Red Payments 2023: Card Processing Reviews & Complaints
(888) 733-8188 Company Overview
Red Payments is a merchant account provider that appears to operate as a DBA of National Merchant Services. The two companies share an address at 132 W 36th St, New York, New York 10018, and the National Merchant Services website displays some ad copy that mentions Red Payments by name. Red Payments serves most standard-risk business types and claims to serve over 10,000 merchants. The company also claims to have been founded in 2008, but it was not incorporated in the state of New York until 2011.
Article Summary
Before we dive in, here’s a short summary of what we’ll cover:
- Red Payments’ various payment processing services.
- The company received a number of complaints from 2018-2021, often mentioning unexpected charges, but there have not been many complaints recently.
- Red Payments’ contract includes a number of undesirable fees, including expensive equipment leases.
Related Articles
Red Payments Point of Sale
Red Payments offers point-of-sale solutions including countertop, wireless, and mobile options. Their equipment accepts all electronic payment methods including EMV chip & PIN, NFC, and magstripe, and all are claimed to be PCI PTS 2.x and 3.x certified with SRED and Open protocol modules. Their swipers are Ingenico and Verifone, their terminals Clover, and their mobile solutions are MagTek.
Payment Processing
Red Payments equips businesses with the ability to accept multiple types of electronic payments, including credit cards, debit cards, and mobile wallets. By offering a wide range of payment options, the company aims to enhance customer satisfaction and streamline the transaction process.
Business Financing
The company offers business financing solutions. This is aimed at helping businesses with their financial needs for growth and operations.
Gift and Loyalty Programs
Red Payments provides gift and loyalty programs to businesses. These programs are designed to enhance customer engagement and retention.
Merchant Analytics
The company offers merchant analytics services. This is intended to help businesses understand their performance and make data-driven decisions.
Online Restaurant Ordering
Red Payments also offers online restaurant ordering services. This is particularly aimed at the food and beverage industry to streamline their order management.
Location & Ownership
Red Payments is a registered ISO/MSP of Merrick Bank, South Jordan, Utah, and of Wells Fargo Bank N.A, Walnut Creek, California. Red Payments is located at 132 W 36th St 3rd floor, New York, NY 10018. Alex Groyzburg is the president of Red Payments, while Simon Lobanov is the company’s CEO. LinkedIn also lists Mike Smith as Managing Director.
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Appears to offer a three-year contract with…
- Complaints & Service: Complaints number more than 100 on…
- BBB Rating: Has an “A+” rating and has received…
- Sales & Marketing: Hires independent sales representatives and has received…
Red Payments Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Online Complaints | 100+ |
| Live Customer Support | Yes |
| Most Common Complaint | Hidden Fees |
| Recent Lawsuits | Yes |
Moderate Complaint Total
We are currently able to locate more than 100 negative Red Payments reviews, some of which accuse the company of being a scam or a ripoff. Issues that are commonly cited by clients include hidden fees, higher-than-expected rates, undisclosed equipment leases, outright lies from sales agents, and poor customer service. We have also found more than 10 complaints from current and former employees of the company who describe unpaid residuals and a poor working environment. The Red Payments complaint total far exceeds that of National Merchant Services, which could indicate that it utilizes different sales methods or offers less appealing contract terms to merchants than NMS. If you have your own Red Payments review to make, please do so below.
Red Payments Lawsuits and Fines
Red Payments was sued in 2019 in a somewhat bizarre class-action suit that saw a small business attempt to sue Red Payments after allegedly receiving and being charged for equipment they did not request. Strangely, the plaintiffs in the case revealed that they were made aware that this is called “slamming” by a Red Payment sales agent. The legal details of the case are fairly complex, but the end result was that the case was dismissed due to the specifics of Pennsylvania state law as well as the fact that the plaintiffs never paid the unexpected charges. That said, the details of the attempted slamming do not seem to be in dispute, which is reason for concern for those considering engaging with Red Payments.
A further 2019 lawsuit was ROLLER v. RED PAYMENTS L.L.C. et al, a legal case in which the plaintiff, Timothy Roller, filed a lawsuit against Red Payments LLC and other associated defendants. The case primarily revolves around allegations of unsolicited telemarketing calls made by Red Payments, which the plaintiff claims violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The TCPA is a federal law that aims to protect consumers from unwanted telemarketing calls, text messages, and faxes. The results of this case are not available online.
