High Risk Pay 2023: Card Processing Reviews & Complaints
(800) 956-1277 Company Overview
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.
Article Summary
Before we dive in, here’s a short summary of what we’ll cover:
- High Risk Pay’s various payment processing services.
- The company has received few complaints.
- The company’s rates are fairly competitive, though not all contract terms are publicly listed.
- High Risk Pay focuses on high-risk businesses.
High Risk Pay Payment Processing
High Risk Pay processes most major debit and credit cards for high-risk business types. They claim to serve a wide range of industries, including e-commerce, travel, e-cigarette, CBD, high-volume, startup, bad credit, international, MLM, and adult businesses. Their services include access to a payment gateway, a virtual terminal, 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 offers ACH (Automated Clearing House) processing for electronic check transactions, enabling immediate payment transfers over the internet that are verified and processed shortly after receipt. The ACH processing service requires only a routing and account number for transactions, with fees being a fixed amount per transaction rather than a percentage fee.
Chargeback Prevention
High Risk Pay’s Chargeback Prevention Program is aimed at reducing the occurrences of chargebacks which happen when cardholders dispute transactions without contacting the merchant first. Through this program, High Risk Pay provides alerts to merchants helping them address disputes proactively before they escalate to chargebacks, thus potentially reducing fees, penalties, and the risk of losing processing privileges.
“Instant” Approval
High Risk Pay offers an instant approval service for high-risk merchant accounts with a stated 99% approval rate, aiming to get businesses operational quickly. They charge no application fee, setup fee, or contractual obligations, and approve applications within 24 hours, even for applicants with bad credit, while also providing next-day funding and chargeback prevention as part of their service package.
Location & Ownership
High Risk Pay does not list its acquiring bank and is headquartered at 27702 Crown Valley Pkwy Ste D4-120, Ladera Ranch, CA 92694. David Anderson is the office manager at High Risk Pay and Ami Cohen is the vice president of High Risk Pay.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Offers variable pricing depending on each…
- Complaints & Service: Has received fewer than…
- BBB Rating: Currently has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and has…
- Sales & Marketing: Appears to hire independent sales agents but has not…
High Risk Pay Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Online Complaints | <10 |
| Live Customer Support | No |
| Most Common Complaint | N/A |
| Recent Lawsuits | No |
Low Complaint Total
We have located only a few High Risk Pay reviews, none of which accuse the company of being a ripoff or a scam. Commonly cited issues include a difficult signup process and unexpectedly closed accounts. One complaint posted with the BCA raises the alarming possibility that the company is misrepresenting its banking relationships:
I was going through the application process with them (for a merchant services account) but they said they had to have a man come out to my home and take pictures as part of the application process. So, that was awkward but okay, I really need to process some transactions already. Next, they said underwriting needs my username and password for my paypal account. They said if they cannot log into my paypal account they will not approve my application.
At this point, this all started seeming like an email from a Nigerian Prince from the 1990’s. No one does business like this. What business asks another business for their username and password to their personal online bank? I get if you need to see bank statements that’s all fine and good when when you give an ultimatum that I either give you my banking login information or you won’t approve me, I guess I’m not getting approved. Could you imagine how far that would go if you pulled that kind of thing off with Microsoft? Seriously, Mr. Gates, this is HighRiskPay.com and we need your Paypal username/password… right…
Moving right along, their applications have BMO Harris Bank logo’s all over them so I went to BMO Harris Bank locally and BMO Harris corporate looked into it and determined that this company has no legal rights to be using BMO Harrris Bank’s logos or likeness. BMO Harris Bank is investigating and I also filed a police report with local law enforcement. I’ve placed a fraud alert on my credit and changed my bank account. These people are shady and up to something. Stay away from them!!!
We have not found any similar allegations elsewhere, so it is difficult to know at this time whether this complainants claims are accurate. If you have your own High Risk Pay review to make, please do so in the comments below.
