Integrity Payment Systems Reviews: Fees, Complaints, & Lawsuits

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A Payroc Subsidiary

Founded in 2003, Integrity Payment Systems is a merchant account provider that offers a wide range of credit card processing services for small and medium-sized businesses. Integrity Payment Systems was acquired by Payroc in February 2018. The company claims to be a direct processor through its partnership with First Savings Bank. As of late 2020, Integrity Payment Systems website now forwards to Payrocs homepage, possibly indicating future plans to scale down the brand.

Location and Ownership

Integrity Payment Systems is headquartered at https://www.newsoftwares.net/) 8m2!3d42.0104426!4d-87.8897983″>1350 E Touhy Ave #210-W Des Plaines, IL 60018. According to the Better Business Bureau and LinkedIn, Michael Ponder is the CEO of Integrity Payment Systems.

Integrity Payment Systems Review

  • Costs & Contract: Integrity Payment Systems appears to offer a three-year contract with an early termination fee of up to $595.
  • Complaints & Service: Integrity Payment Systems has received more than 20 public complaints.
  • BBB Rating: Integrity Payment Systems (as Payroc) currently has an “A+” rating and has received 24 complaints and 10 reviews in the last 3 years. The company has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 201.
  • Sales & Marketing: Integrity Payment Systems hires independent sales agents and has received some complaints about its sales practices.
  • Rates & Fees: How Merchants Got The Best Rates With Integrity Payment Systems

Integrity Payment Systems Customer Reviews

Here's What Their Clients Say

Customer Reviews Summary
Total Online Complaints 20+
Live Customer Support Yes
Most Common Complaint Difficulty Cancelling Service

Moderate Complaint Total

There are more than 20 negative Integrity Payment Systems reviews filed outside of the BBB, and some of these complaints describe the company as a scam or a ripoff. Complainants primarily cite hidden fees, difficulty cancelling service, and fund holds. The complaints related to cancellation can generally be attributed to nondisclosure by the sales agents who set up these accounts or the customer service reps who provided inaccurate instructions for cancellation. However, they have been posted with increasing frequency in the few years that we have been monitoring the company. We will not penalize IPS for the complaints regarding fund-holds because it appears that the company is managing its risk in accordance with industry standards.

Integrity Payment Systems Lawsuits

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Integrity Payment Systems. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.

Integrity Payment Systems Customer Support Options

A few of the available complaints were filed before 2011, so they have not impacted the company’s score in this section too harshly. IPS advertises that it maintains its own in-house phone support and does not outsource its customer service. However, this lone channel is not sufficient to qualify it as a top-rated credit card processor for customer service.

Integrity Payment Systems Online Ratings

Here's How They Rate Online

Online Ratings Summary
Product & Service Complaints 18
Billing & Collection Complaints 2
Advertising & Sales Complaints 0
Guarantee & Warranty Complaints 1
Delivery Complaints 3

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.

Almost 25 Complaints

The Better Business Bureau currently shows an “A+” rating for Integrity Payment Systems under the Payroc profile, with 24 complaints filed in the past 3 years. 18 of the complaints were due to a problem with a product or service, 2 were billing or collections issues, 1 was an issue with a guarantee or warranty, and 3 were issues with delivery. Only 10 of these 24 complaints were resolved by the company to the satisfaction of the merchant. The remaining 14 were resolved to the dissatisfaction of the merchant or received no final response.

What Merchants Say

In addition to the 24 complaints filed with the BBB, 10 informal reviews have also been posted to its profile, with only two negative. This is a major step up from the 6 negative reviews from the former profile before the Payroc merger. One merchant describes deceptive fees and difficulty resolving issues with customer service:

We have been a long-term users of Payroc Credit Card Processing Services. They refuse to credit our bank account for the Transaction we used their services on the final day of service with them. Be Very, Very Careful if you use Payroc and make sure you get the Money entitled to your business. They refuse to credit our account. Thankfully it was only 2 transactions that day but the point of the matter that they processed the transactions and did not pay is not good business! Be Very, Very Careful if You are Considering or Doing Business with them.

