Retriever Merchant Solutions: Fees, Comparisons, Complaints & Lawsuits
Note: As expanded upon below, Retriever Merchant Solutions has essentially split into many different companies, some of which use the name “Retriever,” but these companies are not the same company any longer. In addition, the parent company is now Payroc. Because of this, we will no longer be updating this primary profile.
A Worldpay Reseller
Retriever Merchant Solutions (rmsnpc.com) is a merchant account provider headquartered in Munster, Indiana. The company takes the “Retriever” portion of its name from a now-defunct ISO of National Processing Company (NPC) called Retriever Payment Systems. Founded in 1993, the original Retriever Payment Systems was purchased by Iron Triangle Payment Systems in 2006 and subsequently converted into a subsidiary of National Processing Company (NPC). Although the original Retriever Payment Systems is no longer active, there are multiple independent sales offices across the country that still use the Retriever name and logo. Retriever Merchant Solutions is one of these locations. A few of the other independent Retriever offices are listed below:
- Retriever Merchant Solutions of Waterville, Ohio, now known as National Payment Corporation
- Retriever Medical/Dental Payments, Inc. of Valhalla, New York
- Retriever of Orlando, Florida, and of Memphis, Tennessee (localccprocessing.com)
- Retriever Payment Chicago of Geneva, Illinois, now known as Payroc
- Retriever of Jackson, Mississippi (retrievernpc.com), now known as ConsumerPay
Retriever Merchant Solutions is not affiliated with any of the locations listed above, and it does not report to a larger corporate entity called Retriever Payment Systems, but rather is now a reseller of Worldpay (formerly Vantiv). This review will treat Retriever Merchant Solutions as independent of its former ownership.
In 2021, the original Retriever was purchased by Payroc and absorbed into their brand.
Retriever Merchant Solutions Point of Sale
Retriever Merchant Solutions offers point-of-sale solutions from Poynt and ShopKeep, which include tablet and mobile solutions. They also offer EMV readers, ApplePay, contactless pay, MOTO, virtual terminals, and countertop terminals to process PIN debit, signature debit, credit cards, gift cards, and EBTs.
Retriever Merchant Solutions Location & Ownership
Retriever Merchant Solutions is a registered ISO/MSP of Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Cincinnati, OH, and Woodforest National Bank, Houston, TX, and is headquartered at 9404 Margo Lane, Munster, Indiana, 46321. Brian Kamstra is listed as the president of Retriever Merchant Solutions.
Retriever Merchant Solutions Review Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Retriever Merchant Solutions appears to offer a multi-year contract through Vantiv with an attached long-term equipment lease through Lease Finance Group.
- Complaints & Service: Retriever Merchant Solutions has received more than 50 public complaints.
- BBB Rating: Retriever Merchant Solutions no longer has a BBB profile.
- Sales & Marketing: Retriever Merchant Solutions appears to hire independently contracted sales agents and has received a moderate number of complaints about its sales team.
Retriever Merchant Solutions Customer Reviews
Here's What Their Clients Say
| Total Online Complaints | 50+ |
|---|---|
| Live Customer Support | Yes |
| Most Common Complaint | Non-Cancellable Lease |
Moderate Complaint Total
We are currently able to locate more than 50 negative Retriever Merchant Solutions reviews, and some of these accuse the company of being a scam or a ripoff. There are over 20 complaints posted beneath our overall review of Retriever Payment Systems, but not all of these complaints specifically mention the South Holland/Munster office. Common themes among complaints specifically directed at Retriever Merchant Solutions include higher-than-advertised fees, undisclosed contract terms, difficulty canceling service, and expensive equipment leases.
Retriever Merchant Solutions Customer Service Options
Complaints filed against the credit card processor have seen a notable increase since our last update of this review, and this trend inclines us to give the company a “C” in this category. Retriever Merchant Solutions provides live phone support to its merchants, but this support channel is not enough to qualify it as a top-rated merchant account provider for customer service.
