Ignite Payments Review

We are currently able to locate over 100 Ignite Payments negative reviews filed outside of the Better Business Bureau, and some of these complaints outright accuse the company of being a ripoff or a scam. Common complaints include undisclosed fees, withheld funds, difficulty cancelling service, and poor customer support. The “Ignite Payments” brand is very new to the industry (launched in June 2013) and has not had a lot of time to amass either positive or negative reviews. However, the company’s alternate and former names of Cardservice International and First Data Independent Sales are currently showing over 100 complaints on various consumer protection websites, indicating that Ignite Payments might soon catch up in terms of complaint volume. Additionally, it is probable that complaints intended for Ignite Payments may be scattered among its numerous websites and locations or be redirected to the online profiles of First Data. Most Ignite Payments locations likely offer customer service through First Data.

Note: We have adjusted this company’s BBB rating according to our own standards. To better understand why we adjust BBB ratings, please see our Rating Criteria.

The BBB currently maintains more than a dozen profiles for various Ignite Payments locations across the country. A search for the company’s headquarters redirects visitors to the profile for First Data, and the BBB appears to have transferred all of its complaints for Ignite Payments’s headquarters to First Data’s profile. First Data currently has an “A+” rating and has received 1,045 complaints in the last three years.

At the time of an earlier review, Ignite Payments had received 152 complaints in the previous three years. The BBB’s decision to fold its Ignite Payments complaints into the BBB profile for First Data has made it difficult to determine how many BBB complaints should be attributed to Ignite Payments. Given First Data’s complaint total and the previous figures for Ignite Payments, we have adjusted its score to an average grade of “C” for the purposes of this review.

The standard contract terms offered by Ignite Payments will vary greatly depending on the sales office or agent servicing the account as well as a merchant’s size, business type, and time in business. The only factor that is common to all Ignite Payments contracts is the the First Data processing network. According to merchant complaints, Ignite Payments fees can include an early termination fee calculated through Liquidated Damages or no fee at all. Similarly, merchants may experience very high monthly PCI Compliance fees or none whatsoever. Merchants are encouraged to read their merchant applications and program guides carefully before signing up for service.

Two major sources of complaints filed against Ignite Payments and its other DBAs appear to be its equipment leases and its cash reserve policies. It seems that most Ignite Payments locations resell First Data Global Leasing equipment leases, which are typically long-term, expensive, non-cancellable agreements, and some merchants report hardware malfunctions as well. Complaints regarding the company’s fund holds are likely related to high risk branches of Ignite Payments and may or may not be legitimate complaints. Overall, the significant degree of variability among Ignite Payments contract terms inclines us to give the company an average grade of “C” in this category.

Ignite Payments rates as an average merchant account provider according to our rating system. At this time, we have no reason to believe that the rebranding of First Data Independent Sales as Ignite Payments has led to a significant change in policy, and the company’s complaint rate is high for the amount of time that it has operated under its current name. Ignite’s grade may be subject to change as it continues to do business and establish a reputation for itself under its new name.