no less.
After 10 or so calls to FD we got nowhere. Just the run around. We don’t have the money to sue and don’t know where else to turn. We’ve reached out to local news stations, anywhere to shine a light on this horrendous nightmare. Companies like FD should not be able to get away with this.
Michael Engberg
Fiserv / Payeezy Absolutely , the worst business I have ever done business with. The same thing happened with my small business and I have been doing business with First Data since 2009 , never once have we ever had an incident like this occur . We had 25k authorizations first night run through and we automatically shut down the site. Spoke with the Payeezy gateway and fiserv for hours and hours putting things in place to make sure that this would not happen again . Lo and behold 72 hrs later through the middle of the night 11k authorizations run through again. All in all this has cost us $2300.00 and its our fault for allowing a unsafe website. Nobody seems to account for this and when you call all they do is transfer you back and fourth between the 2 and then tell you how sorry they are. And that they will hope to do better next time. They are raping the small business and they know it. All i can say is in the end God does win so continue to do what you do you will have your day of reckoning not by me.
Susan Kayser
I made a credit card payment thru another bank (not Regions) and they charged me a late fee and an interest penalty. As I had made the payment through Regions Bank Bill Pay which I found out is run by Fiserv, I was understandably upset as I have an excellent credit rating and always pay ahead of time. Needless to say, I made two more payments, each time hoping the other bank would receive the payments. The payments had the correct account number and address. Regions refused to help. We had a conference call with the other bank, which also did not resolve the issues. Finally, the other bank sent me two letters in the mail, stating that they had conducted a thorough investigation, and never received the money for either payment. I took these letters into Regions bank and they were finally credited back to me after my having to fight for over a month. This past weekend I attempted to use Bill Pay which was blocked. I do not think it was even legal, as I have $6858.50 in my account. I wasted 40 minutes waiting on the phone and calling Regions. I then was told to call Bill Pay Fiserv again and wasted another 1 hour, 9 minutes and 10 seconds before the phone rep turned on the bill pay. I attempted to find out why it had been blocked and she could give me no reasonable answer, while a previous person had told me that there was still an issue with a payment. So instead of charging me again for the $132.61 (which had been previously reversed as the other bank had never received the payment) they blocked my account leaving me with NO ACCESS TO MY $6858.50 FOR 4 DAYS!!!!! I do not believe this is even legal! I am worried that I may be blocked again as there was no reasonable explanation, only that it concerned these payments. If Fiserv does not have my money (as the one rep claimed) and they issued the check to the other bank for $132.61, (which the other bank states they never received thus never cashed, then Fiserv needs to find out who stole my money. It is very simple, whoever stole the money, had to endorse the check. There is a record. Instead, Fiserv has been giving me a run around for over a month and being blocked was a horrific experience, placing me at risk for not paying a bill on time. Also, I had to pull teeth to get the information that Regions Bill Pay was run by Fiserv. After some research, I discovered that Fiserv changed their name after receiving over 1000 complaints. I found an article titled, “Fiserv subsidiary paying $40 million to settle fraud allegations,” as of May 20, 2020. They have received 813 complaints in the last 3 years (and most people are too busy to complain). They also received a D rating. So why is Regions Bank using them for the Bill Pay. Unethical company, with possible Illegal activity for blocking me from my funds. THEY SHOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS! If there is a class action suit, please contact me.
Stef Serafin
We just got taken for $5k. You should list a database of lawyers willing to file suit against First Data.
I’m so glad to know we’re not alone in this. Our business will have to close due to this insanity. I can’t believe they’re allowed to stay in business.
Kevin
Can’t process transactions! Is anyone else experiencing an outage?
Clay Travis
Absolutely stay away from First data, since they were bought by fiserv they have ZERO ability to talk to me about my account or online features. I haven’t been able to contact a representative in a year.
Instead they constantly call offering high interest predatory loans. I’ve asked them to stop treating me like I’m entering a Money tree… But they just keep on coming. Finally I shipped around and Moneris has lowered fees and isn’t owned by a predatory loan company.
Do NOT agree to these loans they are 300% worse than a regular bank loan no matter how they spin it.
Cynthia Ott
How come this dumb company scam called me under the name of FedCreditunionHawaii and I don’t own a big or small business or any business or credit card? I block the number(s) now.
Mike Rolle
This has been the ABSOLUTE WORST company I have EVER worked with. VERY poor communication capability both with the Clover side and the Firstdata/Fiserv support side.
I don’t see any way the company could be worse. Once the term is up we are gone.
We did not go through a broker so this does not reflect on any broker.
The last straw was trying to get our deposit account changed to our new business banking account. We initially set it up to deposit to our personal account and the company was well aware that we were in the setup process for the business bank account.
