In the late 2000s, as a broke college student struggling to make ends meet, I was contacted by a merchant services company after uploading my resume to a job listings website. This company promised substantial commissions and ongoing residual income for simply persuading businesses to accept credit card payments. It seemed straightforward enough—after all, what business doesn’t need to process credit card payments? Following a phone interview with a persuasive “sales director,” I found myself embarking on what I believed would be an easy job that would significantly boost my bank account with reliable monthly income and large sales commissions. However, the lessons I learned would profoundly change my life in ways I could never have imagined.
After completing my sales training, I hit the ground running, eager to make sales. This broke college student was determined to improve his financial situation! My first attempt at a cold call, with no prior appointment, ended with a burly man in his 50s yelling at me to leave, claiming he had been “totally robbed” by someone like me before. As I hastily exited, puzzled and intimidated by his reaction, I couldn’t help but wonder what he meant. Throughout the day, I encountered similar hostility from other business owners, all expressing disdain for the industry I had been so excited to join that morning. Confused and curious, I decided to shift my approach from selling to listening.
I quickly uncovered that the merchant services sector was riddled with unethical practices, including hidden fees, deceptive marketing, fine-print traps, and much more. It dawned on me that I had nearly been tricked by a dubious company into selling overpriced services under contracts with long-term commitments, all without being fully aware of what I was promoting. Outraged, I resigned from that company but learned that there were indeed ethical credit card processing companies that treated their clients fairly. Over the next four years, I worked for one such company, assisting hundreds of businesses in securing cost-effective processing solutions. Yet, I also met many more who had been misled and trapped in onerous service agreements. Determined to help people steer clear of these unscrupulous providers, I launched this website in my spare time, dedicating myself to researching and sharing my findings on every merchant account provider I could investigate.
Gradually, more and more business owners began to discover my articles. As word spread, search engines started to rank my content highly, amplifying its reach. My efforts were making a difference! Eventually, the website garnered enough traffic to enable me to leave my job and focus on it full-time, a journey that has now spanned over a decade. This path has not been without its challenges; unscrupulous company owners have tried to intimidate and sue me into silence on several occasions. Yet, I have stood firm against each threat. Here I am, continuing to publish reviews and articles, hoping to safeguard others from the pitfalls of the credit card processing industry.
If you believe in my mission and wish to contribute, please share my articles on your websites and social media. Thank you for visiting!
Terri Petter
Hidden fees that they say did not exist. Customer service was horrible. Then trying to cancel the card was almost impossible. Do NOT use these guys.
—
Are you with Optimal Bankcard? Learn how to resolve this complaint.
Denise Humphries
DO NOT USE OPTIMAL BANKCARD services they are the worst company. Not only do they debt your account without any notification of extra fee’s . Their CSR will lie to you and offer no help. I was charged $144.22 in fee’s when I called them they said they would waive a $99.00 fee and credit my account NEVER HAPPENED !!!!!!!! Made several calls and one CSR told me I would get that credit then when I call again they said I will not get credit.
Also their equipment is old and out dated had to replace mine 3 times in one year and they wanted to charge shipping. DO NOT USE THEM !
—
Are you with Optimal Bankcard? Learn how to resolve this complaint.
ROBERT HERNANDEZ
Well my story seems to be the same as all of those previous stories. Used Optimal for two days to give them a chance for my business. When the funds had not been deposited for over a week I called my sales rep direct to ask about my business’ deposits after getting nowhere with the csr. He stated it was my bank holding up the deposits and his company no longer had the funds. After 2 more days I called to cancel, got the usual run around fill out this form send that form email another while standing on my head and chanting like a yogi. Now 8 months later and they hit me with a 114.00 fee. Now I am pissed. How a business can do these things to small business is beyond me, what’s worse is that they seem to be getting away with it. Meeting with my attorney tonight, lets see what he thinks. Class action anyone? By the way their internal number is 1-800-705-2559 option 3 for customer service. The company that owns Optimal Bankcard is Evo Payments International in NY and Addison Tx. Avoid them and all subsidiaries. Good luck to all who uses this company for transactions.
—
Are you with Optimal Bankcard? Learn how to resolve this complaint.
Steve
Even though I have confirmation they closed my account, they continue to charge me fees. I am going to open a class action lawsuit.
Terri Petter
Horrible customer service and then they charge you fees they say they were not going to. Terminals are old and dont like to work.
Steve
Here is how to cancel.
Send certified mail to 3801 Arapaho Rd., Addison, TX 75001
Signed letter with your merchant account # and reason for cancellation.
also email [email protected] and [email protected] with similar request documents. A photo of a signed letter should suffice.
Steve
The rates were completly misrepresented. They will not issue an API for our ecommerce site.
So, we have asked to close our account. They do not respond to emails. Their phones don’t work. And my guess is I will continue to be charged whatever they feel like charging us for not doing any business with them.
Donna
WARNING!!!! I was told my monthly fee would be $22.62 with no other charges. I was charged $90.58 within a week of opening my account. My account has not be credit transactions made over three weeks ago. Their phone lines have been down and the company taking their calls is unable to help. WARNING!!!
Sharlene Gibbs
I registered with this company and used their mobile merchant service account for 3 days…July 20-23, 2015. After $2833.43 in transactions, it is now August 6, 2015 and Optimal Bank Card has not deposited ANY funds into my account. I can not speak to a Optimal Bank Card Employee. I have been told since July 24, 2015 that I have reached the after hours answering service AND that there phones are down. I can not understand how a business phone system can be down for 2 Weeks! This is NOT how I anticipated doing business! I was told that the transactions were completed and processed. Where’s my money?!?
Teri Miller
I am beyond disgusted with this company and that I would let myself be suckered into their very false sales pitch. I have been charged fees month after month, even though I was told this is a “no-contract, no-fee” business. I have contacted customer service and my sales representative multiple times trying to get my account closed. Each time the documents they were supposed to email me so I can get my account closed never came, or my emails were never returned. This company is very dishonest and I will never affiliate with them again, that is if I can ever get my account closed.