Money Tree Merchant Services 2023: Reviews & Complaints
(800) 253-9679 Multiple Different Locations
Money Tree Merchant Services is a difficult merchant account provider to review because there are several companies using the “Money Tree” brand name. At the time of this review, it is unclear if all the companies are related to one another or if they are completely independent. In all likelihood, Money Tree (which may be owned by Total Merchant Services) probably allows all of its independent resellers and agents to operate under its brand name, which would explain why there are several websites and business listings for “Money Tree Merchant Services.” Here are the websites we have located:
- moneytreemerchantservices.com (Appears to be the parent company website)
- moneytms.com
- merchantpaymentsolutions4u.com
- universalpaymentprocessing.com
Article Summary
Before we dive in, here’s a short summary of what we’ll cover:
- Money Tree Merchant Services is the name of several businesses, probably all resellers of the parent company.
- Money Tree Merchant Services’ various payment processing services.
- The company has not received a large number of complaints, but it has received a consistent stream of complaints about its telemarketing. However, it’s unclear if this is from the parent company or one of the branches.
- The company’s contract appears competitive, but again, the different branches will likely have different contracts.
Related Articles
Money Tree Merchant Services Payment Processing
Money Tree Merchant Services processes all major debit and credit cards for most business types. Their services include EMV card readers/swipers, mobile solutions, access to the Authorize.Net payment gateway, e-check processing, cash advances, gift and loyalty programs, viral marketing services, and QuickBooks integration.
Mobile Payment Solutions
The company offers mobile payment options through the Hypercom M4230 wireless swiper and the Payment Jack cell phone swiper. These solutions are designed to work on various networks and devices, including iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android.
Software Integration
Money Tree Merchant Services offers free QuickBooks Pro software to help businesses manage invoices, track sales, and process credit card transactions. This software package integrates various aspects of point-of-sale transactions.
E-commerce Gateway
For online businesses, the company provides a free Authorize.net e-commerce gateway. This gateway is designed to facilitate secure online payments and is suitable for businesses that transact online or through mail or phone orders.
Equipment Reprogramming
The company offers free reprogramming of existing equipment and promises a rate comparison guarantee. If they can’t offer better rates, businesses can still take advantage of other value-added services.
Additional Cashflow Services
Money Tree Merchant Services offers electronic check processing and merchant cash advances ranging from $1,500 to $150,000. They also provide gift and loyalty card programs.
Viral Marketing
The company offers FanMinder viral marketing services to help businesses acquire new customers quickly.
Possible Affiliation With Global Payments
This review will focus on the information provided by what appears to be the parent company website, moneytreemerchantservices.com. It appears that Money Tree primarily resells the services of Global Payments, Inc., although we were unable to confirm this as of this update. In May 2017, Total Merchant Services was acquired by North American Bancard, making Money Tree a reseller of North American Bancard products.
Location & Ownership
Money Tree Merchant Services is headquartered at 21650 Oxnard St, Suite 700, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. The company is a registered ISO of Wells Fargo Bank, NA, Walnut Creek, CA. Marty Adelson is listed as the owner of Money Tree Merchant Services and Lawrence Bruno is listed as the CEO/president.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Offers a month-to-month contract with no early termination fees and…
- Complaints & Service: Complaints number more than 10 on…
- BBB Rating: The company’s profile has been mostly folded into…
- Sales & Marketing: Appears to hire independent sales representatives and has…
Money Tree Merchant Services Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Online Complaints | 10+ |
| Live Customer Support | Yes |
| Most Common Complaint | Telemarketing |
| Recent Lawsuits | No |
Low Complaint Total
There are relatively few negative Money Tree Merchant Services reviews for a business its size, but the many offshoots of the parent company may distribute some of its complaints among obscure brand names. Additionally, Money Tree’s unclear relationship with Global Payments and Total Merchant Services might result in some complaints being directed at those companies rather than Money Tree. Overall, the negative Money Tree Merchant Services reviews appear to be inconsistent and location-specific. If you have your own Money Tree Merchant Services review to make, please do so below.