Turns out that, unlike every other processor I have ever worked with, the end-user cannot change their own deposit account though we were told we could do so before we purchased. There is a ridiculous and tedious “process” to go through before they will change the account to the correct one. This has literally been 7 weeks trying to get this done. They “require” a new document signed and sent in to some unknown individual or department to complete. We did sign the document but it was not a “wet” signature. We used the same signature on our origin documents without problem. We sent it from the same email address used to open the account with them. I am at the number used to set up the account, but they so inept that they cannot operate the same way to change the account over.
Absolutely pathetic.
Kandice Moore
I don’t know how this company stays in business! They removed $$ from my account 3 times for 1 customer return! I have been fighting for over 4 months trying to get the fraudulently withdrawn $$ back from them! I authorized them to remove the $$ from my account 1 time to refund the customer, not 3! Glad I went back to Square!
Travis
First data renamed as Fiserv coz they know they are a scammer. Highly recommend that you avoid leasing your equipment, as you’ll get locked into a noncancelable contract, which will cost you many times more than what the equipment is worth over the life of the lease.
Mark Erwin
Allow me to echo the criticism of a terrible company. The portal was designed in 1999. I expected a green DOS prompt to pop up. Trying to get online statements took 4 days with no resolution. We would get encryptic emails of the failure the day after attempting. Phone service with “Precious” (That is really her name) was voicemail and never a returned phone call. First Data was recommended by our bank, MidFirst. Great bank… terrible merchant service provider. We opted for Century Business Solutions because they integrate with QuickBooks. Wow! Night and Day difference. Bye Bye FirstData/Clover/Payezze!
Gazell. Stewart
I don’t know how First Data Global and velocity can treat people So bad. Velocity sends their slick talking salesman out telling you to switch your machines for better rates and put you in a 4 year contract. They had me paying both contracts for over 7 months. Then tell me I would get a refund, but what about this contract that they lied and put me in. Then tell me they are sending me a check and send them the rest ,why. Then send me another check registered mail. I am so fed up I told them to send it to first data global lease. I send all their machines back and then they sends me a email asking about machines that they got back in April. They are so messed up over there first Data and Velocity. I am 62 years old too old for their Games they are pulling on consumers. I am done.They can do what ever they want., But I am done. G.s.
CPO
Stewart,
This article should help: How to Cancel a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee.
-Phillip
Jason
Horrible customer service and accountability. This company is not there when you need them. Customer service are under trained, do not listen and don’t know how to respond to issues that aren’t in their script.
The sales reps are your best buddies until they get there contract signed. The contract I had was sent by DocuSign as Daniel Peake, the sales artist was not available to come to my shop which is protocol for them to do with new accounts. The insurance portion was crossed out.
When my machine was stolen in a police reported robbery First Data were nowhere to be found for customer support
A truly greedy and non-professional organization that has cost me thousands in business and even more to break contract…
Run, don’t walk from this horrible company
CPO
Jason,
These articles should help: How to Cancel a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee and Best Merchant Accounts for Great Customer Service.
-Phillip
Debbie Stolidakis
worst company ever!!! the biggest crooks I have ever met!!!!! Do Not Do BUSINESS WITH THIS CoMPANY
Karen Clark
Worst customer service experience ever! I had never heard of First Data until they started sending me collection notices. They claim I signed a non-cancellable contract, but they can’t give me a copy of it. Customer service is worthless and ends difficult calls by hanging up and snarling, “Have a nice day.” Of course no supervisors are ever available to escalate concerns. I’ve filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (as have hundreds of others). This company needs to be stopped.
Craig D.
I can understand a $9.95 monthly lease fee, like other providers but NO I am being charged $245.00 a month for 4 years. That’s $11,760 total. I’m a small business( 5 Employee’s) and I thought i was going to be saving money going through FirstData but instead I’m being robbed by FirstData. Read your contract VERY well before signing.
Ted
Everything was going fine until I had a streak of large transactions and instead of welcoming the boost in sales volume, I got several calls from processing telling me that they were going to cancel my account unless these types of transactions stopped occuring. Then the paperwork came and all the hopes started to stack up that we had to jump through and of course as a merchant we have no control over this and I ended up having to find someone else that could handle our processing needs.
This post will help: Best High Volume Merchant Accounts
-Phillip
Latricha
Worst leasing company ever!!! I no longer have a business therefore I no longer need to utilize their product. There IS NO WAY OUT OF THIS CONTRACT if you no longer need their product! They believe you should continue to pay even if you send them back their product! That’s wicked and insane! Run! Run! Find another company!! God bless
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
DEL
I was employed by FDMS some years ago. I worked in HR in the Hagerstown office. I witnessed some of the most unethical, immoral, and illegal practices that I have ever seen. Although I refused to perform any of these ridiculous acts, I was asked not only to shred (“negative feedback”) employee surveys, but also to fill out a bunch of “positive feedback” surveys. I witnessed employee layoffs based on reasons other than performance and/or department needs. I witnessed layoffs based on race, popularity, and other personal reasons. I witnessed managers who wrote discriminatory remarks directly onto resumes of people interviewed. For example, notes were written on resumes that supposedly helped management remember which candidate was which. Notes included references to race, weight, height, foreign accents, and other notable attributes. I witnessed firing of employees with reasons noted in the employees file that weren’t true. For example, 1 employee was fired for insubordination – which was a complete lie. I could go on and on about how horrible this company was while I was there – and I was there for less than 9 months. Remember, I refused to perform the illegal, immoral, and unethical practices that I was asked to perform however some colleagues did not refuse.