Merchants should research providers with a reputation for excellent customer service so they are able to effectively find resolutions to their issues if and when they arise

A “B” Rating

Given the company’s complaint rate and resolution ratio, we have slightly adjusted its grade to a “B” for the time being.

Integrity Payment Systems Fees, Rates & Costs

A Closer Look at The Contract

Cost & Fees Summary
Swiped Rate 1.00% - 4.99%
Keyed-in Rate Swiped Rate + 1.79%+$0.10
Early Termination Fee $195-$595
PCI Compliance Fee $3.63 Per Month
PCI Non-Compliance Fee $19.95
Annual Renewal Fee $79
Monthly Maintenance Fee $12 Per Month
Equipment Lease Terms TBD By Third Party Agreement

Integrity Payment Systems Pricing

According to a very old copy of the standard Integrity Payment Systems contract, the company offers a three-year agreement that automatically renews for successive two-year terms. Though the company does not disclose its rates, the agreement reflects that keyed-in transactions are assessed a surcharge of 1.79% plus $0.10 on top of the negotiated swipe rate.

The merchant agreement goes onto detail that if service is canceled within the initial three years, a $395 early termination fee will apply. This number drops to $295 and then $195 in each successive two-year renewal period. The contract also lists a $79 annual fee, a $25 monthly minimum fee, a $12 monthly maintenance fee, and a PCI compliance fee of $3.63 per month or a non-compliance fee of $19.95. We have found recent merchant complaints that mention an early termination fee of up to $595, indicating that this number may vary.

Somewhat Costly Terms

These numbers are slightly less competitive than industry averages, especially considering the automatic renewal clauses that could push the agreement to seven years. It is possible and even likely that the company’s contract terms have changed since the creation of this document, so merchants are encouraged to inquire about all possible fees and hold policies. Merchants should also compare IPS’s pricing to cheap merchant account providers. If you have any specific knowledge of the current Integrity Payment Systems contract, please share that information in the comment section below this review.

Integrity Payment Systems Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs

Should You Work For Them?

Jobs & Marketing Summary
Employs Independent Resellers Yes
Advertises Deceptive Rates No
Discloses All Important Terms No

Sales Complaints

Integrity Payment Systems appears to utilize a combination of independent sales agents, traditional marketing strategies, and referral partnerships to sell its services. The use of independent sales agents is commonly tied to high complaint rates in the industry due to the minimal training and oversight that these agents receive. In this case, we have located a handful of Integrity Payment Systems complaints that describe misrepresentation or nondisclosure by the company’s sales team. The primary issue described in these complaints is nondisclosure of the company’s termination fee and fund-withholding policies.

Company Responsiveness

In a few of the available public responses to these complaints filed by IPS, the company agreed to refund merchants when it was clear that an agent had failed to disclose key terms. These responses, along with the fact that there is no misleading promotional information on the IPS website, help raise the company’s grade in this category to a “B.” If you suspect that Integrity Payment Systems is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a free third-party statement audit.

Our Integrity Payment Systems Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts

An Average Performance All-Around

Integrity Payment Systems rates as an average merchant services provider according to our rating system. The company is showing a moderate number of complaints for its size and time in business, but an old copy of its contract reveals higher than average fees in its standard agreement. Integrity’s complaint rate has jumped significantly over the past two years, and its rating is quickly trending in a negative direction. We will continue to monitor feedback about the company to determine whether it will sink down to the level of the worst-rated providers or be able to eventually compete with top-rated payment processors.

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Which is Most Important for You?

If you had to pick one, which quality would you say will be the most important with your next credit card processor? Tap or click your selection to register your vote:

  1. Low Transaction Fees
  2. No Monthly Fees
  3. No Contract
  4. Reliable Customer Support
  5. Quick Signup

Testimonials & Complaints

How Did Integrity Payment Systems Treat You?