Money Tree Merchant Services Lawsuits and Fines
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Money Tree Merchant Services. Dissatisfied readers who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Money Tree Merchant Services Customer Support Options
Clicking the “Online Merchant Statement” button under the “Support” tab on the company’s website loads a login page hosted by Global Payments, which seems to indicate that Global Payments handles Money Tree’s customer support to some degree. There is also a customer support hotline available on the Money Tree website.
Money Tree Merchant Services Customer Service Numbers
- (888) 361-0801 – Toll-Free Customer Support
- (800) 253-9679 – Sales Office
- (800) 398-1709 – Fax
Other Support Options
- Support form
Overall, the lack of public Money Tree Merchant Services complaints is a positive sign, but there isn’t enough reliable information available about the company to consider it a top payment processor for customer service.
Money Tree Merchant Services Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| BBB Reports | 16 |
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.
Multiple BBB Profiles
The Better Business Bureau currently maintains one profile for a small Money Tree Merchant Services sales office in Newbury Park, California. This profile receives an “A+” rating but does not appear to be representative of the organization overall. The Better Business Bureau previously maintained a profile for the company’s “main” branch, but it eventually folded these complaints into the BBB profile for Total Merchant Services.
Less Than 20 Complaints
Total Merchant Services has an “A+” with the BBB despite receiving 16 complaints in the past 36 months. Of these 16 complaints, only 3 were resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant.
What Merchants Say
Total Merchant Services has also received 0 informal reviews in the last 3 years. A previous negative review described a former employee’s experience with the company using slamming tactics:
I use to work for this company when it was in Colorado. They had independent sales agents that would go out and get merchants signed up and lie to them stating that there was not a yearly contract and there was! Then the agent would make $500 for signing a business up and leave them high and dry! I worked in their call center and the staff in the call center were rude and even hung up on clients! When I went to report this to my manager and no results I went to their manager and no results! So I went into the HR person who hired me and she seemed to know nothing about any of this! I really couldn’t believe that she could be so in the dark. I have great customer service skills and would NEVER stay with a company that treated their customers like that! I was always taught that your customers where like GOLD! SO left. It’s been years now, I just happened to wander onto the company reviews and though I would share my experience! DO NOT SIGN UP WITH THIS COMPANY! Maybe they sold, or got new management? However, looking at the reviews it doesn’t look like it!
Slamming is one of the worst practices in the processing industry.
A “C” Performance Overall
Given the fact that Money Tree’s complaints are now grouped with those of Total Merchant Services, we will assign Money Tree the same CPO-adjusted BBB rating of “C” that we have awarded to Total Merchant Services.
Money Tree Merchant Services Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Item | Result | >
|---|---|
| Cancellation Penalties | No |
| Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes |
| Processing Rates | Variable |
| Equipment Leasing | Yes |
Variable Contract Terms
The standard Money Tree Merchant Services contract offers a month-to-month agreement with no termination fees or annual fees but includes a $25 monthly minimum, a $5 monthly service charge, a monthly PCI Compliance fee of $4.95 after the first year, and a tiered pricing schedule. Although these terms are very attractive to most businesses, contract terms will likely vary between the different companies using the Money Tree name. For instance, some online Money Tree Merchant Services complaints mention a termination fee despite the language on the parent company’s site.
The merchant agreement also details equipment lease terms offered by Global Direct, the leasing division of Global Payments. However, the Money Tree Merchant Services website dedicates a portion of its website to advertising “free equipment” options. According to the company’s website, Money Tree Merchant Services does not enforce a lease agreement through Global Direct or another third-party equipment provider.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing
In addition to its storefront payment processing services, Money Tree Merchant Services also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway services through Authorize.Net. A standard agreement with Authorize.Net includes a rate of 2.90% plus $0.30, a $25 monthly gateway fee, and a batch fee of $0.10.
