U.S. Card Systems Review: Fees, Complaints & Lawsuits

U.S. Card Systems

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1 (866) 872-2737 View Pricing

Payment Processing for U.S.-Based Merchants

Located in Brainerd, Minnesota, U.S. Card Systems is a merchant account provider that claims to serve thousands of customers nationwide. The company utilizes Worldpay as its backend processor.

U.S. Card Systems Payment Processing

U.S. Card Systems processes all major debit and credit cards for most business types. Their services include EMV card readers and swipers, POS integration, MOTO, e-commerce solutions, mobile processing, access to virtual terminals, data reporting and analysis, and gift card programs.

U.S. Card Systems Location and Ownership

U.S. Card Systems is a registered ISO/MSP of Fifth Third Bank, Cincinnati, Ohio, and is headquartered at 17163 State Highway 371, Brainerd, Minnesota 56401. According to the Better Business Bureau, Brent Kramer is the president of U.S. Card Systems.

U.S. Card Systems Review Table of Contents

Costs & Contract: U.S. Card Systems offers a three-year contract through Worldpay with…
Complaints & Service: U.S. Card Systems complaints number fewer than 10 on…
BBB Rating: U.S. Card Systems has an “A+” rating and has received 1 complaint and 3 reviews in the past 3 years. The company has been…
Sales & Marketing: U.S. Card Systems does not appear to hire independent sales agents and has…

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U.S. Card Systems Reviews and Complaints

Here's What Their Clients Say

Complaint Summary

Total Online Complaints

<10

Live Customer Support

Yes

Most Common Complaint

N/A

Mostly Positive Reviews

We have found a handful of negative U.S. Card Systems reviews outside of the BBB, and these complaints do not accuse the company of being a ripoff or a scam. In fact, we have found a much larger number of positive testimonials about the company. If you have your own U.S. Card Systems review to make, please do so in the comments below.

U.S. Card Systems Lawsuits and Fines

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against U.S. Card Systems. Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.

U.S. Card Systems Customer Service Options

One available complaint describes inept and unresponsive customer support from U.S. Card Systems’ backend processor. This echoes other online complaints, which uniformly take issue with Worldpay’s business practices and contract terms. It is our policy to hold resellers accountable for the contract terms they market, so these complaints will be taken into account. However, it should be noted that few merchants seem to encounter poor service directly from U.S. Card Systems, which provides a general phone number and support email address on its website. We have therefore assigned it an “A” in this section, but we do not consider it a top credit card processor for customer service.

We have located multiple U.S. Card Systems customer service phone numbers:

(866) 872-2737 – Toll-Free Customer Support
(218) 824-1551 – Fax

U.S. Card Systems also offers a customer support form on its website as well as customer service email addresses at [email protected] and [email protected]

U.S. Card Systems BBB Rating and Report

Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment

BBB Summary

Total BBB Complaints

Resolution Rate

100%

Complaints Resolved

Under 5 Complaints

The Better Business Bureau currently awards U.S. Card Systems an “A+” rating and has granted the company accreditation since 2010. The company’s BBB profile has received 1 complaint in the last 36 months. The 1 complaint was resolved to the satisfaction of the merchant.

What Merchants Say

U.S. Card Systems has also received 3 informal reviews. All 3 reviews are positive in tone. A previous negative review accuses the company of changing rates without warning and poor customer support:

I really liked these guys. In 2009 they arranged for credit card processing rates for my business that were based on the actual interchange rates set by Visa & MasterCard plus a fixed percentage. That fixed percentage began at 0.12%. In June of 2010 they lowered that percentage to .06%. I went happily along until October of 2018 **** * *** * **** ********** **** ** ***** ***** That’s when I discovered we were no longer being charged actual interchange rates. ***** ****** ** *** ** **** ** *********** ***** ****** *** *************************************************************** * ********* **** ******* ** ** **** ******* ***** ** ********** He blamed it on the actual credit card processor ******** and told me he would help. In January of 2019 the overcharges ended and we have been returned to actual interchange pricing plus 0.06%. Hooray! The problem that remains is the period of October 2014 thru December 2019 where we overcharged in the neighborhood of $20,000. I’ve been unable to decipher some of the credit card “type codes” on some of our monthly statements. For those un-deciphered “card types”, I have no idea what the correct interchange rate should be. On the codes I was able to locate, I found $20,193.95 of overcharges. US Card Systems blames ********. When I called ******** they told me all our rates are determined by US Card Systems. In August ******** said they would ask US Card Systems to do a rate review. I’ve called US Card Systems regularly to talk about this review. The receptionist, is nice but no one is ever available and no one returns my calls. I hope you can help me get their attention. I’d also recommend that any business that believes they are getting interchange rates check their statements and look up interchange rates on line.