Defeated
I am experiencing this now as an agent for Citizen’s One. I can’t reach out to anyone and I feel alone for standing up for my teammates. Management is a joke and do not know their jobs and because I voiced my opinion, I am now being labeled hostile. So many unethical things happening and I may lose my job for standing up and saying something…
Alycia
Worst company EVER! do not do business with them. they take random amounts of money out of your account and they cant even explain WHY!
Their chargeback process is a headache and one first data agent says one thing and another says different. useless
This post will help: How to Fight Chargebacks and Win
Brooklynn K.
I cancelled my merchant services, three months later still received charges (was thinking 60 days tops for ending charges may still pop up) but at 90 days and $200 later, for being charged to use the First Data processing, although no transactions were being done in my account, I called to cancel again. After the rep had done so he informed me I would not be refunded as the account was closed. My first complaint to him was I needed a refund. This company is awful! I knew fees were high but was reassured by my bank this company was the best out there. They were so wrong. Adding up fees and lease charges and merchant charges, I lost A Lot of money in my small business with this company. I agree this company should be shut down!
There has to be someone who can help us!
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
Steve's Tech
The backend is not easy to use. FD makes deposits each day for each different style of card that was batched meaning more deposits meaning higher bank fees. Cancellation fees are very high.Basically this company is horrible if you are a small to mid size company.
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Gary Wilds
First Data…
Well the rep came in very nice guy, went over all the legal stuff & contract stuff. I never remember him saying that I would be leasing the terminal! but apparently I am for $39.00 per month, I am also in a 48 month contract,
so in 48 months I will be paying $1,872.00!!!
I now see I can buy this terminal online D Javoo Z11 for wait for it… $100.00.
I called customer service, that was a nightmare.
Finally got to talk to a Woman in India, she had no answers, just read stuff off her computer screen.
The Rep I had of course never takes my calls or calls me back.
I strongly would NOT recommend this company.
Find someone else
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
Olivier P.
I used the clover flex for an event. it worked well.. until it was time to receive my funds!!
They decided to freeze more than 100,000$ in sales without any reason. it brings me lot of consequences, stress and troubles with my clients.
the team at first data did not answer my emails, my calls, etc. the service was awefull from the begginning to the end (i’m still waiting for my funds!)
I wish that any business owners and entrepreneurs will have to ever deal with a company that freeze his own money without any good reason.
Olivier P.
This post will help: How to Make Your Payment Processor Release Your Money
Rob Hayes
We have many machines from fdms. One keeps switching off midway through a transaction, I phoned tech support who said they would send out a new battery. I explained that the machine still switched off when it was on charge so doubtful that its the battery. She said they had to send a battery first, so more days trading without being able to take card payments. I asked that the supervisor phone me but of course they didn’t (they never do).
The tech dept can be really poor.
This post will help: Best Merchant Accounts for Caterers
-Phillip
Tabitha Matheson
Warning!!! Stay away from using the services of First Data. My company have been without a working credit/debit machine for over a week. Their customer for resolving issues is absolutely horrible. Numerous times they promised to call or email back but didn’t. Over a four day period we were left on hold for anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours with no resolution. It has been a frustrating fight costing us time and dollars.
This post will help: Best EMV Terminals
Sava
if it was possible would leave a minus score i would, they are holding onto my funds, in excess of 5 figures, it has been established that the funds are mine, they are keeping them because they can!
this puts my business in jeopardy, say they intend to hold funds for 180 days and can keep for upto 540 days, most likely put my funds into a high interest account earning them interest while my business struggles.
no explanations offered even though asked for on numerous occasions.
This post will help: How to Make Your Payment Processor Release Your Money
-Phillip
Norman
This is the worst company ever. We did nothing wrong. They just canceled our service and caused huge amount of headache.
This post will help: Best All-Purpose Merchant Accounts
-Phillip
JAY DENTON
This company is absolutely the worst I have ever dealt with.
I’ve been fighting with them every month since signing up in November, 2018. In my case, I signed up with Pearl Payments but the statements come from First Data, and Ascentium Capital is also involved, so I’m not sure who is most at fault. (a Pearl rep showed up at my office following a robo call to advise me that he would be in the area, and he and his company convinced me that switching to their processing would save me money compared to another processor I was averaging just over 2.2%, with some statements under 2%)
I’ve had many different account managers who continually started out strong and have began to make corrections and assured that each succeeding statement will be correct, and in most cases EVENTUAL refunds were processed; only to find that the same problem happens each month. As I reached back out to those who promised to help, to advise that we still are not where we were promised, they began to ignore my phone calls and emails. (3 so far, and 2 of them being ‘director of operations’ type status with the company)
I sent a letter in January asking for the account to be closed, but was immediately followed up with promises to make a permanent and immediate change that will be “unbeatable”..Only to then have a February statement of around 33%, a March of 9.7%, and an April of 6.7%; ( plus a lease every month required for 4 years). My other processor has never been over 3%, all inclusive, with not one issue needing to be addressed.
