MBF Leasing 2023: Card Processing Reviews & Complaints

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Company Overview

MBF Leasing is a merchant account equipment lease provider and DBA of Northern Leasing Systems. In addition to Northern Leasing and MBF Leasing, the Northern Leasing family of companies includes Lease Finance Group, Golden Eagle Leasing, and Lease Source-LSI, LLC. As of this review, MBF Leasing’s website is no longer active, but it appears that Northern Leasing still utilizes MBF Leasing as a business name. This is surprising due to the negative reputation MBF Leasing has built for itself through poor business practices, which ultimately resulted in a lawsuit and the creation of a large, independent merchant forum specifically built to warn business owners against using the company.

Initial New York AG Lawsuit

In March of 2013, MBF Leasing and its associated companies paid out a multimillion-dollar settlement to hundreds of small business owners as part of an agreement reached with the New York Attorney General. MBF Leasing and its DBA, Northern Leasing, stood accused of creating a shell company called SKS Associates LLC, which it used to deceive merchants and withdraw money from their checking accounts after their contracts had expired. Although the Attorney General’s lawsuit ended the existence of SKS Associates LLC, the Northern Leasing Systems family of companies continued to operate and had grown into a very large network of equipment providers until the New York Attorney General filed a lawsuit in April 2016 and reached a settlement in June 2020, effectively dissolving Northern Leasing Systems and its family of companies. Jay Cohen is listed as the CEO of Northern Leasing Systems (and, by extension, MBF Leasing).

For a full analysis of the primary company in this network, please see our Northern Leasing Systems review.

Northern Leasing Systems Lawsuit Update 2023

In June 2020, the New York Attorney General won the 2016 lawsuit filed against Northern Leasing Systems, Inc, voiding thousands of fraudulently-induced credit card equipment leases. The ruling also vacates nearly 30,000 default judgments and bans Northern Leasing from engaging in equipment leasing, effectively dissolving the company. The Attorney General's victory will also force Northern Leasing and its related entities, Northern Leasing’s chief executive officer, and others who engaged in the fraudulent scheme to provide restitution to small business owners who were fraudulently induced into financing leases for credit card processing equipment from April 1, 2013, through the present. Northern Leasing is ordered to dissolve 60 days after providing relief. Restitution amounts are to be set by the court at a later date. Small business merchants are not required to take action at this time in order to receive restitution.

In February 2021, the Supreme Court denied the Northern respondents' motions for discovery and a trial or evidentiary hearing and denied the Attorney Respondents' motion for summary judgment dismissing the petition as against them, effectively upholding the 2020 decision.

Additionally, according to EINPresswire, in November 2020, the OAG brought forward another, separate proceeding after discovering that Northern Leasing’s owners and officers had created two new entities — NLS Equipment Finance and Leasing Expenses Company — to continue defrauding small businesses using the same scheme barred by the court in the prior litigation, as well as to continue collecting on leases rescinded by the June 2020 court order.

The companies found liable by this ruling — also issued by the New York County State Supreme Court — were operated by former Northern Leasing Chief Financial Officer Ariel Schachter and former Northern Leasing officer Sara Krieger and were owned by trusts that benefited the families of Northern Leasing’s owners, Jay Cohen and Leonard Mezei. The court found that these companies had “risen on [Northern Leasing's] ashes” in an earlier December ruling that granted a temporary restraining order barring them from collecting on any equipment leases. In February 2021, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a decision and order in February 2021 effectively shutting down Northern Leasing Systems' alleged attempt to continue to enforce illegal leases, including those voided in the 2020 decision. The parties named in this proceeding include Leasing Expenses Company LLC; NLS Equipment Finance LLC; Leonard Mezei; Ariel Schacter; Sara Krieger; Jay Cohen; a Jay Cohen Family Trust; Fieldston Capital LLC; and JS Ventures Holding LLC.

Despite the extensive and public legal action against the company, Northern Leasing Systems appears to be still operating at some level, as per a promotional article from March 18, 2021, celebrating the company's 30th anniversary penned by founder and president Jay Cohen posted to PRWeb, a promotional website. Additionally, some former customers report to the BBB that they continue to receive bills from Northern Leasing Systems, including for properties that the customers no longer own. According to some comments from customers, Northern Leasing Systems no longer answers communications, though they continue to list a phone number on their website.

