Tru Blu Pay Review: Fees, Complaints, Comparisons & Lawsuits

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How did they treat you? ▼

Note: As of January 2022, the Tru Blu Pay website is down, and the BBB has a note on the company's profile saying they believe they are out of business. We believe the company is no longer in operation and will therefore no longer update this review. If you have information that Tru Blu Pay is still operating, please let us know in the comments below.

A Company With No Clear History

Based in Portland, Oregon, Tru Blu Pay is a merchant account provider that resells First Data (now Fiserv) contracts. There is no record of the company's website before 2019, and the company does not provide any details about its ownership or history to the general public.

Possible Affiliated Companies

Tru Blu Pay's address is the location of a virtual office in Portland, which means that multiple companies may list it; it is also worth noting that the low-rated processors Riverside Payments, National Paymentech, United Card Solutions, National Card Solutions, Chyp, and Securus also operate out of the Portland area.

Possible PayPartners DBA

One commenter has suggested that the company is connected to a processor called One Connect Processing, and both the One Connect Processing website and the Tru Blu Pay website share strong similarities with the website of PayPartners, yet another low-rated payment processor in Portland. A few online complaints about One Connect Processing refer to a sales representative named “Jon E*******”, who may be Jon Erickson, a National Card Solutions sales agent who is the subject of frequent online complaints. In fact, the bulk of the available evidence strongly suggests that One Connect Processing and Tru Blu Pay are both DBAs of PayPartners, which is itself a rebranding of National Card Solutions.

Tru Blu Pay Payment Processing

Tru Blu Pay appears to process most major debit and credit cards. Their site lists services including EMV swipers, POS systems, mobile payments, e-commerce solutions, MOTO pay processing, and digital wallets. It is unclear what specific options are available for each of these.

Tru Blu Pay Location & Ownership

Tru Blu Pay is headquartered at 111 SW 5th Street, Suite 3150, Portland, OR 97204, though the BBB lists 121 SW Salmon St. 11th Floor Portland, Oregon 97204. The company does not list its acquiring bank. Tru Blu Pay does not disclose the names of its management team.

Tru Blu Pay Review Table of Contents

  • Costs & Contract: Tru Blu Pay offers a three-year contract through First Data (Fiserv) with an undisclosed early termination fee.
  • Complaints & Service: Tru Blu Pay complaints number fewer than 10 on public complaints websites.
  • BBB Rating: Tru Blu Pay currently has a no rating with the Better Business Bureau and has received 6 complaints and 3 informal reviews in the last 3 years.
  • Sales & Marketing: Tru Blu Pay appears to hire independent sales agents and has received some complaints about its sales practices.
Tru Blu Pay's services
Services advertised on Tru Blu Pay's website.

Tru Blu Pay Customer Reviews

Here's What Their Clients Say

Customer Reviews Summary
Total Online Complaints <10
Live Customer Support No
Most Common Complaint N/A

Low Complaint Total

We are currently able to locate a handful of Tru Blu Pay complaints, some of which accuse the company of being a ripoff or a scam. The primary issue cited is persistent telemarketing. It may be relevant to note that One Connect Processing has also received a number of complaints related to aggressive telesales, undisclosed fees, misrepresented rates, poor customer service, and difficulty canceling contracts. If  you have a Tru Blu Pay complaint to make, please let us know in the comment section below.

Tru Blu Pay Lawsuits and Fines

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits filed against Tru Blu Pay. However, we have found evidence that the FTC and the Oregon Department of Justice sent Tru Blu a cease-and-desist regarding robocalling. Additionally, One Connect Processing, a seemingly related company, is facing a lawsuit regarding robocalling (see our One Connect review for more). Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.

Tru Blu Pay Customer Service Options

The Tru Blu Pay website provides an email contact form for customer support but does not list a dedicated customer support number. We will assign Tru Blu Pay a “C” rating in this category, and the company’s current customer support options do not qualify it as a top-rated customer service processor.

Tru Blu Pay Online Ratings

Here's How They Rate Online

Online Ratings Summary
Product & Service Complaints 5
Billing & Collection Complaints 1
Advertising & Sales Complaints 0
Guarantee & Warranty Complaints 0
Delivery Complaints 0

Under 10 Complaints

Tru Blu Pay has no rating with the Better Business Bureau and is not BBB accredited. The company has received 6 complaints in the past 3 years. Of those complaints, 5 related to issues with the product or service and 1 was related to billing and collection issues. None of these 8 complaints were resolved by the company to the satisfaction of the merchant. All 8 were resolved to the dissatisfaction of the merchant or received no final response.

What Merchants Say

Tru Blu Pay has also received 3 informal reviews on its BBB profile. The most recent merchant review describes a non-cancellable contract:

Whatever you do, run from this company. They are a total rip off. Why would anyone sign a 3-4 year noncancellable contract? If you sign up with them you will regret it. I don’t know what we were thinking but please take my advice and run!!!