In early March, I was contacted by a supervisor of some sort named Andre, who seemed promising. (This was following a second demand for cancellation due to their incompetence.) He processed a refund which took about 4 weeks to receive from the time that one of the other reps promised it to be delivered.
Thru May 12 2019 I’ve received 6 monthly statements and every one of them has been incredibly upside down, requiring me to babysit for refunds.
Andre and I have had professional and very hopeful conversation up front, but just like all other reps in the past, he’s not getting it done, and proceeded to ignore all calls and emails, for whatever the reason may be.
Upon further investigation of my April statement, the promised rate of half a percent, “Pass through”, is as guaranteed; but an interchange fee of $5 to 6 on every transaction, Plus multiple other fees, makes the “unbeatable” rate an impossible one to achieve.
They keep telling me to increase my credit card volume in order to get the rate down, but this was not the agreement nor do I trust them any further.
On May 16, after months of requests, I was finally sent a copy of the e-doc that I signed, and discovered that despite the verbal promises that I can be released of contract at any time should this processing not work out, within the contract, is a non-cancellable 4 year agreement for the basic equipment, totaling $2600 prior to any processing fees and membership costs.
I also discovered that the e-doc was altered by them and re-dated on multiple pages 4 days after the actual meeting in which I authorized the initial agreement; Document certified time stamps of my signature are on 11/12, written dates beside my copied signatures are on 11/16.
therefore, it has been necessary to formally and legally dispute the falsified contract, which would have never been necessary if they upheld their promises.
Dozens of hours have been spent fighting a company that promised the best rates and turned out to be a scam.
Stay away from this company.
This post will help: How to Report Bad Credit Card Processors
KRISTINE BURGESS
We have been waiting for someone to contact us to help us resolve an issue with our easy label for over two weeks. We are running a business that requires the use of the easy label on a daily basis. Your disregard for our business is obvious. I am very disappointed in the service you provide and will be looking for a replacement to Clover in the near future. I do not know what kind of shit show you are running, but it sucks 100%.
We’ve also called numerous times -1-855-578-5889 and waited on hold for over 1 hour!!! With no one to answer except your answering service saying “all agents are busy and your expected wait time might be over 10 min”. You guys are very unprofessional to have a retail business wait for your response for over 2 weeks! We were told that an engineer will be contacting us and we’re still waiting and having to hound you to see what’s going on. We’ve already talked to easy label and said that the problem is in your end. I will make sure that every retail or other business know how much of a pain you guys are to deal with and definitely do not recommend you. Hope you guys get lots of law suits so expect ours!
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-Phillip
Shan
They have third party like consolidated payments work for them and they Fraud the customers providing wrong information.
Never sign a paper, they will tell you it’s just formality .I even returned their machine but still charged my account. Tried so many times to call first data but not able to solve the problem. I asked them to return my machine if you charging me but nothing happened.
Never try first data
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Edwin Monzon
First Data is the absolute worst. Sales people promise equipment they don’t have. The sales employment has a high turn around. Therefore it becomes your word vs the sales man who isn’t even there anymore. Customer support waits the last second to complete any tasks. The majority of them are rude & unwilling to answer questions. Their cancellation process is a joke covered in loops so that they can keep charging while your trying.to meet their cancellation qualifications. The % rate does up to what’s written on the contract. Even the damn contract it self is written to be misleading. I will never work with them again. I will never recommend them to anyone. I believe companies like this are what’s wrong with today’s business practices. No respect for customers and you can’t tell until you pass the first 30days.
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Alessio Zilli
Criminals! DO NOT SIGN UP WITH ANY BROKER THAT USES FIRST DATA!
Please do yourself a favour and keep looking!
First Data is a complete scam. They lock you into a 60 month contract that you can not get out of! We asked for a rental and we got offered a $30/month deal and got a 5 year lease in which we get charged 250/month!
Their customer service is unreachable and if you do get an answer they don’t tell you anything and if you want to talk to a supervisor, they just loop you back into the queue!
I don’t know why companies are able to get away with shit like that!