29 User Reviews

  • C F

    MOTORCYCLE SHOP

    A sales rep came in our business and convinced us to sign on and give us a no obligation quote but had to have our info first. We were going to sign on but found out about charges they did not disclose to us and immediately declined to go with them. They sent a machine anyway and we refused shipment. A few days later a sales rep came in and dropped off a machine and left it with a temp employee. I sent it back at our expense. Five months later we started to get merchant charges that were not from our chosen merchant. I have disputed it with the bank but they (Integrity) used the information I gave before deciding not to go with them. Every month the charge goes up. They are crooks! Do not give them any information as they are deceptive liars.

  • Danielle

    If you are a prospective merchant run far away from Integrity (to say their name is ironic is an understatement). I was a merchant using Integrity Payment Systems. I signed up with them at the recommendation of my franchisor. I repeatedly requested access to their online portal and was told I was sent the link to gain access, but I never received the promised link via email as promised. I gave up on getting access after the third request. This was annoying, but not the big issue I had with them.

    The much more significant issue arose when a customer filed a bogus chargeback claim against claiming that goods/services weren’t delivered (they had been delivered). I received email notification of the chargeback claim with a deadline to respond to it. I responded to the chargeback claim well before the deadline with a detailed explaination of the transaction with the customer and multiple pieces of evidence that the goods and services had been delivered to the customer. I received an automated confirmation of my response from Integrity. Here’s a very short version of what happened next. I didn’t hear anything for a while so I started sending emails asking for an update (I got the auto response email for all of those emails so they were received). After the third one with no response, I was getting frustrated so I sent another email expressing my frustration at the lack of response. Marisol from Integrity emailed me back to tell me the chargeback claim was closed in favor of the customer because I had failed to respond! I immediately emailed her back to tell her this was a mistake that needed to be immediately corrected and I forwarded my original response email and the auto response confirmation email from Integrity. No response. I then emailed Marisol three more times requesting a response and never got one. I sent a fourth email telling her I would be calling the next day to speak to her supervisor to speak about the issue if I didn’t get a response. The following day, I got an email from Denise, the supervisor, asking to speak to me that day. I had extremely limited availability that day due to being back to back trainings, but I gave her my availability. I didn’t hear from her. I then emailed Denise two more times telling her when I was available or asking her to tell me when she was available, but never received a response.

    *Update: I received an email from Denise asking to call her (even though she had ignored the multiple available times I had given her to call me). I called the number she provided and I was told I needed to call her at a different number, but I was given a fax number. I called back, told I would be transferred and I was hung up on. I called back again, transferred and got a voicemail despite being told she would be at her desk waiting for my call. I left a message that she never returned. I tried calling three more times and was either disconnected or left a message that wasn’t returned. It was clear I was being dodged and I gave up.

    *2nd Update: They sent me to collections for an amount in excess of $4,000. I first learned of this when my credit score dropped by over 20 points and I saw the collections account on my credit report. I never received prior notification and I have no idea how they arrived at this balance. I filed a Better Business Bureau complaint and Integrity acknowledged that the situation is “unfortunate,” but they will do absolutely nothing to correct their own error.

    It’s hard enough to own a small business so don’t partner with a company like Integrity that will literally steal money out of your pocket and destroy your personal credit.

    This post will help: How to Make Your Payment Processor Release Your Money

    -Phillip

  • Darryl Dash

    I was raised if you don’t have anything nice to say, “Don’t Say Anything” I will have to make an exception to this rule on this day for this company. This has been a very bad experience due to the way a charge back is being handled from the risk dept. Freezing my deposits is unacceptable on all levels. The fact that I have never has one in 7 years of mu business makes it worst.
    Unacceptable on all levels.


