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(866) 341-5472
Company Overview
Founded in 2007, Merchant Account Solutions is a merchant account provider that is simply a DBA of International Card Services and Integrated Card Service. Integrated Card Service is rated as low as some of the worst merchant account providers on CPO. Merchant Account Solutions is located at the same address as Integrated Card Service and resells iPayment/First Data (Fiserv) products and services such as Clover POS. It is also powered by POS Pros, a seller of point-of-sale systems that may simply be a DBA of Merchant Account Solutions. As of our most recent update, the Merchant Account Solutions profile on the BBB website has been renamed to POS Pros and the MAS website is listing the company as “Powered by POS Pros”.
Merchant Account Solutions Point of Sale
Merchant Account Solutions offers extensive point-of-sale solutions. These include Clover tablets, SmartSwipe iOS and Android-based terminals for retail and restaurant businesses, LightSpeed iOS and Mac-based terminals for restaurants and bars, PC America PC-based terminals for restaurants and bars, and Verifone Ruby PC-based terminals for gas stations. They also offer credit card machines (swipers) and mobile swipers from PAX, Ingenico, and Verifone, and the Poynt POS system.
Location & Ownership
Merchant Account Solutions is a registered ISO/MSP of Wells Fargo Bank, Concord, CA, and is headquartered at 101 Hodencamp Road, #203, Thousand Oaks, California 91360. Chris Antonsen is the president of Merchant Account Solutions, while John Kennedy is the company’s CEO.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Offers month-to-month plans with no cancellation fees and…
- Complaints & Service: Has received more than 50 public complaints regarding…
- BBB Rating: The BBB website is under the name POS Pros, and it has an “A+” rating but has received 15 complaints and 51 reviews in regards to its…
- Sales & Marketing: Appears to hire independently contracted agents and has received a moderate-to-high number of complaints about its…
Merchant Account Solutions Reviews and Complaints
Here's What Their Clients Say
Complaint Summary
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Total Online Complaints
50+
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Live Customer Support
Yes
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Most Common Complaint
Hidden Fees
|
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Recent Lawsuits
No
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Moderate Complaint Total
We are currently able to locate over 50 negative Merchant Account Solutions reviews on this and other consumer protection websites, and some of these complaints accuse the company of being a ripoff or a scam. We have included reviews posted about Integrated Card Service because there does not appear to be a significant difference between the two entities. If you have your own Merchant Account Solutions review to make, please do so in the comments below.
What Clients Complain About
Common themes found across all complaints include nondisclosure of fees, misrepresentation of rates, excessive cancellation penalties, and poor customer service. These issues are cited so consistently that they most likely stem from the company’s standard policies rather than a few unscrupulous salespeople.
Merchant Account Solutions Lawsuits
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Merchant Account Solutions. Dissatisfied clients that wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Merchant Account Solutions Customer Support Options
Merchant Account Solutions offers phone and email support, but it does not list its hours of availability.
Merchant Account Solutions Customer Service Numbers
- (800) 457-2507 – Toll-Free General Customer Service
Other Support Options
- Customer support form
- Customer service email at [email protected]
In any case, the company does not rank as a top merchant account for great customer service at this time. Due to its moderate-to-high complaint total and the content of the available complaints, we have given it a “D” rating in this section.
Merchant Account Solutions BBB Rating and Report
Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment
BBB Summary
|
BBB Reports
44
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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.
Over 20 Complaints
Merchant Account Solutions has a profile under POS Pros and has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since May 2015, currently holding an “A+” rating. The company’s profile is currently showing 22 complaints in the last 36 months.