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Elena
We have several Restuarants. We were recommended first data as the rates tend to be lower. WE went along with the recommendation and have been greatly disappointed. The payment terminal used along with clover puts the majority of transactions into a pre auth mode and ends up double charging clients. We opened our new restaurant a few months ago and now have over 100 angry customers calling and emailing saying they have been double charged. When we call first data they are of zero help and either cant answer why this is happening or say its impossible. We have all the angry calls emails and charge backs to prove it
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Steve
Have worked with First Data with no issues for nearly 10 years. Less then 0.01% chargebacks in that time span. One day we login and the account was cancelled. We called, left messages, sent emails but no one answered. Customer service is a joke. They will not help you. Luckily we were able to receive our final balance but I’ve heard horror stories where they will keep your money for 6 months. First Data is a joke. Their fees are incredibly high compared to others. VERY HAPPY to move on from their terrible service. STAY AWAY!
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Edward Dupay
I need to leave a review for first data. They are stealing from me. $84.85 every month. I can not get them to stop. I call them they say call Clover. Clover says call suntrust. Suntrust says call first data. They keep stealing my money.have not processed in many many months. Service was awful and I was always frozen out of my account. Spent an hour tracking down new password every-time
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Panalee
I been use this company for my business pretty bad experience with this company about the payment not on time and is very hard to due business with first data .
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James Stone
Worst company I have ever dealt with so far batch out money gets put in when they want and they split it never in when I was told do not recommend to no one they suck
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-Phillip
Clancy Laizure
I mistakenly went with this company on the promise of lower fees. It was not pointed out to me that I would also have to lease the card processing equipment from a different source, i.e. AscentiumCapital which is part of the contract most of us do not read. They are not up front regarding fees. As for promising lower fees, this is not true. Heartland is better. I would advise all small business owners to avoid these companies altogether and go with Touch Bistro or ShopKeep or Litespeed. With these companies they sell you all the equipment outright and you pay a lot less in the long run.
This post will help: Find and Eliminate Hidden Fees In Your Monthly Bill
-Phillip
Kathy Mcneill
My daughter was taking care of my business while I was out taking care my husband got talked into switching our credit card machine out she thought it was a good business decision, she told them we already had our own credit card machine they said they cant program our they had to send one of theirs they sent a carbon copy of the one we had, charging us $100.00 a month for 48 months that’s $4 800.00 for a $300.00 machine, I got involved I said my daughter had no authority nor is she on any accounts, they said I should have realized she did that sooner than I did, if I cancel they will draft $4,000.00 out of my account. I’m not done with these people yet. ADVICE stay far far away from first data.
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
Esteban Baeza
It’s impossible to talk with anybody, moreover they are not making the deposits as they promised. There are several missing deposits and I have not being able to talk to anybody yet. Today I’ve been on hold for 2 hours and still waiting…
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– Phillip
Charley Yang
I signed up with a sales rep for “low cost” card processing after he promised again and again that the terminal is free and there is no early termination fee. So I was surprised to get an invoice from First Data. It is $85/month for 48 month. When I called to tell them that I never used the terminal (when the rep came in to install the terminal, I told the rep that I would not use it unless I got to see all the paper work with all the terms and conditions) and I want to return it. First Data told me that I would have to pay the full contract amount. I asked for a copy of lease agreement so I could see what is in it. First Data said they would send me a copy but they never did. Today, when I called, the lady from First Data asked me why I want to see the lease agreement. I told her that I want to see who signed it since I never saw it. She said it is an electronic signature any way. My question is: Can I file criminal charges against First Data and the sales rep for signing my name on the lease agreement without my knowledge ?
This post will help: How to Report Bad Credit Card Processors
Darren W
Yes
Contact the local DA’s office and file a criminal complaint for fraud against the agent. Send a copy of the complaint to First Data legal department which can Ben found on there website.
This post will help: How to Report Bad Credit Card Processors
Charlotte Takemoto
Received bill dated 01/02/19 for a washer/dryer repair call on 07/09/18 from A&e Factory Service. The First Data computer could not understand my credit card number whether I spoke or keyed it in. I was born in the USA and do not have an accent. Dissatisfied with First Data telephone payment service! How do protect consumers or merchants if the computer can’t process information?
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Nicola
I am having the same
I’ve noticed that my signiture has been signed on my first data lease but trouble is it’s not me who signed it
I’m now looking in to seeking advice of a solicitor
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Catherine
These people are criminals. They will trap you into an over-priced, never-ending unbreakable lease and will then charge you an astronomical fee if you do not return the equipment after years of payments. Small businesses should run from anyone representing First Data. Their policies are shameful.
From The Editor
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Chris Gregg
Same issue – After reading all review for various companies like this they are all scammers. Use a company like Square. There is loads of them about no contracts and no hassles.