In a further example of how major the case against Northern Leasing Systems is, it has become a reference point for fraud in New York law, even being invoked in the 2022 case against former US President Donald Trump.

MBF Leasing Point of Sale

MBF Leasing is not a merchant account provider; rather, it leases credit card processing equipment like terminals, printers, barcode scanners, and other point-of-sale technology. Like other equipment providers, the company’s services and products are often packaged within the merchant account contracts of credit card processors. Because of this, merchants regularly sign equipment leases through MBF without realizing that they are entering into agreements that are separate from their merchant account contracts. As with other Northern Leasing Systems companies, MBF Leasing’s contract terms are non-cancellable and usually run for 48 months.

Table of Contents

  • Costs & Contract: Offers 48-month, non-cancellable equipment leases that often…
  • Complaints & Service: Complaints number more than 750 on…
  • BBB Rating: As Northern Leasing Systems, had a “D+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and received 106 complaints and 17 reviews across 3 profiles in…
  • Sales & Marketing: Allows independent sales agents to package its equipment leases with other merchant accounts and has…

MBF Leasing Customer Reviews

Here's What Their Clients Say

Customer Reviews Summary
Total Online Complaints 750+
Live Customer Support Yes
Most Common Complaint Non-Cancellable Lease
Recent Lawsuits Yes

Extremely High Complaint Volume

MBF Leasing and its affiliates have racked up large numbers of uniformly negative reviews from clients, and several merchants call the leasing family a ripoff and a scam operation. In fact, there are several websites dedicated to exposing the company’s fraudulent activities, including NorthernLeasingScam.org. The MBF Leasing reviews on this site list many of the same problems described in complaints about Northern Leasing Systems and its DBAs, including long-term, non-cancellable leases, misrepresentation of lease terms, expensive equipment, poor customer service, and aggressive collections practices. There are more than 50 negative MBF Leasing reviews in the comment section of this review that describe typical issues with MBF Leasing. If you have your own MBF Leasing review to make, please do so in the comments below.

MBF Scamming LLC

At one point, MBF Leasing inspired an entire online forum titled “MBF Scamming LLC”, which was an active community of clients who felt they had been ripped off by MBF Leasing. This reflects poorly on the company’s customer service, as a large number of businesses apparently felt that they were better served talking to each other than they would be getting help from the company itself. The company’s support options evidently fall way short of what we expect of top-rated processors for customer service.

MBF Leasing Leasing Lawsuits and Fines

In March 2013, the New York Attorney General reached a multi-million dollar settlement with Northern Leasing and its affiliated companies over a scheme to drain nearly $11 million from the bank accounts of small business owners. The case alleged that Northern Leasing had created a shell company called SKS Associates LLC, through which Northern Leasing misled customers and began withdrawing lease payments from merchants’ bank accounts long after their leases had expired. Although this settlement concludes the Attorney General’s lawsuit and appears to be the end of SKS Associates, Northern Leasing and its related companies still conducted business and grew into a very large equipment leasing network.

In April 2016, the New York Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Northern Leasing Systems, Lease Finance Group, and MBF Leasing “for their fraudulent and deceptive practices that trap small business owners across the country.” The lawsuit alleges that Northern Leasing Systems and its subsidiaries knowingly deceived thousands of business owners into buying overpriced equipment and then abused the judicial system by filing suit in New York to collect on overdue lease payments. The lawsuit seeks to vacate default judgments obtained by Northern Leasing against business owners, enjoin the company and its owners from further deceptive practices, obtain restitution for merchants, dissolve Northern Leasing, and force the company to notify all three major credit reporting agencies that the default judgments have been vacated. It was allowed to proceed in December 2017 and was resolved in June 2020 with a victory for the New York Attorney General, providing relief to thousands of small businesses. This marked the second action that the New York Attorney General has taken against Northern Leasing Systems. Merchants who have been harmed by Northern Leasing Systems are instructed to not take any action at this time, as the court is yet to set restitution amounts.