High Risk Pay Lawsuits
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against High Risk Pay. However, it should be noted that the company’s generic name makes it difficult to find information about it online. Dissatisfied clients who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
High Risk Pay Customer Support Options
High Risk Pay does not list any dedicated customer support contact information on its website. This falls short of our expectation of top-rated payment processors for great customer service. The company’s general contact channels may redirect to customer support.
High Risk Pay Customer Service Number
- (800) 956-1277 – Toll-Free Support
Other Support Options
- Support form
- Customer service email address at [email protected]
High Risk Pay Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| BBB Reports | 1 |
Clean Complaint Record
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.
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.
High Risk Pay Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Item | Result | >
|---|---|
| Cancellation Penalties | Unclear |
| Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes |
| Processing Rates | Variable |
| Equipment Leasing | Unclear |
Variable Contract Terms
As a high risk specialist, High Risk Pay likely customizes its pricing depending on each business’ type, location, and processing history. Its website’s Rates & Fees section details a swipe rate beginning at 1.79% plus 0.25 for clients with good credit and a keyed-in rate starting at 2.19% plus $0.25. Rates for high-risk clients begin at 2.95% plus $0.25 but are likely to be higher. A transaction fee of $0.50 is attached to the rate of international and adult entertainment merchants. International merchants thus can expect rates beginning anywhere from 3.50% to 6.95% plus $0.50. Meanwhile, adult entertainment merchants are charged the highest rates beginning at 9.95% plus $0.50
The company’s website does disclose additional pricing details including a $10 monthly fee and its qualified per-transaction fees for certain business types. The company claims not to charge an application or setup fee, and we have not seen any mention of other common fees such as early termination fees and PCI compliance fees.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, High Risk Pay also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway services. Virtual terminal rates begin at 2.95% plus $0.25 and are also charged a gateway transaction fee of $0.10 per purchase. A monthly gateway fee of $10 also applies.
High Risk Means High Fees
High-risk clients who sign up with High Risk Pay should expect to pay higher-than-average fees, and they may also be subject to cash reserves on their accounts. This is standard practice within the industry due to the elevated risk of chargebacks that many high-risk clients pose. High-risk businesses can reduce their risk of fund-holds and chargebacks by being open and transparent with High Risk Pay about their business type and product lineup from the start.
No Red Flags
High Risk Pay appears to offer fairly standard pricing for a high-risk processor. High-risk businesses should not expect the company’s pricing to compete with the cheapest merchant accounts. If you have any information about the standard High Risk Pay agreement, please share it in the comment section below.
High Risk Pay Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Uses Independent Resellers | Yes |
| Telemarketing | Unclear |
| Misleading Marketing | Yes |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
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’s rates page
Our High Risk Pay Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
High Risk Pay rates as a reliable credit card processing provider for high-risk businesses at this time. The company has a relatively clean complaint record, and some of its contract terms are competitive for the high-risk space. However, the company’s array of various business names and unclear corporate structure raise some questions about its management team. High-risk businesses are encouraged to compare the company’s pricing to that offered by top-rated high-risk payment processors before signing up.
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Jeremiah Anne
High Risk Pay has been an absolute game-changer for my business! As an entrepreneur operating in a high-risk industry, finding a reliable payment processing solution was always a major challenge. However, since partnering with High Risk Pay, those worries have become a thing of the past.
Their team’s expertise and understanding of our unique needs have been remarkable. From the get-go, they swiftly set up a secure and seamless payment gateway, ensuring our transactions are smooth and hassle-free. The customer support is top-notch too; they’re always there to address any concerns promptly and professionally.
Thanks to High Risk Pay, we’ve seen a significant boost in our sales and customer satisfaction. It’s refreshing to work with a company that truly values its clients and goes above and beyond to deliver results. I wholeheartedly recommend High Risk Pay to any business seeking a trustworthy payment processing partner. They’ve earned our trust, and we look forward to a long-lasting partnership!