This merchant would have been better served by a processor with a reputation for excellent customer support.

An “A” Rating

In light of the company’s low complaint total and accreditation status, we agree with the BBB’s rating.

U.S. Card Systems Fees and Rates

A Closer Look at the Contract

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Cost Summary

Cancellation Penalties

Yes

Monthly & Annual Fees

Yes

Processing Rates

1.00% - 4.99%

Three-Year Agreement

U.S. Card Systems offers a three-year standard contract through Worldpay (formerly known as Vantiv) with a $250 early termination fee, an annual fee of $199, and a $20 monthly PCI non-compliance fee. There is also some evidence that the company resells long-term, non-cancellable equipment leases that impose liquidated damages-style early termination fees.

Since Worldpay handles the back-end processing for the company, it is likely that the rates charged to merchants by U.S. Card Systems will be some variation of theirs. A typical WorldPay contract assesses rates of 2.90% plus $0.30 for swiped transactions and 3.30% plus $0.30 for those that are keyed in. Auspiciously, a review of its merchant account services shows consistent feedback that merchants are more likely to experience higher rates and longer service agreements by signing up directly with WorldPay instead of through a reseller.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

In addition to its storefront payment processing services, U.S. Card Systems also dedicates a portion of its website to advertising its virtual terminal and payment gateway. However, pricing is not disclosed on either of those services. Additional rates and fees, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and additional transaction rates typically apply to these e-commerce services.

Industry-Standard Pricing

These terms are more or less average for the industry, and they have generated a handful of public complaints online. Merchants cite the early termination fee as well as the monthly costs imposed by the company as their primary issues. These merchants could see an end to their frustrations by instead signing up with a low-cost payment processor. If you have any specific knowledge of the standard U.S. Card Systems contract (including any PCI compliance fees or monthly minimum fees), please share that information in the comment section below this review.

We also encourage merchants to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant accounts.

U.S. Card Systems Jobs and Employment

Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment

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Key Points

Employs Independent Resellers

Unknown

Advertises Deceptive Rates

Discloses All Important Terms

U.S. Card Systems Sales Approach

U.S. Card Systems appears to utilize telemarketing, in-house sales, and traditional advertising to market its services. It is unclear at this time whether the company employs independent sales agents, but we have found two negative U.S. Card Systems reviews that mention aggressive telemarketing tactics and nondisclosure of the company’s contract length and cancellation fees. These U.S. Card Systems complaints appear to be isolated incidents rather than widespread issues, so they will not impact the company’s score too severely in this category.

U.S. Card Systems’ approach compares favorably to our list of best credit card processors.

No Deceptive Rate Quotes

To its credit, U.S. Card Systems does not advertise any misleading rate quotes or unrealistic guarantees in its official materials. However, if you find undisclosed fees within the contract you signed, we recommend renegotiating your pricing immediately.

U.S. Card Systems Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts and Opinions

An Above-Average Payment Processor

U.S. Card Systems rates as a decent merchant services provider according to all available information. The company has received a handful of complaints related to its contract terms through Worldpay, but these complaints do not appear to originate with U.S. Card Systems. Merchants are encouraged to request and carefully read all contract terms before signing up for service and to compare the company’s pricing to the top overall providers.

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About The Author

Phillip Parker

Phillip Parker is an independent card payment expert specializing U.S. and Canadian point-of-sale, e-commerce, and mobile payment acceptance. He has nearly two decades of experience in credit card processing as a journalist and consultant. Phillip is the creator of this website and has written over 1,500 articles covering numerous payment acceptance topics. He has also published critical reviews about most merchant services providers currently in operation.

Expert Guidance

Phillip has consulted businesses of all sizes from mom-and-pop shops processing $10K per month to enterprise level organizations processing in excess of $300MM annually. His specialties include:

– Merchant Account Statement Auditing

– Rate & Fee Negotiation

– Processor & POS Selection

– Software Integrations

– Risk Assessment

– Fraud Prevention

– General Processing Advice

Schedule a Consultation Here

Phillip’s Top Picks

Phillip has researched and reviewed over 1,000 merchant services providers over the last 15 years. He also owns multiple businesses that accept credit card payments. If you are looking for an ethical credit card processor that doesn’t hide fees or lock you into expensive contracts, see Phillip’s merchant account picks here.