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Brandie Ricketts
I have been with first data since 2015. It has been the worst business experience I have ever had. I have been counting down the days until I could cancel this contract. It started with a contract where I had no annual fee. Now I am being billed $200 a year. When my husband was ill and had open heart surgery, I put our business on hold and therefor had no transactions for a few months. That cost me $175 a month. Every time I call customer service, I get a different story. For example I called this morning to finally cancel this and buy out the lease contract. The rep told me he will send me an email confirmation it is done. Additionally, I advised him the address was not correct on the account and to please update. His response was that it did not need update, they send no mail. I then called back after I hung up, discussed the cancelation again, the new rep advised me I need to send it in writing. I asked about the annual fee and was advised the fee was for 2018, not 2019. Since my contract says no annual fee, I am not sure how these people get away with this. Oh, I know, I am a very small merchant. Affording a lawyer is far more than bending over. Between the people that sold me this service ‘Prestige‘ and First Data Services and the First Data Leasing – I have been ripped off since early 2015. I am so excited that I am almost done with this company, I just wish I could stop them from taking advantage of any more small businesses.
From The Editor
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Nainesh Mehta
They are killing small businesses with their annual maintenance fees,PCi complaince admin fees, and PCI validation fee.first data wants to charge their cost of doing business to it’s customers but they don’t want merchants to charge it’s customers convenience/processing fees,it’s the small business who have to pay all fees and can’t recover the fees.Only solution I see is accept cash only for small businesses.
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Amanda McCall
Do not go with these people!! Not only did they overcharge us grossly but when I cancelled they claimed they never received the cancellation letter and three months after I cancelled started pulling money out of my account for over $350! When I called them they just said they could do that! I disputed the charges and the bank reversed them and they had the nerve to send me to collections over it after I had repeatedly called them to discuss the charges never getting a call back. Disgusting business practices.
From The Editor
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Bergman's Automotive
They are a ripoff for their equipment and the lease is very expensive, direct prcessors is the con company that stuck me with equiptment that I allready owned. And now I have to pay a very large amount of money for the equiptment of $5000.00 for the lease! both of your companys should go out business, because of your dishonesty!
From The Editor
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Kevin Goodman
**Stay Away – AVOID AT ALL COST **
These criminals operating from Marietta, GA are total scam. First they will charge you $300 for their Payeezy gateway. They will offer you a good rate of 1.89%, then within a few months it goes up to 4.5%. They will tell you as long as you fill the PCI compliance questionnaire, you won’t get charged, yet you will see $50 monthly charge for this and they will say that you didn’t fail to pass the questionnaire even though you point out to them that your PCI is perfectly correct.
Then, after they stiff you for couple of months, they terminate your merchant account without notice or cause; and without giving you a grace period to try to find another credit card processor for your business. As such, your business will suffer and you will lose sale and end up with tons of bills to pay without any revenue.
And to add insult to injury, they charge you $500 for account termination, even though the agreement says that this charge is applied if you terminate the account and not if they cancel it. But of course, they will stiff you no matter what.
These people are inhumane, they should be prosecuted for stealing from hard-working small businesses. Everyone who suffered from them should complain to the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General. They should go out of business, they are totally rude and their customer service is absolutely abysmal. It’s not only the worst, but it’s like dealing with thugs from third-world countries.
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AMANDA PANTANO
Monsters! i am being charged 171$ a month to lease a machine worth $400 for 48 months! i was lied to by a 3rd party who just wanted me to sign a deal. In the agreement it says that they can lie as well haha. This was through a company called Pacific payment systems. Random Fees $200 and up just for signing up between june and aug of this year???, my bill is 4x more than i was promised even with the same amount of sales, 0% debit card processing???? bull****! i am being charged what equals out to be about 4%. I complained to no avail. I was lied to and they never returned calls. This is Pacific Payment systems. Now first data is charging me for the machine and i cannot cancel without paying the full price of the lease. I am in the process of shutting down the bank account and ruining my credit over this. They should be in jail for harming small businesses. I hope someone sees this and takes it seriously. Read the fine print! They can lie, so do not trust what you are told. Predators.
From The Editor
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muhammed yildirim
This company is the worst merchant services that i have ever had. At the beginning they were so rude for training. Then i didn’t want additional help from them. At the end, the bank closed my account without giving any information. Then they have stopped doing transactions because i got this system through the bank. Anyway i asked them to use the same system for different bank. They didn’t accept it. Couple months later they called me to get further lease payments and penalties. And i told them, there is no mistake related with us, so we didn’t want to make any further payment. Then, they have threatened us if don’t make full payment, they will get collectibles including my business and also me. I have paid it, but i will take this issue to the court. They have to payback!..
From The Editor
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Luna Lovegood
First Data is one of the worst companies we have dealt with in our professional capacity as owners of a dog food store open since 2002.
The customer service is horrible, every time we call they have no record of previous conversations, they are overpriced and lock businesses in contracts that are not worth it! We found a much better service – local in Canada too, not giving our business to the US company anymore – there is no contract and our fees were cut in half! Stay away from First Data! Even something as simple as getting a statement replaced from them turns out to be a two hour phone hold and the request to pay a fee!
While I’m writing this I’ve been on hold with First Data *Yet Again* for 45 minutes to solve an issue with closing our accounts, which was supposed to be solved three months ago…. they haunt us even after the fact. There are much better solutions out there.