In 2021, the Supreme Court upheld the 2020 decision and the New York Attorney General made a further decision and order shutting down subsidiary companies that Northern Leasing Systems was allegedly using to attempt to continue to enforce their voided leases.

MBF Leasing Customer Service Options

The company offered dedicated support numbers and email addresses through Northern Leasing Systems, but the site no longer exists.. While these are the basic support channels we expect of top-rated merchant accounts for customer service, it is clear that most businesses do not obtain positive resolutions through these channels.

MBF Leasing Online Ratings

Here's How They Rate Online

Online Ratings Summary
BBB Reports 123

Over 120 Complaints

The MBF Leasing profile has effectively been wiped, so we have combined it with Northern Leasing Systems’ profile in this section since they are the same company. MBF Leasing is not accredited and had a “D+”, while Northern Leasing Systems is not an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau and at the time of being shut down had a BBB rating of “F” on their main profile and no rating on their profile for NLS Equipment Finance, LLC. As of its shutdown, there were 106 complaints filed against the company in the last 36 months between the two profiles, a considerable decline from the 224 registered at the time of a previous review. Only 6 of these 106 complaints were resolved by the company to the satisfaction of the merchant. The remaining 100 were resolved to the dissatisfaction of the merchant or received no final response.

BBB Warning and Government Action

The BBB profile also makes mention of the New York Attorney General’s lawsuits against Northern Leasing and includes the following notice:

BBB files indicate a pattern of complaints concerning the sales practices, contracts, and customer service of this company. Complainants are telling BBB about the difficulties they encounter when they lease equipment for their small businesses from Northern Leasing Systems. These complainants say that company sales representatives employ high pressure sales tactics to get them to sign a contract with the company. Many complainants allege that Northern Leasing Systems staff misrepresented the equipment to be leased or terms of the lease they sign. Other complainants are reportedly not given all pages of the contract after it is signed. Numerous complaints detail the burdensome nature of the company’s contract for return of the leased equipment. Some complainants that experience problems with the company claim they have a lot of trouble reaching a live person in customer service while a number of other customers reportedly receive repeated harassing collection calls from company representatives.

A more recent notice details the New York Attorney General’s victory against Northern leasing and subsequent government action.

What Merchants Say

Northern Leasing Systems had also received 17 informal reviews to its BBB profile, all of which are negative in tone. The most recent described trouble canceling services:

The worst! They overcharged us and is impossible to cancel their services with them. I’m going on a year now and still no luck cancelling. STAY AWAY!

Merchant accounts process sensitive financial data making confidentiality an imperative consideration for any company. Clients whose confidentiality has been breached should pursue all available legal remedies.

A Well-Deserved “F”

In light of the company’s complaint total and resolution ratio, multiple lawsuits, and accusations of illegal activity, we agree with the BBB’s rating of an “F” for the company.

MBF Leasing Fees, Rates & Costs

A Closer Look at The Contract

Cost & Fees Summary
Cancellation Penalties Yes
Monthly & Annual Fees Yes
Processing Rates N/A
Equipment Leasing Yes

Non-Cancellable 48-Month Term

The standard MBF Leasing contract is a non-cancellable 48-month agreement, which means that, upon signing the lease, merchants are obligated to pay the full cost of the four-year lease whether they use the equipment or not. The full cost of a standard MBF Leasing contract appears to be several thousand dollars, often up to ten times the cost of purchasing the leased equipment independently. It should be noted that most credit card terminals can be purchased for under $500. Non-cancellable, long-term leases mean a business can pay thousands for that same equipment making them a contract term to avoid.

Several Negative Reports

To terminate the contract, clients can either notify MBF Leasing of their intent to terminate the contract, return the equipment, and pay the remaining balance; or they can purchase the equipment and pay the remaining balance. Either way, they will be on the hook for the remaining monthly payments. It appears to be standard company policy to simply withdraw the amounts owed on delinquent accounts in monthly or lump sums, often without ever notifying the client. The vast majority of MBF Leasing reviews online indicate widespread dissatisfaction with these contract terms, and we are inclined to agree with the clients in this case. Businesses seeking equipment should instead investigate equipment rental terms offered by budget-friendly merchant account providers. We also encourage business owners to check out our list of the providers of the best merchant services.