    From The Editor
    This Post Might Help: How to Make Your Payment Processor Release Your Money

  • Michael H

    What a ridiculous time I had trying to deal with these jokers. They sold me on the idea of smaller shop and more attention and great attention to partners. Super responsive during the sales process and then after signed up, terrible response times and most people seemed somewhat clueless about their own internal processes. I was literally on board for one week and ran three transactions of current costumers that are solid and used them as my first transactions to get started processing since I knew there wouldn’t be a problem with solid, confirmed customer transactions. Wrong! I was told by the doofus who was helping me to get setup that he added “Money Express” to my account meaning I would see deposits the same day. So when I ran my first transactions and my deposits didn’t show up by close if business, he didn’t bother to check into it, he just said oh it’s because your close of business in Authorize.net it set to midnight. Well doofus unfortunately thinks everyone must be wrong since they aren’t as experienced as him. Unfortunately, doofus is grossly uninformed.Then he said by default they are all set to midnight. Actually, this is completely false and by default Authorize.net sets accounts close of business at 4pm, PST. Now I’m beginning to think ether doofus delicately attempts to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes or he is literally operating at a lower level of brain function. We are talking pre-amphibian here. Stunned by his lacking the actual facts, I went along with it and based on his promises, would check my deposits the next day (Friday). Doofus also said he would follow up with me the next day to ensure I’m taken care of and that things are running smoothly. Nothing from the guy the next day, so I call customer service to find out what’s going on with my deposits. I find out that the risk management department has held my funds because the maximum ticket amounts on my account were set at $200. Ok fine, I understand if thresholds are set and right out of the gate those are exceeded. So I attempted to call doofus to let him know what was happening to my account. He said “Yes, now this is where I can really help. (Oh that’s just great I’m thinking) I’ve know the manager in risk manager for 10 years and this happens all the time.” (Ok so they are so out of touch with new customers and a solid on-boarding process that this happens all the time. Great! ). Doofus continues “We will absolutely get this taken care of Monday and your funds will get deposited. I’ll make it happen. I know exactly what the guy in risk management needs TJ hear. I will call you at 11am Monday to confirm we are all good. pushed through and your deposits on Monday.” Monday rolls around and I spent about an hour putting together a very detailed email with supporting documentation for the transactions because I do understand exceeding maximum ticket amounts and that was on me to clarify. Even so, they were definitely legitimate transactions and only three, so this could have been resolved pretty easily. Doofus never calls, so I call him and I also had copied him on the email in the morning. No response. Doofus has gone dark on me and I’m a new business with paying customers and I’m ready to roll. Yet, I’m completely halted because doofus and company can’t even return a phone call. So I get on the horn again with the woman who is handling my “case” and ironically every time I call her (which is three times now) she was just about to dial my number. Yeah, likely story. So anyway, I ask her if she was able to go through my email and if it was sufficient enough support to release funds. Then suddenly she doesn’t know who I am and has to verify me. But wait, I thought we were buddies and you were about to call me. Anyway, she tells me she hasn’t received the email so I remind her she has a junk folder and to check it. She digs up my email from her junk folder and begins to review. Ok she says, I’ll go over it in the next day or two with “underwriting.” OH no! Not the bemoaned underwriting department! So I ask her what happened to the big promises doofus made on Friday. From there it was just robotic and scripted replies. Still no call back from doofus! Well I decided to cancel my account. I guess doofus is off pretending he’s something he’s not. If you’re a merchant and you want to be handled with professionalism and confidence and not just a bunch of upfront glad handing and then your account dropped into the complete abyss, then I would absolutely go elsewhere. I’m very familiar with merchant processing and I understand there are processes and protocols in place for a reason, i.e. the regretted chargeback. Come on though this was literally 3 transactions and not very large and my first transactions with this company. A little better management of my expectations could have gone a long way. Heck even an email reply or returned phone call from doofus probably would have saved the account. Better luck next time!


