High Risk Pay Review: How Safe Are Their High-Risk Solutions?

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High Risk Pay

Rating
A
4.5/5
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Pros and Cons of High Risk Pay

Pros

99% approval rate
High-risk merchants
Supports international transactions
Flexible payment solutions
Enhanced security measures

Cons

Limited bank options
Typically higher fees
Stricter contract terms
Potential fund holds
Increased chargeback risks

Overview

In this review of High Risk Pay, we’ll take a closer look at their credit card processing services designed for high-risk businesses. Their offerings include point-of-sale systems, mobile payment options, and e-commerce solutions built to support industries that often struggle to get approved by traditional processors. We’ll highlight which types of high-risk businesses may benefit most from these services and review customer feedback to uncover common trends, praise, and concerns. In addition, we’ll examine the company’s pricing, contract terms, and specific service details. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of whether High Risk Pay is the right choice for your payment processing needs.

About High Risk Pay

Screen Capture of High Risk Pay Homepage
High Risk Pay Card Processing Homepage

High Risk Pay is a merchant account provider that focuses primarily on serving high-risk business types. High Risk Pay claims to have been founded in 1997, but it is unclear which of its alternate brand names was founded in 1997. There is no record of HighRiskPay.com as an active website prior to 2008. The company has been linked to multiple other business names, including the following brands and URLs:

    • S & A Global, Inc.

    • Netpay Bankcard

    • High Risk Experts, LLC

    • Global Payment Services

    • Merchant Account Providers

Global Payment Services lists the same address as High Risk Pay and displays branding at the top of its website for Group ISO. This could mean that High Risk Pay is a DBA or sub-ISO of Group ISO.

Products & Merchant Services

Payment Processing

High Risk Pay specializes in processing major debit and credit cards for high-risk businesses. They cater to various industries, including e-commerce, travel, e-cigarettes, CBD, high-volume businesses, startups, companies with bad credit, international operations, MLM, and adult businesses. Their services encompass payment gateway access, virtual terminals, mobile solutions, fast approval, POS terminals and swipers, e-commerce solutions, chargeback protection, fraud protection, B2B and B2C processing, data reporting and analytics, recurring billing, and continuity subscription.

ACH Processing

High Risk Pay provides ACH (Automated Clearing House) processing for electronic check transactions, facilitating immediate payment transfers verified and processed shortly after receipt. This service requires only a routing and account number for transactions, with fees being a fixed amount per transaction instead of a percentage fee.

Chargeback Prevention

The Chargeback Prevention Program at High Risk Pay aims to reduce chargebacks, which occur when cardholders dispute transactions without contacting the merchant first. This program provides merchants with alerts to address disputes proactively before they escalate.

“Instant” Approval

High Risk Pay offers an instant approval service for high-risk merchant accounts, boasting a 99% approval rate. They aim to get businesses operational quickly, charging no application or setup fees and requiring no contractual obligations. Applications are approved within 24 hours, even for those with bad credit, and the service includes next-day funding and chargeback prevention.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Low Complaint Total

Our research identified only a limited number of High Risk Pay reviews. None label the company as a ripoff or scam, but some issues were noted, including a complex signup process and abrupt account closures. A particularly concerning complaint on the BCA suggested potential misrepresentation of banking relationships and unusual application requests, including demands for personal PayPal login credentials and unorthodox home visits for photo documentation. This specific allegation, if true, raises serious concerns, but no further evidence or similar allegations have surfaced to corroborate this claim. If you have experiences with High Risk Pay, please share your review in the comments below to enhance our understanding of their practices.

High Risk Pay Lawsuits

We have found no outstanding class-action lawsuits or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaints against High Risk Pay. However, due to the company’s generic name, detailed information is challenging to locate. Clients seeking non-litigious ways to address their issues with High Risk Pay are advised to report them to relevant supervisory organizations.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop5
BBB Rating3
Trustpilot4.8
Average Rating3.9

PaymentPop Rating for High Risk Pay

Negative Feedback

There are no negative reviews published about High Risk Pay on the PaymentPop website.

Positive Feedback

We knew being labeled high-risk would make things complicated, but High Risk Pay didn’t treat it like a big deal. No scare tactics, no runaround, just straight answers and a setup that made sense. Honestly, it was way easier than we expected.

High Risk Pay BBB Rating

The Better Business Bureau currently assigns High Risk Pay an “A+” rating and has granted the company accreditation since 2014. The company has received 0 complaints in the last 36 months. High Risk Pay has a 3 out of 5 star rating based on 2 user reviews on the Better Business Bureau website.