However, as a reseller of these services, Money Tree Merchant Services reserves the right to alter these terms and conditions. This is evident from the company’s e-commerce pricing schedule. Under this pricing structure, merchants are charged a qualified rate of 1.89% plus $0.10 for debit or 1.89% plus $.22 for credit purchases made on virtual terminals. Debit rates can be as high as 3.04% + $0.10 for debit or 3.04 plus $0.22 for credit transactions under the mid-qualified rate. Non-qualified rates are assessed at 3.69% plus $0.10 or 3.69% plus $0.22 for debit or credit transactions. The company also applies its $25 monthly minimum, PCI compliance, and service fees to its e-commerce portal, along with a $10 monthly gateway fee, and a $2 monthly statement fee if a merchant asks for one by mail. Though the company charges a lower gateway fee than Authorize.Net and no batch fee, the Money Tree Merchant Services rates could be significantly higher for many clients. Business owners dealing with resellers are encouraged to negotiate lower rates.
Be Sure to Read Your Agreement
Given the variable nature of Money Tree contracts and the limited information available, businesses are advised to carefully review the terms of any contract they are given. In our view, it is unlikely that Money Tree’s merchant agreements will compete with those offered by the cheapest merchant account providers. We also encourage business owners to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant accounts.
Money Tree Merchant Services Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Uses Independent Resellers | Yes |
| Telemarketing | Yes |
| Misleading Marketing | No |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Multiple Resellers
Money Tree appears to use independent sales agents to sell its services, although the exact nature of its agent/affiliates program is unclear. Generally speaking, this practice can result in a team of unregulated or untrained agents who often push costly contracts and fail to disclose contract terms. Additionally, the proliferation of smaller businesses that use the Money Tree name and logo indicates that the parent company may have numerous sub-ISOs. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
Telemarketing Complaints for the New York Location
In the last two years, the Plainview, New York location of Money Tree has seen a spike in public Facebook complaints. These Money Tree Merchant Services complaints almost uniformly cite persistent, unwanted phone calls to businesses. Clients claim that the calls continue even after the company has been asked to stop calling them. This is a fairly common complaint in negative Money Tree Merchant Services review, and it likely stems from the company’s use of independent sales reps.
Mixed Reviews
The unclear structure of Money Tree’s operation and its possible use of independent sales agents inclines us to award it an average “B” grade in this category. If you suspect that you are being charged improperly disclosed Money Tree Merchant Services fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden charges.
Our Money Tree Merchant Services Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
There isn’t a lot of information available about Money Tree as a credit card processing company, but there are numerous sites using the Money Tree name and logo. It’s likely that Money Tree is reselling the services of Global Payments or Total Merchant Services, although this, too, is not explicitly detailed on the company’s many sites. As always, businesses are advised to carefully examine the terms of any Money Tree contract they are given and compare them to top-rated credit card processors.
If you found this article helpful, please share it!
About The Author
Your Comments & Reviews
How Did Money Tree Merchant Services Treat You?7 Responses
Leave a reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Copyright
Copyright © 2023 CardPaymentOptions.com, Inc. (Digital Fingerprint: 0d38c6720f0d78a701b74d58653af608). Getting paid to re-write this page? Click here to earn a reward.
Any unauthorized copying and reproduction of the content of this page, including all meta data and computer code, is strictly prohibited. While the information in the above article is believed to be accurate as of its publish date, the author and publisher make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents. The author and publisher shall in no event be held liable to any party for any direct, indirect, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of this material, which is provided “as is,” and without warranties. Any and all use of trade names and/or marks are for identification purposes only and shall not be construed as a claim of affiliation, or otherwise, with CardPaymentOptions.com, Inc. ("CPO") in any form. The sole purpose of the material presented herein is to alert, educate, and inform readers. It is not intended as legal or financial advice. We may earn revenue if you obtain services from a provider that we recommend. See this page to learn how we support our operations.
Peter Hawman
They adversise via text-message spamming from disposable phone numbers, and get rude and hang up if you call to ask for the spamming to stop… they also lie through their teeth, making all sorts of bogus claims about where they get the numbers and who actually sent the text message and even claiming they screen the national do-not-call list even though they clearly have absolutely no idea how it works. Considering the number of blatant lies I was told over the course of a few minutes, I can’t imagine why ANYONE does business with these jerks!