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Adam GSM
Awful. Probably the worse merchant account I have had bar none. Terrible communication issues both internally and with customers. Left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing. The loooove to hold on to money that isn’t theirs and do so with absolute indiscretion.
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Ashley
This company is absolutely HORRIBLE! They never can transfer for you to the correct person – or anyone who knows what is going on for that matter. They double dip into your account – essentially stealing money from small businesses and then when you catch it they have no clue how it happened. Just absolutely horrible company and horrible customer service – would NOT recommend to any small business who wants to survive
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Tom Relic
I was turned down by Moneris. Square Reader doent work in a TAXI which they didnt tell me until after purchasing tap and loosing money for cards which read approved offline and declined online. First Data approved me instantly. The machine came a couple days later. They sent me a free car charger twice after my mail was lost or stolen, FREE. Deposits are on time. Hold times on the phone were minimal and actually talked to people who sounded like they graduated highschool. First Data Canada is a 5 star for me so far. Any issues, I have my Rep Pattricks extention if I need it. I hate banks, but I cant complain so far about these guys!
Neil Hansen
I have email transcripts that prove I requested my account be closed persuant to their statement regarding new terms and fees, that I adhered to the time frame for opting out, and that the representative offered in written email to provide formal documentation of account closure upon return of their devices. I have USPS certified proof of their receipt of the devices. I get no responses to my certified letters- just more billing. They ignore the fact that I DO respond in writing to them, asking them questions they ignore. They promised that all transactions would be between 1.39-1.68% in fees, but they were actually 3.6%. They won’t answer questions to explain why. Any deadlines, time frames, late fees, etc they claim are false because i HAVE responded in timely fashion to them, but they ignore that fact. Just more bills for money i do not owe them. This company is unbelievable. They should be shut down for deceptive and negligent practices.
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Lisa Nichols
First Data uses deception when discussing rates. We were sent the wrong equipment. Customer support is very poor. We quickly realized we had made a poor decision giving them our business. When we returned the equipment, we were charged exorbitant restocking fees. We would give them a rating of 0 and would never recommend them to anyone.
Bonny Jenkins
If you own a small business, take some responsibility! Oh, you were scammed into a 4 year terminal lease?? You had to sign a contract for that lease. You should read what you are signing. Also, as far as hidden fees.. these fees are, again, outlined in your contact. Don’t sign what you haven’t read. It’s that simple. As for those of you that were charged for months or years when you thought you had closed your account…don’t you pay attention to your bank account to see the money being taken? Notify First Data right away. Don’t sit on it for years and expect a full refund for your negligence. Just a thought.
Barry Lind
Do not do business with this company or their re-sellers. If you’re a small business it’s very likely they will put you out of business. They fees are never what they state. So many “hidden” fees their customer service could not explain.
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marwan alsous
i have been in business over than 15 years
and first data is the worse company i have ever worked with
they are so cheap and not taken care of the customer
worse and worse and worse
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Dave
Same service here. Some guy called Karthik from India takes the sales call. He also pretends to be running a larger business. It really funny and stupid but when he directs the call to service, customer support or billing, it is still him with a different name. He could have at least changed his voice.
He also took $750 upfront setup fee… What a joke!
The he has the nerve to tell me to call his 800 number after 7 days of not replying to his email. When you do call the 800 number, you never get them….or should I say him…
STAY AWAY!!!
firstdatamerchants.com/ BEWARE!!!
From The Editor
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Dennis
BUYER BEWARE!!
When these guys contacted me with “great rates” I told them I would not sign a contact that would not let me out. So they wrote a clause in my contract that I could get out for any reason without penalties. After 2 years of charges higher than I was told the final straw was my terminal quit working because they failed to update it. I cancelled my service they told me that I would have to pay a $250 fee, after showing them my contract they waved the fee, then proceeded to take it from my bank anyway, after trying to get it back (they told me for 2 weeks it would be in my account any day) I blocked their ability to get into my account then they took another $250 from me using another of their business names I hadn’t blocked. They don’t answer emails in a timely fashion, they NEVER answer the phone & so far after multiple messages for 2 weeks have never called me back. FIND ANOTHER COMPANY TO PROCESS YOUR PAYMENTS.
Patrick
A really uncaring company that has no concern over customers. Finally finished our in March with much heartache. Sent back their machine, six weeks later the remove £500 from our account after disputing the return of their machine. Now they tell us we need to wait 7-10 for us to have our monies returned. As a charity we find this not acceptable and was wandering if we have a legal stance to charge them with fraud.
Wayne Shay
This is the absolute worse company I have ever done business with in the 20 years I have had a restaurant; absolutely TERRIBLE; lies about customer service (which is zero) and everything else they talk to you about; low life sales representative that will lie to you as well; will not call you back once the deal is made when you have a problem; TERRIBLE PEOPLE TO DO BUSINES WITH; I would NEVER recommend them to anyone; such a rip-off company….WARNING………
Sahesh
Such a bad company I ever came across
CHRISTOPHER
Severe lack of ethics. I would strongly suggest looking for another company to handle merchant services.
tom h.
this company is a bunch of lowlifes, lying bunch of crooked SOBS. do not use them, i repeat do not use them. first data needs to be shut down.