What Merchants Say

High Risk Pay currently has 1 reviews on its BBB profile, which is positive. A previous negative review described a lengthy signup process:

Very deceptive advertising. The ’24 Hour Approval’ in particular. I’m 6 weeks in so far and have completed a very invasive screening process (giving logins to personal financial accounts, having ‘inspectors’ visit my home, etc …) and have all but given up at this point. It’s gotten to the point where they rarely even reply to my emails.

Businesses that fail to obtain approval can improve their future chances by understanding why their merchant account application was denied.

An “A” Performance

Given the company’s clean complaint record, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time.

Trustpilot Rating for High Risk Pay

High Risk Pay has a 4.8 out of 5 star rating based on 52 user reviews on Trustpilot.

Positive Feedback

I had no idea zero-fee processing was even an option until High Risk Pay introduced me to it. I’m saving a significant amount every month—money that goes right back into my business. On top of that, their team is always quick to respond whenever I have questions. Reliable, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful.

Negative Feedback

There are no negative reviews published about High Risk Pay on Trustpilot.

Processing Rates & Fees

Variable Contract Terms

As a specialist in high-risk accounts, High Risk Pay tailors its pricing to the specific needs of each business, considering factors such as industry type, geographic location, and processing history. The Rates & Fees section of its website reveals a starting swipe rate of 1.79% plus $0.25 for clients with favorable credit histories and a starting keyed-in rate of 2.19% plus $0.25. High-risk clients see starting rates of 2.95% plus $0.25, with potential for higher rates. A unique fee of $0.50 per transaction is applied to international and adult entertainment merchants, setting their starting rates from 3.50% to 6.95% plus $0.50, and 9.95% plus $0.50, respectively.

The website also mentions a monthly fee of $10 and specific per-transaction fees for particular business categories. It highlights the absence of application or setup fees and does not mention other common fees like early termination fees and PCI compliance fees.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

High Risk Pay extends its offerings to include virtual terminal and payment gateway services. Rates for virtual terminal services start at 2.95% plus $0.25, along with a $0.10 gateway transaction fee per purchase. Additionally, a monthly gateway fee of $10 is applicable.

High Risk Means High Fees

Businesses classified as high-risk should prepare for above-average fees and possible cash reserves on their accounts, a common industry practice to mitigate the risk of chargebacks. High-risk companies can minimize fund-holds and chargebacks by providing High Risk Pay with detailed information about their business and products upfront.

No Red Flags

High Risk Pay offers pricing that is consistent with industry standards for high-risk processors. While not the lowest, the company’s rates are competitive within its niche. For insights into the typical High Risk Pay agreement, reader contributions are welcome in the comments section below.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

Inside/Outside Sales Team

High Risk Pay appears to market itself primarily through affiliate partnerships and independent resellers. We have not found any negative High Risk Pay sales reviews, but we have seen one complaint filed against Merchant Account Providers that mentions deceptive sales conduct. This lone complaint mentioned an undisclosed $149 fee charged after account activation, but the fact that it was posted in 2011 limits its usefulness in evaluating the company’s current practices.

High Risk Pay Rate Quotes

High Risk Pay lists multiple per-transaction rates ranging from 1.79% plus $0.25 to 6.95% plus $0.50. Each quoted rate applies to a different business type. However, the company only lists the qualified rate for each client type without mentioning the higher mid-qualified and non-qualified rates that clients will pay on most transactions. We consider this type of rate quoting to be deceptive because it could give clients an unrealistic expectation of the rates they will pay.

A “B” Rating

For now, High Risk Pay is only showing a few minor issues with its sales approach. However, if you believe that the company has misrepresented itself to you, you can double-check your monthly bill with a third-party statement audit.

High Risk Pay rates
High Risk Pay’s rates page

High Risk Pay Competitors

Compare High Risk Pay to competitors that earned top marks.

Bottom Line

High Risk Pay currently rates as a reliable credit card processing provider for high-risk businesses. The company maintains a relatively clean complaint record, and some of its contract terms are competitive within the high-risk space. However, the company’s use of various business names and its unclear corporate structure raise some questions about its management team.

High-risk businesses are encouraged to thoroughly compare High Risk Pay’s pricing and services with those offered by top-rated high-risk payment processors before making a commitment. By conducting this due diligence, businesses can ensure they are securing the most favorable terms and pricing available, ultimately making a well-informed decision that aligns with their financial and operational needs.

Read Actual User Reviews

All user reviews have been moved to our partner, PaymentPop.com

Contact High Risk Pay

Contact & Customer Support
Vice PresidentAmi Cohen
Office ManagerDavid Anderson
Headquarters27702 Crown Valley Pkwy Ste D4-120, Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
Toll-Free Support(800) 956-1277
Additional Support ChannelsOnline Contact Form
Websitehighriskpay.com