Dissatisfied clients who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Red Payments Customer Support Options
At this time, most of the client feedback about Red Payments is negative in tone and consistent in its criticisms of the company’s pricing, sales tactics, and customer service.
Red Payments Customer Service Number
- (888) 733-8188 – Toll-Free General Customer Service
To its credit, the company offers live phone support to all clients. However, it performs at a level far below the top-rated payment processors for great customer service.
Red Payments Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| BBB Reports | 1 |
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.
Under 10 Complaints
Red Payments currently has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and had previously been BBB-accredited since March 2015 but is no longer accredited. The company’s profile is currently showing 1 complaint in the last 36 months. The 1 complaint was either resolved to the dissatisfaction of the client or received no final communication.
What Merchants Say
Red Payments has also received 0 informal reviews on its BBB profile in addition to the 3 complaints. A previous review described deceptive fees and sales practices:
Get everything in writing ! They signed me up with Nuvei and everything was great until I got a cancellation notice giving me 13 days to find another processor. Reason was “Unsupported Business Model”. Guess what? even though they canceled me, I still have to pay $58.20 a month for my machine that I can’t use, for 42 more months. I had told the salesman that I would rather buy outright, he said I’ll save more money in the long run with the lease. Watch out for Slice/ Red Payments.
Long-term equipment leases are a contract term to avoid as they result in charges like those described in this review. Clients can avoid this issue by purchasing a high-quality EMV terminal outright rather than leasing it.
A “C” Performance
Given the company’s complaint total and resolution ratio, we have adjusted the BBB’s rating to a “C.”
Red Payments Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Item | Result | >
|---|---|
| Cancellation Penalties | Yes |
| Monthly & Annual Fees | Yes |
| Processing Rates | 1.00% - 4.99% |
| Equipment Leasing | Yes |
Three-Year Contract
According to multiple merchant complaints, the standard Red Payments contract is a three-year term with an early termination fee of $495, a $25 monthly minimum fee, a $9.99 “account on file” monthly fee, a $10 MasterCard location monthly fee, other assorted incidental fees, and flat-rate pricing that may actually be tiered pricing.
Long-Term Leases
Most complainants also state that they were locked into a 48-month equipment lease through First Data Global Leasing without their knowledge. Various reported monthly fees for these leases include $57.94, $60, and $100. The cost to cancel these leases ranges from $1,000 to more than $4,000, and we do not recommend that businesses ever sign a long-term equipment lease. Instead, we recommend business owners check out our list of the providers of the best merchant accounts.
Similar to National Merchant Services
Although Red Payments does not publicly provide any documentation of its contract terms that would allow us to corroborate the complainants’ claims, we can confirm that the reported terms are similar to those described by National Merchant Services clients. Therefore, it seems likely that Red Payments rates and contract terms are not competitive with budget-friendly merchant accounts, and these contract terms are responsible for a good portion of the complaints filed against the company. If you have any specific knowledge or documentation of the standard Red Payments merchant agreement, please share that information in the comment section below this review.
Red Payments Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Uses Independent Resellers | Yes |
| Telemarketing | Likely |
| Misleading Marketing | No |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Inside/Outside Sales Team
Red Payments appears to primarily market its services with a combination of inside sales managers and independently contracted sales agents. This practice usually generates higher-than-average complaint totals for payment processors, and Red Payments is no exception. As with National Merchant Services, we have found a moderate-to-high number of negative Red Payments reviews that describe misrepresented rates, hidden fees, undisclosed lease agreements, and outright lies from sales agents. We previously found one Red Payments complaint that stated that a sales representative presented an application as a non-binding agreement and then opened a merchant account without informing the client. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
Red Payments Employee Complaints
There are also multiple Red Payments reviews from former sales representatives that allege unpaid residuals and extreme mismanagement. One former employee stated in the comment section below this review that Red Payments trains agents “to endlessly badger business owners if they cancel or move an appointment” and “lease you a cash register/payment portal for $100/month (for 48 months) that you can buy yourself on Amazon for under $1000.” According to this commenter, “RP agents only make commissions when they sign an equipment lease deal.”
No Misleading Quotes
These negative Red Payments reviews are not surprising for a company that appears to be connected to National Merchant Services. As a small point in the company’s favor, Red Payments does not post “teaser” rates on its website. However, we have seen so many business owners claim that they were deceived about the Red Payments rates they would pay that it is hard to believe that Red Payments sales agents are quoting their prices appropriately. If you suspect that you were misled about your contract terms through Red Payments, you can double-check your monthly bill with a third-party statement audit.