    From The Editor
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  • Rodney

    I too dealt with Jonathon Alff, took money from me separate of Integrity and nobody knows how to get it back, you would think they would get rid of him, so it now goes against both of them , stay away form this company

  • Jules Klein

    Integrity Payment systems has NO INTEGRITY!! They will steal your money in fees and never let you out of your agreement until you are bankrupt. Take a look at the home of John and Kristen Ahlf, see link: [REDACTED – personal attack] They didnt get that home by working hard…they got it by scamming people and lying to their customers and the bank. Google their names, you will see lawsuits in other states.There are arrest records…don’t believe me…look it up!! Don’t trust them!!!

  • nestor carranza

    Integrity cause my business to almost close because they kept holding my funds even after verifying the customer. I had to change providers and had to pay them $600 hundred dollars to terminate my my count with them. They also cost me hundreds of dollars on overdraft fee. Dealing with them was nightmare. I will never recommend them and i plan to share my ecperience with any one that’s looking to get merchant services. They are not there to protect you. They are there only to protect themselves.

  • Shanen

    Been using integrity for about 6 months. Had a few hiccups early on and once they were fixed everything has been great. Gotta give a shoutout to Luis Franco for the amazing customer service on several occasions

  • Michael

    I know people that use this company as a merchant. I hear complaint after complaint about how the equipment has issues, They can’t close the account, after finally closing they still charge closed accounts on following months, refund doesn’t show up, another charge shows up next month, and it keeps going.

    This company is like a bad marriage, followed by a nasty divorce. You try to get rid of it and it will never go away and keep causing you problems. It is obvious that they play games and steal your money. If you call to cancel, you should cancel!!!!

    I am so annoyed with this company and I don’t even use them. you shouldn’t have to worry about this when you are running a business. If you already started services with these crooks I feel very sorry for you.

  • melissa schmidtbauer

    I will never use the company again. They closed our old account because of their new system in Nov. 2016. Gave us a new account number in Nov. 2016 but they are still deducting funds in Dec. for fees from the old account. I called on 12/8 to report the error and I have not received the refund as of 12/22/16. I am closing the account!!

  • John Morman

    Do not go near Integrity Payment Systems. We switched to IPS in October 2015 when we were told we had to upgrade to Chip and PIN machines. It took until October 2016 to get machines… “Industry wide software issues”, we were told. The chip and PIN machines have never worked reliably and we have spent literally days on hold or in circular discussions with IPS trying to fix the problems.

    Then we got a very large order from a family member which IPS called us about, “to verify”. They have refused to release our funds, despite being furnished with documentation proving this is a valid purchase. Of course, they have taken the funds from the family member’s account.

    Don’t trust them with your money. I wish I never had.

  • Beverly Herb

    Integrity has been holding our money for 7 days now. I called & asked where my money is & she said it has to be authorized. WTF. It’s my money, not yours. I earned it!! We have been using them for awhile now & this is the 3rd time they have done this. My customer is a fleet customer, so we process pymts weekly. They have caused numerous fees on my bank account cause they are holding my money!! Never have bothered to pay me back!!! Beware!!!

  • James

    Used Integrity (or a lack there of) for almost 9 years. We have no contract with them and canceled their service to save money on transactions and not have a rental fee on the terminal. We did not process any cards with Integrity for the entire month of October 2016. In November, Integrity stole $69.44 from our bank account (without notice or any authorization) claiming the charge was for account fees, since our account was still open during the beginning of October. Theft is illegal regardless of the reason and punishable by law. I will file charges with authorities for this illegal withdrawl from our account. STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY !

  • Randa

    We had a man named Andrew come into our shop a few months ago, he convinced us to start going through integrity to save money and that we would get all of our funds that we made that day immediately, that was the first lie. After we found out that we couldn’t get our funds immediately we asked him to come take the machine and take us out of the system, he told us he would send his mother or sister to come get it since he was already on his way back to Florida, they never did. Now we’ve had over $500 taken from our account due to not returning the machine, we didn’t even approve of these transactions. Now they’re telling us that they might not be able to refund our money by the time rent is due, this Friday. Starting to think there should be lawsuits filed against this company immediately.