MBF Leasing Employee Reviews & Sales Tacitcs

Should You Work For Them?

Jobs & Marketing Summary
Uses Independent Resellers Yes
Telemarketing Yes
Misleading Marketing No
Discloses All Important Terms No

A Provider for Resellers

MBF Leasing allows independent sales agents with any merchant account provider in the industry to resell its equipment leases as an addendum to their usual merchant account contracts. MBF appears to exercise little-to-no oversight when it comes to how the agents sell its products, but it will typically enforce the full terms of the agreements that are signed.

Definite Red Flags

We have found hundreds of MBF Leasing reviews filed against the company and its DBAs that allege sales agents do not disclose the conditions of the equipment lease. There are also numerous MBF Leasing complaints of aggressive collections efforts by MBF, even when clients state that they were completely duped into signing the agreement. In general, there is no positive information to be found about MBF’s sales approach, and the company has earned an “F” in this category. If you feel that you are trapped in an improperly disclosed equipment lease, we advise seeking a third-party statement audit to renegotiate your terms. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.

Our MBF Leasing Review Summary

Our Final Thoughts

Although MBF Leasing seems to be a less-common alternate business name of Northern Leasing, the larger network includes a number of Northern Leasing companies that rank as the absolute worst equipment leasing companies in the merchant services industry. Business owners are advised to carefully research whether they are dealing with MBF or one of its DBAs before signing an equipment lease. We do not recommend this lease provider to businesses as a general rule and urge business owners to instead consider sourcing their equipment from a top-rated provider. For a more in-depth analysis of this company, please read our Northern Leasing Systems review.

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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 MBF Leasing Treat You?

54 User Reviews

  • Roxy

    We cancelled over 9 years ago, and just found out they’ve been taking $91.54 since cancelled, somehow this was missed by the accountant, as when she started, was unaware it had been cancelled. So approximately this company has illegally stolen almost $12,000.00 And due to Covid-19, James at answering service states company probably not going to open anytime soon to call us back. Crooks!!!

  • DENNIS MILLER

    My involvement with MBF Leasing began on 12-20-2007. They were hounding me for unearned monies for years until I hired an attorney firm Chittur Associates from NY in the amount of $5000 to represent me. MBF went away until earlier today (12-16-19). There is now a judgment against me in NY. This is now going on 13 years. Anyone out there that has a solution to make this go away, I would be greatly appreciative.

  • Florida Carpet and Interiors, Inc.

    I could not cancel during my lease (without an outrageous cancellation fee), had to wait until my contract (which auto renews) was over. Extra fees (Read every little fine print), canceled when my lease was over, still had a $150.00 restock fee for return of equipment, & a $200 something fee to cancel even though my contract with them at that time was month to month. Ripping off their customers. If I ever switch credit card processing companies again, if they use MBF equipment I will NOT use that company! This is after I paid them every month for YEARS!


    This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee

    -Phillip

  • Clarence Forsyth

    We were approached by a Nicole Dickinson, Sales Agent, for Transmerit Merchant services. We agreed to go with them for our credit card services. She told us we had to use MBF Leasing LLC for our equipment. I signed the agreement before seeing that the monthly charge was $189.00. (They withdraw $209.00) I immediately called her, within the next hour that she had left and she never returned my call. We had serious doubts about the move and tried to get out of it immediately. (The very next day) That was 3 years ago. We are now in the process of closing and was told we still had 2 more years of monthly payments. All I keep hearing is that they have a signed agreement and we must adhere to it or else. Help!!!


    This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee

    -Phillip

  • George

    Lowlife company. I signed an ironclad 5 year contract with them. Even if I died, my heirs would be responsible for the remainder of contract.
    I bit the bullet and leased their junk equipment that I didn’t need for 5 years , then they still wouldn’t let me stop business with them.
    They had all kinds of “rules” that made it impossible to get rid of them.
    Their equipment was obsolete after 6 months and didn’t even work anymore after 18 months.
    Then my office manager finally dug up an address for them and sent them a letter stating we had been off that ridiculous contract for 2 years and she sent the equipment back to them.
    I had to close that business account and open another to keep them from stealing more money from me.
    After 6 years they are still harassing me and calling me threatening legal action if I don’t pay them for what I do not even know.
    Just got a computer generated call yesterday threatening legal action.
    Is this company run by the effing mafia? WTF!?


