Frontline Processing Review: Fees, Complaints, Lawsuits & Comparisons

Low Complaint Volume

At the time of this update, we are unable to locate any Frontline Processing reviews that describe the company as a scam or a ripoff. However, we did find a few complaints about the company in the comment section of this review and four on other consumer protection websites. Three of these reviews (one of which is available here) complained of the company’s former policy of enforcing a liquidated damages fee, one mentioned sudden termination of their account without notice, and another claimed that Frontline used a reserve account of $15,000 as an early termination fee.

Frontline Processing Lawsuits

In March 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a complaint against Global Payments, Electronic Merchant Systems, Frontline Processing, and Pathfinder Payment Solutions in connection with a “phantom debt” scheme that allegedly attempted to collect nonexistent debts from consumers. The CFPB’s complaint alleged that these four payment processors facilitated transactions for multiple debt collection companies owned by Marcus Brown and Mohan Bagga. According to the complaint, these debt collection companies used robocalls to target millions of consumers, who they then threatened in order to obtain debt payments that were not actually owed or that didn’t even exist. The CFPB further alleged that Frontline’s underwriting and risk monitoring were deficient and that the company failed to appropriately monitor certain accounts. The case was dismissed in August 2017.

Frontline Processing Customer Service Options

In the case of the merchant whose account was closed without notice, a Frontline representative responded to this complaint and explained that the merchant was flagged by the company’s risk management department for repeated violations with other processors. Frontline offers a dedicated customer service phone number on its website, but a couple of recent complaints cite an unresponsive or rude customer service department. Additionally, the company charges merchants a fee of $5 each time they utilize the company’s after-hours support options. In all, Frontline Processing’s support options are not sufficient to qualify it as a top customer service payment processor.

We have located a single Frontline Processing customer service number:

1-866-651-3068

Frontline Processing does not feature a customer service email or live chat on its website. 

Though the company has a low complaint total, the issues with customer service and legal history are concerning. Based on the full scope of those considerations, we award the company a “C” in this category.

Only 1 Complaint

Frontline Processing has been an accredited business of the Better Business Bureau since 2005 and presently maintains an “A+” rating based on 1 total complaint. The 1 complaint is categorized under billing and collection. The complaint was resolved to the dissatisfaction of the merchant or received no final response.

What Merchants Say

In addition to the 1 complaint, Frontline Processing has also received 5 informal reviews on its profile with the Better Business Bureau. Each of the 5 complaints is negative. The most recent review describes unexpected charges after trying to cancel an account:

Frontline was too cancel my account over a year ago. They are debiting monthly fees from me for $9.90/month and non=complaince fees etc in excess of $70.00. Merchant **** Services is a scam processor as well as Frontline.

Merchants in this situation could benefit from learning how to cancel an account without incurring any fees.

An “A” Performance

In light of the company’s low complaint total, we agree with the BBB’s rating of an “A”.

Frontline Processing Pricing

The standard Frontline Processing contract and program guide outline a three-year agreement through First Data (Fiserv) with an early termination fee of $250, a monthly minimum fee of $25, a monthly statement fee of $10, a monthly PCI Compliance fee of $4.95, a PCI non-compliance fee of $19.95, a monthly regulatory fee of $4.95, a fee of $5.00 for after-hours customer support and either tiered or interchange-plus pricing.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

In addition to its storefront payment processing services, the Frontline Processing program guide indicates the company relies on the Payeezy payment gateway, powered by First Data (Fiserv). Payeezy offers 2 separate plans, the Basic Plan and Pro Plan. Neither plan charges setup fees, statement fees, or gateway fees. The Basic Plan charges a rate of 2.90% plus $0.30. Meanwhile, the Pro Plan offers a lower rate of 1.89% plus $0.23 and a monthly fee of $19.95.

Updated Contract Terms

A company representative contacted us to correct some of the information found in the contract below. He specifically asserted that the company’s early termination fee is $50 rather than $250, and that the company does not lease any equipment through First Data Global Leasing. He also stated that the company does rent equipment to customers and that it provides free EMV terminals to retail merchants. Additionally, he informed us that Frontline’s monthly minimum fee and statement fee will vary from merchant to merchant. Merchants should be aware that Frontline used to enforce a Liquidated Damages early termination fee, but the same representative has stated that Frontline no longer charges this type of fee. We have not found independent reviews that confirm these revised contract terms, but these fees would certainly represent an improvement over the language of the company’s standard contract.

Few Contract Complaints

Though not competitive with the cheapest merchant accounts, these contract terms would appear to be slightly better than average for the industry. However, we have found a few merchant complaints related to Frontline’s pricing and contract terms, with one claiming an ETF of $19,000 and another describing unspecified hidden fees. Still, it seems that most of the company’s merchants are satisfied with the pricing they receive. We will also tentatively take the company representative at his word regarding Frontline’s reduced early termination fee, variable monthly costs, and lack of equipment leases. In light of this information, we award the company an above-average grade of “B.”

A Decent Choice for Most Merchants

Frontline Processing rates as an above-average merchant services provider according to our rating system. The company claims to have eliminated the liquidated damages fee in its standard contract, which was the primary cause of merchant complaints in previous updates to this review. However, merchants are advised to read all documentation before signing up for services through the company and to compare its costs to top-rated credit card processors.