We have located multiple Retriever Merchant Solutions customer service numbers:
(877) 599-3875 – Toll-Free General Customer Service
(800) 877-2265 – Tech Support
(866) 270-1962 – 24/7 Poynt Specialist
(877) 759-9919 – ShopKeep Text Support
Retriever Merchant Solutions offers live chat support through its website as well as a ShopKeep support email at [email protected]
Retriever Merchant Solutions Online Ratings
Here's How They Rate Online
| Product & Service Complaints | 9 |
|---|---|
| Billing & Collection Complaints | 2 |
| Advertising & Sales Complaints | 2 |
| Guarantee & Warranty Complaints | 0 |
| Delivery Complaints | 0 |
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.
Profile Wiped
As of our most recent review, the BBB profile for Retriever Merchant Solutions has been inexplicably wiped. It is currently linking to another empty profile for something called SINGLEREPORTING and/or FIS. At the time of a previous review, the company was showing an “A+” rating. The company had received 13 complaints in the last 36 months, with 2 related to advertising or sales issues, 9 due to product or service problems, and 2 having to do with billing or collection disputes. Only 5 of these 13 complaints were resolved by the company to the satisfaction of the merchant. The remaining 8 were resolved to the dissatisfaction of the merchant or received no final response.
What Merchants Say
In addition to those 13 complaints, Retriever Merchant Solutions had received 7 informal reviews to its profile with the BBB. 4 of those reviews were negative, and the most recent negative review describes being charged for service following the closure of their account:
Salesperson was very high pressure. Stated that there was NO contract on the processing, but that the machine lease would have a contract. Held papers on a clipboard with the relevant terms hidden under the clip and would take them back to flip through them when I asked a specific question or started to take them off of the clipboard to review them. We made it through the 5 year lease of $50 per month for the $150 machine they had supplied and thought we would be able to just switch processing (like we did when we moved TO Retriever) and stop receiving fees for processing. Nothing changed – we are still getting billed over $100 worth of “fees” for processing – when there is NO processing happening. The cancellation form that we are now required to sign for the processing shows a $375 early termination fee – from terms that were hidden on a clipboard at the time of signing. In addition, the contract that was emailed to me does NOT match the carbon copies of the contract that I have on file from when I signed it. Triplicate forms with different information on each one maybe??? They did not allow “debit card” transactions on our terminal – but would process them in house for the lower debit card fee and then pocket the difference as well.
Merchants stuck in similar situations could benefit from understanding how to cancel a merchant account without paying a fee.
A “B” Performance Overall
In light of the company’s complaint total and resolution ratio, we have adjusted the BBB’s rating to a “B.”
Retriever Merchant Solutions Fees, Rates & Costs
A Closer Look at The Contract
| Swiped Rate | 2.90% + $0.30 |
|---|---|
| Keyed-in Rate | 3.30% + $0.30 |
| Early Termination Fee | $375 |
| PCI Compliance Fee | Up to $25 Per Month |
| Equipment Lease Cost | $49.99 Per Month |
| Equipment Lease Terms | 48 Months (locked) |
Retriever Merchant Solutions Contract Terms
There is very little specific information available about the standard Retriever Merchant Solutions contract at this time. As a reseller of Worldpay, typical Worldpay merchant agreements include rates of 2.90% plus $0.30 for swiped transactions and 3.30% plus $0.30 for those that are keyed-in. Those agreements include an early termination fee of up to $295, a PCI compliance fee of $15 to $25 per month, monthly minimum fees, annual fees, and other associated fees. These fees can vary depending on the sales agent setting up the account and a merchant’s size, business type, and time in business, but we have seen multiple reports of a $375 early termination fee. Merchants are encouraged to negotiate contract terms to aim for rates that are competitive with cheap merchant account providers.
Non-Cancellable Equipment Leases
Nearly all of the merchant complaints about Retriever’s contract terms are related to the equipment leases sold by the company’s agents. Retriever itself does not lease the equipment in these cases but instead signs merchants up for non-cancellable four-year leases through Lease Finance Group. Complainants are reporting monthly lease fees of up to $49.99, which will far exceed the purchase price of the equipment over a full four-year term (note: most credit card terminals can be purchased outright for under $500). Merchants who wish to cancel these lease agreements will be forced to pay out the remaining months of the lease in one lump sum. For this reason, merchants are encouraged to purchase equipment whenever possible and to inquire about the company supplying any equipment leases through Retriever. We also encourage merchants to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant accounts.