Marcia Dobbs-Smith
I can not believe that First Data can remain in business with so many negative reviews. They are a totally unscrupulous entity. The latest attempt to improve ratings in unconscionable. They make a promise of refund, immediately send a survey to rate them, but NEVER come through with refund. Before this last scam the trick was to promise rate reduction, but NEVER follow through on the promised rate reduction. In fact it went UP! Upon each conversation I received a survey. I gave positive reviews because the agent was so understanding and kind, but in reality agent was a liar and did not follow through on the promises made. How can First Data be allowed to perpetuate these scams on small businesses in America? This is not Nigeria. Don’t we have laws?
Guillaume Carrier
Lot of problems, for close my contract lot of calls, bad compagny.
Melissa
How do I get these people to stop calling me? Someone from this company calls a minimum once a week. That’s a minimum. If I say I’m not interested it’s because I’m really not interested and my phone number should be removed from their database. I’ve received this call as many as 3 times in one week. That’s excessive! I almost have their entire sales pitch memorized! That’s how often I get this call from THIS company. I should not have to call and asked to be removed from their list if I’ve said I’m not interested 20 times in the last 4 months.
Teresa
I just spent approximately an hour and a half on the phone with Jim Bradshaw who claimed to be the VP of their sales and marketing department. He was really nice for most of the conversation up to the end when I refused to give him a $5,000 investment for which he claimed I would receive $12,000 back within 60 to 90 days. He tried hard to convince me and when I said no, he got pissed off and slammed down the phone on me. Sounded too much like one of those schemes where they tell you you can make money while you sleep!
Gregory
This first data clover company is a scam liers and fraudulent do not trust them do not ever go to them
REG THIESSEN
Completely agree. Worst decision I ever made was going with these crooks.
Evan
They started charging pic compliance fees even though I passed, never got any refunds even though I was promised several times that I would get refund, had to close bank account to get them to stop charged now they won’t quit harrowing me
Sahesh
Yes.. stay away from this company
Customer Who Would Not Recommend this Company
Our company used First Data for years. When we discovered a problem, where they had been charging our company for a service we did not use, we tried to contact them to resolve the issue.
Not only did they transfer us around the company in an endless loop and waste hours of our time, one of their representatives in the customer service department, Andres, actually was so unprofessional he hung up on us in the middle of a phone conversation.
Our next call will be to the regulatory agency which oversees merchant processing companies.
Lois
Please DO NOT use this company! I have just spent about 2 hours on the phone with them and am no closer to having the problem figured out. They do not seem to be honest and you will be locked into a 4 year contract before you even know what you did. They say they are cheaper, but I am not convinced that they are and you will have untold stress trying to get your books to balance. The lady on the phone tried to help, but her accent made her very difficult to understand
Yumm
I worked for this company for 20 years that’s all they do ripoff people
James Elliott
Please please please heed the reviews if you are thinking of joining First Data as your merchant services provider. They are an absolute disgrace. The salesman will promise you the world probably including Amazon vouchers. You’ll never see them and after you put pen to paper you will never see him, he won’t answer your calls either.
You’ll also get great rates which will soon be doubled (or more). The real kicker though is that you’ll sign up for the terminal lease for 4 years but it turns out the terminals only work with First Data.
This means that when the inevitable fee hike occurs, you’ll have 2 choices a) accept the new fees or b) pay a huge terminal cancellation cost.
In a nutshell if you’re thinking of joining them DO NOT DO IT, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Peter
You should work with First Data only if you want to have a partnership with the devil. The customer service is horrible, the marketing is fake and the execs are snob.
Kacie powers
Do not use First a data. I was told when I signed up I could cancel at anytime (I did not want to sign a contract longer than a year & they falsely verbalized I could cancel if the business closes down).
Business closed down, first data told me I have to pay the remained of the four year lease that they are not responsible for what the sales people say to get the business. I did not pay remainder and they dinged my credit score. Look elsewhere for credit card processing.
Bill
first data is a scam, DO NOT USE THEM. It is headache to deal with there customer service.
P. Pittman
Tom was the best sales person ever. He went the extra mile trying to get this account to work for me. That is the best thing about my FD experience. The people in the office that actually work with the accounts and place all the charges are HORRIBLE! I received so many charges it was unbelievable. The only monthly charge I was supposed to be charged was 4.95, so Tom said. I couldn’t handle or keep up with all the charges that were added to my account. Every week it was something new and none of it was substantiated. There was never any explanation or itemization. All my bank would tell me is that the charges came from First Data. I talked to them about my account and even sent statements and was told on several occasions that the situation would be rectified, to no avail. My only hope at this point is to get out and have all of those fees reversed so that my business can be back on it’s feet. I’m going back to square.