  • James J.

    Just started processing with integrity last week. I am now owed over 5,000.$ because they will not repost my money. I have tried repeatedly to get this matter closed with integrity. I get answers like we have your money and it will be sent today and I receive nothing. This is a group of idiots and crooks avoid them at all costs.

  • Michael Allenby

    Integrity Payment Systems is to be avoided at all costs. The processing is fine. The problems start when you need to call them or speak to them for anything whatsoever. God forbid you should need new equipment or try to get them to do ANYTHING other than automatically process your credit card transactions. They have an automated phone system and apparently are completely overwhelmed. You will just sit on the phone for hours. If someone does come to the phone and they promise to send you something like new equipment or return mailing labels you’ll not get them. And their won’t be any record of your request when you call back. I finally had enough of the bovine excrement and dumped them and went back to Bank of America. They answer the phone 24/7 unlike “Integrity” who keep bankers hours. That means if you need to speak to them, nights, weekends or holidays you might as well not bother. I ordered some new card readers and they never sent them. I tried reaching them by phone for weeks and was unable to do so. I ended up faxing them a letter asking them if they were going to send the equipment. A week went by and not a word. I decided right then and there to drop them. I called BOA and saved up my credit card business for two weeks. Then, out of the blue with ZERO COMMUNICATION WHATSOEVER… not a call not an e-mail nothing, the card readers appeared at my door! This was after I sent them an e-mail telling them not to bother sending me anything, as I no longer need their equipment. What a joke these people are. I FINALLY reached someone on the phone to let them know I was moving on to a credit card processor that was more customer service oriented and was told they would send out return mailing labels for the new equipment I now no longer needed. As usual, the labels never came because nobody bothered to follow up on my request. I eventually had to wrote them a not so nice letter before they figured out I was the person in charge of MY business and THEY no longer had my business. Eventually they sent me a box and return labels for the two mobile card readers I wanted to return to them. Yes, I sent them UPS trackable! Just today I had to call my business card credit card company to file a dispute over the charge for the card readers. I’m currently fighting with them to refund me the amount they deducted for the purchase of the card readers that were returned last month. The person I was dealing with ignores my e-mail requesys. NO I DO NOT suggest that you use Integrity Payment Systems as you credit card processor unless you like incompetent people that cost you time and money that you could put to much better use building your business. These jokers have not heard the last from me.


    Are you with Integrity Payment Systems? Learn how to resolve this complaint.

  • Jon Jeffers

    I was supposedly set up by Kristen Ahlf to get a processing terminal at no cost to me. There was no fee for not using it. Integrity Payment Services right away started taking money from my account. Kristen Ahlf never answered my call. Then I called again because she never brought me the equipment. She said she had tried. Then she said she would send it,which she never did. I called IPS. They said they would refund my fees, which they didn’t. They still kept taking money from my account. I’ve called both the IPS and Kristen Ahlf with no results. What a scam


    Are you with Integrity Payment Systems? Learn how to resolve this complaint.

  • Glenn Kushner

    I have never written a review in my 47 years on this earth, but this company and the people we dealt with compelled me to write this.

    In one sentence, Integrity was making decisions about whether or not our (customer approved) money should be deposited into our account and when. I have been in business a long time with a rock solid foundation and this is a sure way to be out of business.

    If i could save one business or person from the aggravation, chase, uneasy and just horrible experience we went through, this was worth it. These are kind words – BTW)

    Whether you are a new business or established business, stay away. You have enough on your plate, this should not be something you have to worry about. There are many other processors in the market.


    Are you with Integrity Payment Systems? Learn how to resolve this complaint.

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