What Merchants Say
In addition to those 22 complaints, Merchant Account Solutions has also received 22 informal reviews on its BBB profile. 9 of those reviews are positive while 13 are negative. However, it should be noted that these reviews are not authenticated by the BBB. Many of the negative reviews are recent, and the most recent details unexpected charges and difficulty closing an account:
Non compliant fees even though they said I was compliant. When I switched systems they continued to charge me even though I was inactive. I called them to dispute charges and they said I never filed out the closure form. I filled it out the same day and returned it. Waited a couple days to be sure it closed and to request a refund as I was told to do. On that call they said they never got my form. So they resend and I fill it out and return immediately. I wait a couple more days to ensure closure and to request refund again. Now they say the form is missing the merchant ID and they have to resend the form. I fill it out and return immediately once again. Finally after almost 2 weeks of this I get an email that it is closed but now I have been charged for 2 months of service I didn’t use. I called again after this notice to see about the refund and they said no chance of that.
Clients who are unsatisfied with their current payment solutions should take the proper steps to cancel their merchant account without a cancellation fee.
A “C” Performance Overall
In light of the company’s complaint total and resolution ratio, we have adjusted the BBB’s rating to a “C.”
Merchant Account Solutions Fees and Rates
A Closer Look at the Contract
Cost Summary
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Cancellation Penalties
Yes
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Monthly & Annual Fees
Yes
|
Processing Rates
Variable
|
|
Equipment Leasing
Yes
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Contract-Free Plans
At the time of our last update to this review, the standard Merchant Account Solutions contract appears to be a three-year agreement through iPayment with a monthly minimum fee of $25, an annual fee of $99, and a monthly minimum fee of $4.95. However, the company’s website now advertises month-to-month plans without a contract. It is unclear if the company still utilizes iPayment and if the monthly minimum applies, but it seems the company no longer charges early termination or annual fees.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, Merchant Account Solutions also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway services through Authorize.Net. A standard Authorize.Net agreement charges a rate of 2.90 plus $0.30, a monthly gateway fee of $25, and a batch fee of $0.10. However, as a reseller of these services, Merchant Account Solutions may reserve the right to alter these terms and conditions.
Client Dissatisfaction
In general, businesses consistently report that Merchant Account Solutions charges more than advertised for its services and imposes a sizable early termination fee for all accounts. These complaints align with public complaints filed against Integrated Card Service and other iPayment resellers and are compounded by allegations that the company’s terms are inadequately disclosed by sales agents. We have therefore given Merchant Account Solutions a “D” rating in this section, and we do not consider its pricing to be competitive with the cheapest merchant accounts available. We also encourage business owners to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant accounts.
The array of products offered by Merchant Account Solutions.
Merchant Account Solutions Jobs and Employment
Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment
Key Points
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Uses Independent Resellers
Yes
|
Telemarketing
Yes
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Misleading Marketing
Yes
|
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Discloses All Important Terms
No
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Independent Sales Agents
Like Integrated Card Service, Merchant Account Solutions primarily utilizes independent sales agents to market its products. This practice usually results in complaints, and, predictably, we have found a significant number of negative Merchant Account Solutions reviews related to misrepresentation and nondisclosure of fees. Clients specifically state that their actual rates are much higher than the rates quoted by sales agents and that a large number of undisclosed fees appear on their monthly statements after they begin processing. These reports are consistent with complaints filed against Integrated Card Service. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
Incomplete Rate Quotes
The Merchant Account Solutions website currently advertises rates “starting at 0.35%.” This rate is likely the company’s “Qualified” debit rate and does not apply to the “Mid-Qualified” and “Non-Qualified” transactions that make up the majority of payments. We consider this type of selective rate quoting to be deceptive because it could give merchants an unrealistic expectation of the rates they will pay. If you suspect that Merchant Account Solutions is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking an independent, third-party statement audit.
Average Performance
Due to the company’s industry-average sales approach and complaint record across three brand names, we have assigned Merchant Account Solutions the same grade as Integrated Card Service in this category: a “C.”
Merchant Account Solutions Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts and Opinions
Merchant Account Solutions rates as a substandard credit card processing provider according to our rating criteria. The company is simply a DBA of Integrated Card Service (an iPayment reseller with a very low rating on CPO), and the available client feedback regarding Merchant Account Solutions suggests that nothing has changed under the new brand. Businesses are advised to request and review all contract terms and to compare them to top-rated options before signing up with any provider.
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Customer & Employee Reviews
What Others Are Saying About Merchant Account Solutions