8/1/2019 Update: Tier 1 Processing’s web domain is no longer active. For the purpose of this review, all information is up to date as of May 20, 2019, the time of our last update. Any merchants who have insight as to whether or not the company is still in business are encouraged to leave their feedback in the comment section of this review.

Tier 1 Processing Overview

Tier 1 Processing is a Richardson, Texas-based merchant account provider that appears to be a DBA or partner of Datalink Bankcard Services (datalinkonline.net). It is difficult to obtain any firsthand information regarding Tier 1’s pricing, services, or location because the company’s website is down at this time. In fact, according to The Internet Archive, the company’s website might not have been active at any point during its existence. This would normally indicate that a business is no longer in operation, but there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that Tier 1 Processing is in fact an active merchant account provider.

“Slamming” Allegations

We have located dozens of online complaints from the past three years alleging that Tier 1 engages in a process called “slamming.” Complainants claim to receive calls from Tier 1 Processing (which also goes by the name “Main Street Processing” and appears to also go by the names “Challas Group” and “Wholesale Banc“) in which the caller states that the merchant’s account has been “flagged” or “red-flagged” for overpaying on processing fees. When pressed about the organization they represent, the caller states that they are with “Visa,” “Visa/MasterCard,” or, simply, “the processor.” The caller then requests information such as the merchant’s tax ID number, merchant ID number, and two months of credit card statements in order to “modify” the merchant’s rates. Merchants who question the caller’s identity or motives claim to experience high-pressure tactics, stalling, and outright deception from the caller.  Merchants who consent to the caller’s requests eventually receive a contract from Tier 1 Processing/Main Street Processing/Datalink Bankcard Services and are then ushered into the signup process.

Verify Caller Identity

These online complainants allege a systemic effort by the company to attract new merchants by confusing and pressuring them into unwanted contracts. The practice of slamming is questionably legal and can result in the merchant paying thousands of dollars in excessive fees. Merchants should understand that Visa and MasterCard will never contact them for a rate review, and they should be sure to contact their processor directly if they suspect that they’ve been contacted by an impostor.

Tier 1 Processing Location and Ownership

According to the Better Business Bureau, Tier 1 Processing shares an address with Datalink Bankcard Processing at 3505 Token Dr, Richardson, Texas, 75082. The BBB also states that Steve Odom is the president of Datalink Bankcard Services.