Our Red Payments Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
Red Payments rates as an average credit card processing provider according to our rating criteria. The company has received a moderate-to-high number of complaints that consistently describe a pattern of deceptive sales tactics, higher-than-average pricing, and poor customer service. Red Payments does not disclose its relationship to National Merchant Services in its official materials, but there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that the two companies are closely linked and may even be the same organization. Businesses are likely to obtain a better deal with more reliable service from a top-rated merchant account provider.
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How Did Red Payments Treat You?15 Responses
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Brian Summer
Very dissatisfied with Red Payments. When I called with a question about a charge, I was told I would be getting a lower rate and charges would come off in the future. It never happened, they told me this story more than once. When I finally had had enough, I asked to cancel and was told I would have a cancellation fee – this was after being with them four years – it was hundreds of dollars. I called my bank, shut off access to my account and switched proicessors.
Felt very ripped off.
TONY STEMPAK
Our contract with (this extremely fraudulent company) Red Payments ended 12/2019. So we went with new credit card processing company on 9/29/2020. I called Red Payments & spoke with Chantel on 9/16/2020 then I was passed to a woman named Nikita at Red Payments to close our account because our contract with this company had expired or ended. The last credit card we processed with Red Payments equipment was 9/28/2020. On 11/2/2020 a charge for $87.38 went thru our bank account. I call Red Payments again on 11/3/2020 & Nikita said our acct has not closed but will close soon case #00172805. Another charge to our bank account on 12/2/2020 for $5.00 Today 1/4/2020 a new charge for $104 was charged to bank account. I called Red Payments 1/4/2021 & spoke with Richard he said the acct still has not closed but gave us a new case #205639 & said the acct will close soon. I called Richard back 3 more times 1/6, 1/7 & 1/8/2021 & our account still has not closed. Richard said on the 1st call the account would close in 24 to 48 hours.
Shelly
I was approached by a sales rep named Devon Hodson. He asked me if I was happy with my current processor and I explained the fees. He said I have something you will like. No fees for cash or debit cards. If your customer uses a credit card, you simply up charge them 3.99%. Since I signed up I have been charged fees for both credit and debit and when I call to speak to someone at Red payments, they are very rude. Ive called several times trying to get to the bottom of this. Why would I have switched processors for higher fees? Makes no f**g sense. Devon Hodson does not return calls nor have we seen him since he lied to us about his wonderful company. Looking to get out of this hell!
This post will help: Find and Eliminate Hidden Fees in Your Monthly Bill
-Phillip
Tony Stempak
I called RP because we had an additional charge on our bank account not on our statement. We are charge by a lease fee from Ascentium Capital every month on or around the 15th & RP claims they (RP) have no way to contact this company. The additional charge was on the 29th. We did not assigned Ascentiun company, RP did. Only 17 months left on the 4 year contract we signed with RP. We will be so glad to see this horrible company go away!
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Mary Dishaw
Red Payments contacted us promising less fees etc. we finally did sign with them. Big mistake!! We found a better company and sent Red Payments the cancellation letter and never heard from them and then received a phone call from one of the rudest person, he started off by asking how we were liking Red Payments, I explain to him that we sent the cancellation form and he immediately raised his voice saying he never received such a thing, but knew that was a lie, because he then got louder threading me about what will happen if we canceled. We had a 3 year contract and it was illegal to cancel, he would not let me talk and became more rude and more threats. A few days later they had taken out $1408.83 out of our bank acct. when I called to discuss this. He told me “ I warned you what would happen if you cancel. When I asked to speak to the agent that we originally worked with he told me there was no one by that name and I was only able to talk to him. When asked where to send back the machine he told me not his problem.
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Linda Gan
I signed up with Red payment in september 2018 because the Red Payment agent Justin Grisom talked about how the company can saved me money on the processing fees and asked if I will give him a chance to prove it. And so I did. He told me that there’s a 30 days review period that the company will give you if you would like to go with Red Payment. I noticed there’s a hidden fees on the paper that was not disclose on our phone conversation. He said that will be waived when I sign the agreement. So I signed it. But then I change my mind, and told Justin that I would like to terminate the agreement instead. From there on, I have problem finding him or anybody to answer my call or email. I got a call from RED PAYMENTS legal department said that they will bring me to court if I don’t want to pay their fees as per signed agreement. I have called to cancel and returned their machines and yet still get charged until now, which is February 2019. I have emails proof that I have submitted a cancellation notice within time period and proof of returned machines from UPS and they still ignored me. I don’t know what else that needed to be done so that Red Payment will not bleed people dry of their money.