Retriever Merchant Solutions Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs
Should You Work For Them?
| Employs Independent Resellers | Yes |
|---|---|
| Advertises Deceptive Rates | No |
| Discloses All Important Terms | No |
Outside Sales Agents
Retriever Merchant Solutions appears to primarily utilize independent sales agents to market its services. This hiring practice is common within the credit card processing industry and is often responsible for elevated complaint rates, as these agents typically receive minimal training and oversight. Retriever Merchant Solutions appears to be no exception, as we are currently able to locate a moderate number of negative Retriever Merchant Solutions complaints that accuse the company’s sales agents of misrepresenting or failing to disclose fees. A few complainants also describe high-pressure, aggressive sales tactics, and an inability to reach the representative after the deal was closed. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
No Misleading Advertising
As a point in the company’s favor, it does not appear to list deceptive rate quotes or misleading guarantees in its official materials. If you suspect that Retriever Merchant Solutions is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden costs.
Our Retriever Merchant Solutions Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts
An Average Performance
Retriever Merchant Solutions rates as an average merchant services provider according to all available information. The company is showing a moderate number of complaints, and it suffers from multiple complaints related to its equipment leases. Retriever can improve its overall rating in this review by minimizing future complaints and by severing ties with Lease Finance Group, which is one of the lowest-rated companies on CardPaymentOptions.com.
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Donald S Hansen
Do not use this Company!! Worst ever. Run away from this company
Fees for non compliance is $ 59.95. 3.99 percent CC fees,
I closed my account and 5 months later they pulled $49.95 dollars out of my checking on an ACH. They said my account was still open. They admitted the mistake but I needed to re-open my account and take the stop order on my checking to allow a refund. Total frustration.
I went back to Square and have not had any issues
Wayne Maiers
Most crooked company I have ever worked with.
Jim Jones
I totally agree they are thieves. Don’t get involved with them
Jon Michael Lelekis
Worst company to do business with because of their “scam” of making businesses become” compliant every three months and then rejecting the attempt which is then followed up with a $59.95 per month “fee” for NOT being in compliant. Will be utilizing Square from now on…
Terry Collins
I closed my service with Retriever Merchant Services in September 2022 after 4-year contract of consistent overcharges, making my monthly fees from 5-8%. When the contract date was up I worked with a rep to close the account. When I asked him what to do with the equipment, he told me the leasing company was out of business and to just toss it. I kept getting charged for the equipment on my credit card and called back to find out what was going on. I had to contact the leasing company, Tech Capital (866-824-5327) and they were expecting to get the equipment back or I’d have to pay a $144 to close out the account. So now I’ve had 2 months of paying for equipment I wasn’t using plus another $144 for the stupid equipment. This has been an absolute 4-year long nightmare!!! Do NOT EVER CONSIDER USING THIS PROCESSING COMPANY OR THIS LEASE COMPANY!!! They are all a bunch of Crooks!!!
Kim Ribar
Pick again, run don’t walk. Unethical, immoral, dishonest. After cancel services and returning equipment we still had a balance. I called 3 years ago to cancel, their slick employee never canceled the contract and the continued to help themselves to withdrawals from my account.
Terry Collins
TERRIBLE MISTAKE signing up with this company. I’m consistently having to pay about 6%, including the big RIP-OFF charges monthly for their stupid little credit card processing machine – MOST EXPENSIVE processing service I’ve ever had in almost 40 years of being in business. If they come in to sign you up – Run Like Hell!
Makini Ainsworth, MD
Do NOT USE this company!!! First, they make you commit for 3 years. I no longer needed them after 1 year so per the contract I continued to pay them 2 years without using their service. However, despite my cancellation letter when the 3 years were up, I was continually charged monthly (total > $500) for a service I was not told that I had. They tell you that we signed a contract and in the fine print you have to also cancel with a 3rd PARTY!! This is horrible as no where in the cancellation confirmation email submitted by Mitchell was I told this and therefore they were paid for services not rendered. I exchanged multiple emails with this company and RECTANGLE health and they did not help at all. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE, DO NOT USE!!!