In The Media

In addition his contributions on CPO, Phillip has also been quoted in several major publications such as The Los Angeles Times, INC Magazine, Miami Herald, Computer World, and numerous others. If you would like to interview Phillip for your story or podcast, please reach out here.

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Customer & Employee Reviews

What Others Are Saying About U.S. Card Systems

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10 Responses

Boe j DeToy

Detoy's Family Restaurant

March 23, 2023 9:27 am

I have been a long time customer of US Card systems A+ on customer service and equipment.

Reply
GRACE SCHUMANN

Stitch N Sew Cottage

March 8, 2022 6:30 pm

US Card Systems has serviced my business for many years. Thanks to them for looking out for my best interest. Consulting with me to keep fees down.

Reply
Sarah Torkelson

February 3, 2022 10:06 am

I understand this a legitimate business, but please stop calling! I have received a call 4 days in a row from this company. If our company is interested in your business someone would have called you back. This is harassment and not appreciated.

Reply
Charlene Anderson

October 30, 2018 9:52 am

I recently have had the pleasure in dealing with US Card Systems for the 1st time and I must say it has been a pleasure. From the first initial call I felt like I was being taken care of. Since this was my first time dealing with this company I was skeptical. But Amber has been a pure delight to deal with. She is really on top of things and is great at communicating the details with us and staying on top of things. I know our company is in good hands with her.

Reply
- CPO
  
  October 30, 2018 1:44 pm
  
  Hi Charlene,
  
  Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
  
  Reply
  - Charlene Anderson
    
    October 30, 2018 2:38 pm
    
    Warzecha Auto Works, Zimmerman MN
    
    Reply
Judy Johnson

October 16, 2018 2:34 pm

I have been with us card systems for 10+ years and have found the customer service to be polite and very helpful. Even tho I am a very small company, I am treated with respect and they have always taken care of whatever is wrong. Thanks guys, great job

Reply
- CPO
  
  October 16, 2018 2:35 pm
  
  Hi Judy,
  
  Please reply to this comment with your business name and location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
  
  Reply
Larrys Pharmacy

August 9, 2016 8:28 am

The US card systems is a very good company. They are letting us use a new credit card machine for free.

Reply
- CPO
  
  August 9, 2016 3:35 pm
  
  Hi Larrys Pharmacy,
  
  Please reply to this comment with your business location in order to authenticate your testimonial. Thanks!
  
  Reply

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Phillip Parker

Merchant Services Reviews

Last Updated: January 22, 2023

10 Comments

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4-Star Brent Kramer Vantiv WorldPay

Phillip Parker is the creator and author behind this website. He has over 15 years of experience in the credit card processing industry as a journalist, consultant, and former merchant account sales professional. He started this project as a blog to expose merchant services providers that engage in predatory business practices, such as deceptive marketing, misleading pricing, and high-pressure sales tactics. His goal is to help business owners find merchant account providers who serve their industry well while offering fair rates with no junk fees and no long-term commitments.

Phillip has researched over 1,000 payment processors and been quoted in numerous high-profile publications, including the Los Angeles Time, INC Magazine, The Atlantic, and the Miami Herald among others.

Need advice on card acceptance? Schedule a consultation with Phillip.

Phillip’s Top Processor Picks:
Retail, restaurant, e-commerce, mobile, professional services, and invoicing, Phillip recommends Helcim and CDG Commerce.

High-risk businesses, Phillip recommends PaymentCloud and Host Merchant Services.

Please note that our rating system was overhauled on April 26th, 2023. Reviews dated before this date may not score in accordance with the following.

Star Rating Criteria:

At the start of our research, all processors are awarded five stars. We deduct stars if the processor engages in any of the following:

– One star deduction if the processor has any junk fees.

– One star deduction if the processor does not post its pricing clearly on its website.

– One Star deduction if the processor is suffering from moderate client complaints.

– Multiple Star deductions if a processor is suffering from severe complaints, imposes unjust cancellation fees, markets non-cancellable equipment leases, engages in predatory rate pricing, or may be engaged in illegal activities.

Get all of the details regarding out rating criteria here.