Merchants in this position may benefit from learning how to get out of an undesirable contract.

A Well Deserved “D”

Given the company’s low-information profile, we agree with the BBB’s former rating of “D” at this time.

Tru Blu Pay Fees, Rates & Costs

A Closer Look at The Contract

Cost & Fees Summary
Swiped Rate 1.00% - 4.99%+
Keyed-In Rate 1.00% - 4.99%+
Early Termination Fee Variable
PCI Compliance Fee Variable
Equipment Lease Terms Variable

Three-Year Contract

According to official documentation (available below), Tru Blu Pay’s standard contract is a three-year agreement through First Data (Fiserv) with an unspecified early termination fee and a four-year lease with a fixed monthly fee. There are no merchant complaints that explicitly listed the full array of unexpected costs in their monthly bill, but merchants should be sure to review all terms carefully. We also encourage merchants to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant accounts.

Industry-Average Pricing

The combination of a three-year contract with an undisclosed termination fee and a four-year equipment lease is an undesirable set of terms that merchants should reject outright. This pricing model is restrictive and expensive, and we do not consider Tru Blu Pay rates to be competitive with the cheapest merchant accounts. See the Tru Blu Pay North Program Guide and the Tru Blu Pay Wells Fargo Program Guide.

Tru Blu Pay Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs

Should You Work For Them?

Jobs & Marketing Summary
Employs Independent Resellers Yes
Advertises Deceptive Rates No
Discloses All Important Terms No

Inside/Outside Sales Team

Tru Blu Pay appears to rely on a combination of outbound telemarketing and independent sales agents to market its services. This combination is commonly linked to elevated complaint rates, and we are currently able to locate multiple Tru Blu Pay complaints that mention persistent telephone calls from multiple phone numbers. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.

Possible Sales Pitch

If Tru Blu Pay is affiliated with One Connect Processing, it is likely that its sales agents will use a similar approach. Most One Connect Processing complaints cite a sales pitch that sounds a lot like a pitch made by Securus, Chyp, United Card Solutions, and, most commonly, Riverside Payments: pay 0% for debit, 1% for credit, and $79 per month. This sales angle is highly deceptive because it does not mention a number of undisclosed Tru Blu Pay fees, or the fact that the $79 per month is usually a four-year, non-cancellable lease for a credit card terminal worth $300. In general, if you hear a pitch along these lines, you should be wary of the sales agent you’re speaking to.

No Misleading Quotes

Tru Blu Pay does not list any unrealistic rate quotes in its official materials. However, the company may be using them over the phone as part of its standard pitch. If you have signed a contract with Tru Blu Pay, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to eliminate hidden charges.

Our Tru Blu Pay Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts

An Average Choice for Most Merchants

According to all available information, Tru Blu Pay rates as an average to below-average merchant services provider. The company appears to engage in sales tactics that are associated with low-rated providers, and its contract terms are more restrictive than industry averages. Merchants are strongly encouraged to thoroughly examine the terms of any contract they are given and to compare its pricing to top-rated merchant account providers.

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Which is Most Important for You?

If you had to pick one, which quality would you say will be the most important with your next credit card processor? Tap or click your selection to register your vote:

  1. Low Transaction Fees
  2. No Monthly Fees
  3. No Contract
  4. Reliable Customer Support
  5. Quick Signup

Testimonials & Complaints

How Did Tru Blu Pay Treat You?

4 User Reviews

  • Frank Prisco

    Signed up with TruBluPay starting 11/1/2019. They hooked us up with FirstData as our processor, I thought that was odd. TBPay promised us exceptional processing rates and also offered a signing bonus to ice the deal. We do process well over a mill a year in cc transactions. WHAT A MISTAKE it was going thru TBP. It appears they will say and promise anything in order to get you onboard. I am now locked in pitch battle with First Data trying to get the rates promised by TBP. First Data hit us with super max fees for the first month of processing. I was livid when I audited our first months statement, It felt like we had been absolutely robbed. The processing industry has become a totally lawless frontier where anything goes. Businesses Beware!

    • CPO

      Frank,

      Resellers of First Data or any major processor reserve the right to alter the terms and conditions of standard merchant contracts from the provider they are reselling. Understanding the rates and fees attached to major resellers whose contracts are being resold is one way a merchant can have some insight into the prospective cost.

      • Frank Prisco

        Brian:

        If that is the case then what is the purpose of the “agreement” . It appears that you all can operate with impunity and reckless abandon. It is simple, companies like yours are predatory and will do and say anything to get the signatures in the right places thereby unknowing obligating hard working managers and owners.

  • Scott Holgate

    I’ve had Tru Blu Pay processing for about 5 months and it’s been TERRIBLE. Their customer service hardly answers the phone – it feels like this is run out of some guy’s garage. The tech support is all out of country with very hard to understand English. HORRIBLE

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