Greg
when you call in with a problem the women act like they are doing you a favor and are very rude … they act like you are beneath them … they answer questions like a crooked politician … I switched one business and it was the biggest mistake of my life and because of the way i was treated me they missed out on my 14 other locations … buyer beware the service after the sale is worse than cox communications
Johnny williams
Dont dont dont use this company. Even after services were canceled they kept pull in fees from bank acct. $20 service fees and pulled $500, which never got back. And just to day tried to pull another $500. Finally had to kill acct. Not what i wanted to do because it was a home and busines acct. But just cant trust them.
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Bill Orr
Absolutely the worst service and most fraudulent that I have ever seen in my 30 years of business. I am amazed that I was duped into providing a credit card # to demo the equipment and now I am being billed monthly. BAD BAD BAD business. Sales people who do not understand their products and a company that does not care about customer service.
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Contract Without Paying a Fee
– Phillip
kevin michelson
the representative lied to me and when i attempted to get some help his attitude was you signed a contract
beware of team Urso he hooked me with 1.2% rate but the actual cost was 6% Beware Rich Urso he will lie to get you to sign then he forgets your name
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Eliminate Fees From Your Monthly Statement Without Switching
Sara
Stay away. This company is filled with Scum bags. When I worked here and had my moment of REALIZATION…of what these sales representatives were saying and financially abusing business owners all through the USA it made me physically ill. THE owner Brian kampstra operates like this…”if we’re not ripping the merchants off then another company will. That’s how I can sleep at night and allow my staff to financially STEAL AND ABUSE BUSINESS OWNERS.” Anyone who can operate a business in this sort of nature should be held accountable. Itteam investigates really should investigate this operation and company. Something needs to happen. The amount of money the owner has made from doing this would make your heads spin! Why would anyone want to earn a living by financially abusing there countries small ma and Pa shops…ummm, there’s a special place in hell for him.
james hopper
Just had a retriever sales rep stop by and try to sell me on their new cash discount program. while i own my own terminal it is not compatible with his program and he stated i would be able to purchase their machine for 70 dollars a month. FOR 48 MONTHS. With a 5 dollar tax per month. Ouch over 4000 dollars for a credit card machine. When i asked how much to buy it outright his answer was “70*48” but he would have to call and check. I was busy so i waited until the morning to call and ask another employee. after waiting on hold i was transfered to a lady in “accounts” whom told me that the sales people. “make their own prices” When i asked how much to purchase the machine she could not competently answer my question and would transfer me to a manager. During transfer i was cut off by who i can only assume was the incompetent lady in “accounts.” Overall I am happy that this was not my first experience with processing companys because Retriever Merchant services is a scam.
From The Editor
This Post Might Help: Best EMV Terminals
ZACHRY EMMONS
All around good service and answered all questions
thumbs up Highly Reccomend !!
karen
I was so relieved to have such a kind person – Veronica – help me to set up my swipe simple. I didn’t even know what kind of phone I had, or how to plug in the device.?? she was so patient and knowledgeable. she could tell i was nervous. She went through the process twice with me. And it really helped! I would give her the highest rating. it really is pretty easy to get started taking credit cards. thank you so much, Veronica.
CPO
Hi Karen,
Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
Jo Tucker
Great Service. Bonnie was so patient and I stumbled around finding cords etc. Replacement terminal was up and running in minutes. She gave great instructions and made it easy once I got organized.
Thank yo0u!
Jo Tucker
I didn’t see where to rate my service I received and it rated it as a 3. I would rate Bonnie and the service I got a 5 not a 3 as posted.
Clayton Beal
Cold call to our clinic. We were courteous and politely declined. The woman who called ended with “fine, then keep paying higher prices, idiot” Yup, these sales people thought it was ok to call me an idiot because I chose not to purchase their product. Wow!