Thuy Rodriguez
Worst company to do business with. 8 years of loyalty fighting off numerous solicitations to change merchant services and they treat us like dirt! My husband wrote a review and they replied that they would credit it back if the machine was returned but when I called in, they said they had no intention of crediting. The replies they publish must only be for optics because we have not received credit. For those interested, here is the tracking info: USPS 9502 6066 7836 9214 1040 23. We closed our account the end of May and received instructions to return. A week later, we reopened our account so disregarded the letter saying we had 10 days to return or be charged. We then needed to officially close our account at the end of June and were told to wait for instructions to return. We waited. First part of August we get a call from collections, Jill Dutkiewics-Windholtz, who calls our salon and says she is with some bank card company. We dismiss the call as another solicitation since we get them daily. She calls back aggressively to the point we threaten calling the police for attempting to scan a business. She never identified herself as our merchant services Cononosopy that we have been with for so long and name we would recognize. We then get an email saying we owe $1,200 for not returning our terminal. The date of the original notice she is working off is for the first time we cancelled service. It is dated May 24 and our account was reopened May 31. She now refuses to answer questions or emails stating we hung up on her and therefore has nothing to discuss with us. What to do now??? We call in and do our best to explain how unfair this all is and we were told that we should have followed the return instructions from the first notice even though we were told to wait for new instructions when we closed the end of June. Even thou they record all of their phone calls, they are unwilling to listen to our last conversation with them where they clearly state to wait for instructions. How is this good business when we are told one thing and then penalized for doing it. The VERY first opportunity we had to return the machine is when we were sent an email we were already in collections. We sent the machine back in the mail the same day. They truly are scamming us because they are attempting to extract money from us while the circumstances are not fair and they fee they have leverage… Please be warned!!!!! It appears I am not the only one
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Adam Fox
Very shadey marketing practices. I was SO unimpressed with their come-on that I would NEVER use or recommend this company. If this is how they advertise I can only imagine how they would treat customers.
Nicole B
This company refuses to tell me how they came across my business #. They also will not remove me from their listings. THIS IS HARRASSMENT. STOP CALLING EVERYDAY!
Jwm
Terrible company. They have lost deposits, failed to replace broken/defective equipment, and failed to honor the merchant agreement.
Gregory Crittendon
Filed against :
Money Tree Merchant Services
255 Gold Rivers Ct 3rd Fl
Basalt CO 81621-9257
Complaint Description:
Did not deposit funds in our account for twelve (12) days and this is outside of the contract terms. Per the contract I signed on 2/22/13 for Critt’s Hog Heaven (Merchant ID: XXXXXXXXXX), funds were to be dispursed from the credit card transactions within 72 hours. The merchant claimed initially that there was something wrong with my bank account and they could not retrieve less than $5 from my account. My application was submitted online by the representative that had a cancelled check. On March 7, 2013, the so-called issue was resolved after I sent them a fax with my banking information again, and I received a text message from the representative that the money would be deposited by 3/12/13. I called today (3/12/13) and they stated that they will not deposit my money until 3/18/13. My bank verified that there were no issues on their end and they still refused to honor the contract and submit my funds of $810.62. Their nonchanlant attitude is even more disturbing and my bank branch manager was on the phone with me and could not believe what she was hearing from Ben Parker (Funding Dept./ID:9372). The Sales Representative is Freddie D’Leon and he basically stated that he doesn’t handle the transaction portion of the account and he has to go along with whatever funding says. He stated that they had not done anything wrong! The address to the local office is 5900 E. Virginia Beach, Suite 102, Norfolk, VA 23502.
obaid
Money Tree is the worst company ever! I had a Hypercom 4001, which went down. Money Tree knew of the issue for days, but failed to tell its customers. When I called the tech support rep. told me he will ship a new machine to me. It took a month, but no new machine. They even don’t know where and when they shipped the machine…so, had to find a new merchant service…