This post will help: Cancelling a Contract Without Paying a Fee
– Phillip
Sean
For a short time I was a sales agent for RedPayments, and I hope that you will read this review, because I’m trying to be insightful and fair. I left the company because I found out I could make more money and give better service to my clients by working for a different merchant processor. First, merchants should know that that RP agents only make commissions when they sign an equipment lease deal. Some bonus is paid for those who self-source a lot of deals, and tiny residual payments are made for accounts that stay open, but the majority of a rep’s income is from pushing equipment, sometimes that the merchant doesn’t want or need. RP has nice gear, but it is very overpriced. They will lease you a cash register/payment portal for $100/month (for 48 months) that you can buy yourself on Amazon for under $1000. Agents are not allowed to call appointments ahead to confirm, and we were trained to endlessly badger business owners if they cancel or move an appointment. They advertise that agents will be given 2-3 appointments per day by their telemarketing department, but reps are still required to call 50 businesses per day to self-source deals. Finally, the RP director giving our training was claiming that RP is the only company in the market doing merchant surcharge/cash discount, but a quick online search shows that there are many companies offering this service. If you are a merchant looking for quality processing, or if you are an agent looking for a good company, I would recommend you pass on RedPayments.
Norman
These People are Vicious. Stay far away. Their sales people sucker you in and then they shaft you. I told them that I did not need or want a terminal, since we did all transactions on line. They sent it free with the comment that I could sell it. It came with the package. Well it is $57.94 a month for 48 months ($2781.00) not bad for a $300.00 terminal. They suck with service.
Stay AWAT, FAR AWAY. They got me.
From The Editor
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Charles ozuruone
DO NOT SIGN UP !!!! , any legit credit card processing company offers a trial period , where you have enough time to evaluate the companies service , now the sales rep told me there was 30 days . I didn’t even accept the equipment , cause I was lied into not paying any fees than noticed i was on a terminal lease for a monthly payment of $60.00 , when i called them to complain , Boris the person that’s in charge of this department , basically told me I had to pay 4,500 to cancel ? I don’t understand how this is legal ?
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
JULIE PRUITT
This company is horrible…. DO NOT SIGN UP WITH THEM!!!! I had a three year contract with Red Payments , fulfilled my 3 years and the 4th year left them for a less expensive processor… They threatened to charge me even though I was out of contract and then got really nasty. Next day I looked at my business account and they charged over 4000.00!!! It took weeks for my bank to refund my money and then they said they would put it in collections and ruin my credit.. WHAT A BUNCH OF LOSERS Daria and Farah were their names….
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
Jay Hatcher
This company is highly unethical. I original signed up as a reseller to add another offering to my clients. I should have done far more research on research on Rep Payments. Their “sales manager” Alphonso is a fast, slick talker and after completing an application with one of my clients alarm bells started ringing immediately. To protect my client as best as possible I completed the rates in the contract based on the quote Red Payments prepared for them. I had a feeling they would insert different rates than what the quote was based on. I also did not have my client complete the lease section. After sending in the paperwork without my client inserting his SS# they still activated his account. Right then and there I knew they were Boiler Room wannabes that didn’t care about their clients or resellers. I immediately had my client cancel their service and return the equipment within the 30 day time period. Red Payments is still deducting money from the client and of course customer service nor Alphonso have replied to my emails or calls about refunds and ensuring the service is cancelled. Total frauds. run as fast away as you can.
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
CHUCK TVETER HAMMERS GUN SHOP
I was told I would only have to pay $99 a month if I changed to Red Payments. I have not had a month under $300 and now I am being told if I want to change to someone else it will cost me $3579. I was lied to by their rep on every level so please beware.
carrie crocker
very happy with my girl at red payments…Farah Mangolin was always helpful !!!
CPO
Hi Carrie,
Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
Ken Morris
My local rep left the Annual fee space and the PCI Annual fee space on the contract empty and I, unfortunately, did not catch it . I just had $ 284.00 taken out of my business account due to this. Buyer beware.