Mike Wells
I guess a $375 termination fee applies after using their service for 8 years. Not happy. Glad I’m retiring and don’t have to deal this any more.
woodard service station
i just noticed a $5.00 fee on my statement for charge back fee. i have never had a charge back. when i called to question it, i was told that this was cheaper for me rather than charging me $25.00 if i did have one. so this add on fee will cost me an additional $60.00 per year. and this is saving me money? these people are rip offs! they lease me a credit card machine for $66.00 a month, i tried to buy it and their high pressure salesman convinced me this was the way to go.
STAY AWAY FROM THESE PEOPLE!
if anyone knows of an honest credit card company, please tell me who they are.
frank salwolke
we never told about interchange fee’s / we where told our fees would be lowre than intuit and end up being over 1% more
Rhonda Harman
I have been with this company for a year now. Everytime I turn around I’m missing credit card tips. It is a constant on going process. I know for a fact before I left on Saturday I told the girls to run full report and finalize I did all the tips and needless to say when I came in the next day to do my book work I was short $31.00 in credit card tips. I have figure it out not to run final report until next day if you want them tips. They are a rip off! I wished I would have stayed with my other merchant. Please do not use these guys. Does anyone ever see the person who signed you up. Haven’t seen the guy since. Imagine that.
Nancy
The salesman promised this company was as reasonable on fees as First Data. Instead the fees are ridiculous, wait times are way too long if you call them, they lock you in to a 3 year contract and if you want to avoid a $375 fee at the end of the contract, you must cancel within a designated time frame.
Compared to First Data this company is a giant rip off!
diane Fitzpatrick
this is my second company at my restaurant. the first company was great i switched because they promised a better rate , it was not any better. My employees tips started not being paid by the reitrever company after about a year. I would pay my servers tips and not be paid back. they had me download several different programs nothing seemed to help. Then my customers started calling me saying they were being charged when they werent at the cafe and would close their accounts , when actually it was retriever co. adding tips on that werent on the cards the day they were at the cafe. I eventually gave up and sent my last bunch of unpaid tips to retriever and the machine back to them with a note saying I would not be using them anymore. I waited a couple weeks and sent them an email wondering wy the tips hadnt shown up on the account , their answer was they refused the package and . I tracked the package through the post office they never refuaed it.the unpaid tips amount was $350.00 that I will never see. This company is not honest or accurate please do not use them
greg heath
The owner passed away 2 years ago. New owners took over. Retriever is still charging the new owners even after they were informed that they were not needed. Several phone calls and emails later they are still stealing money from the new owners.$35 for minimum charge for a service that they don’t have. US Bank is starting a fraud case, but I would steer clear of these guys!
Lisa Van Laanen
I’ve been using retriever for a full year now, and never have had any cause for complaint. The fees are the lowest I ever have and saved over $1000 so far. out fail, each day’s sales are in my business checking account by early the next morning. I highly recommend.
Karen McNutt
Lease expires the same day as auto renewal. I was never advised since I called in December to verify when lease is up. Now they are charging the Early termination fee. I am disputing it at this time. Do not go with this company they are very shady in how the answer your questions and they never come back . I have had them for 3 years and NEVER got a statement and when I have asked noone will help you get one.
Kristi
‘sold’ by man that was gone as fast as he came,have paidw ay to much for years, they will come down very little and watch out, my contract had just auto renewed 3 months ago, and 300 bucks to get out – very small windows to avoid such a high ridiculous charge. Don’t use these processors – go with the honest companies
Ron Escobar
They push leases. Please see the associated links for the leasing company they use. You pay an astounding amount for a lease. When I complained, the leasing company and Ret. said the sales rep. chooses the lease price. It is implied that I sue the sales rep if I don’t like the terms. Are you telling me a sales rep. can do this? Don’t they all take a cut? You can buy any card processor cheaply online. I was duped by people who said they were good Christians out to save me money. This is a horrible company, and there are some days I want to dissolve my own company to get out from under them.
260 cafe
i have had problems since i have had this company ask several times to have someone come by have seen no one if i try to call i am put on hold for about 45 minutes terrible service i am still not able to accept chip cards i do not recomend this company to an enemy