    This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee

    -Phillip

  • Yvonne

    So…
    I get a ding on my credit report from a MDF Leasing. A inquiry. I don’t know who they are or why they are on my report. I’m thinking my identity has been stolen because they are using an address I haven’t lived at for 13 years.
    So
    I call today ….they tell me “Oh….you had our equipment in 2009 when you had your business”
    I stopped her right there.
    Told her….”I haven’t lived in that address since 2006 and haven’t had that business since 2006″

    Its 2019….who do you think I am. BooBoo the Fool?!

    Then she said “Well, I’m going to send to our legal department”

    I told her “please do it”

    They done messed with the wrong one now.

    I’m getting ready to have my lawyer drag them from here to infinity.

    They trying to put some damn equipment on my report and I never had they equipment!

    Its on now.


    This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee

    -Phillip

  • Victoria

    We cancelled our contract with MBF in October 2011, they have now been calling us daily saying that we still own their equipment. We have faxed in copies of the receipts and tracking numbers showing we sent back the equipment, yet they still insist that we have it. After an argument on the phone that there is nothing more I can do for them since proving we returned all equipment and cancelled our contract 7 years ago they are sending us to collections.

    • Ian G

      Do not sign with this company. They require a 4 year contract and a personal guarantee, and the rep even gave me a sign on bonus, even though I said I’m closing my business soon. They came after me, and luckily I googled and found an attorney that vacated the judgment of $5k. His contact is below and I’m not in anyway personally connected with them. My business was in california.

      Michael D. Siegel, Esq.
      Siegel & Siegel, P.C.
      One Penn Plaza, Suite 2414
      New York, New York 10119
      212-721-5300

  • Kevin dalton

    I signed a lease with this company a.few years ago it was faxed to me and sent back through a fax I received the equipment the started getting charged with charges not on the lease instantly I call them to find out what was up they then send me a full lease my signature was forged on the rest of the contract and when I confronted them about it I was called a lier when you could look at the contract and send it was no where close to my signature and the keep trying to put things on my credit report and keep doing credit inquiry under my name never do business with this company run as fast as you can. I never run one transaction with this company. That is how fast I caught in to the scam

  • D

    DO NOT ever sign a lease with this company. They charged me $150 restocking fee, along with paying the rest of my lease to end this.They refused to send me a new or another equipment since that one was not working properly. I asked them why a $150 restocking fee? That thing doesn’t work, are you leasing it to someone else? The answer was that I signed a lease. I sent the equipment back.
    It is a scam!

  • Brandi McGoff

    I have mailed out several letters to each address for this fraudulent company to cancel my company’s lease agreement, that wasn’t even signed by anyone in our company. Also we are a home service company and at the time only ran credit cards in our office via the internet or phone. The sales representative was well aware that the peice of equipment was not going to be used. The representative said that it was free and to keep it in case we needed it one day.

    Even if we had signed the contract, our lease would have been up and available to cancel at 48 months. I have written letter after letter, now I have to obtain legal counsel that will cost even more!

    • Tony

      Tony, I was contacted by a very pretty girl in 2006 when I had a convenient store in Louisiana she stated she worked for MBF Leasing LLC and they were offering new business a special lease for a machine to verify funds in checking accounts before accepting. Many of my new customers inquired about paying with checks, and since I did not have a machine I could not help them. So I spoke to the person who insured me that if I didn’t like it or it wasn’t useful I could return the machine no questions asked. She had me sign a contract that was not all filled out, and assured me that it was because they had to put it on the computer and I would receive a copy as soon as it went through, that never happened. After 3 months I boxed up the machine and returned it but the machine was returned to me a few weeks later and I sent it back another time. As a side note, several checks that I ran through the machine was return NSF, 2 of them were from the same checking account that was run through the machine 7 days apart. I stop paying the monthly fee after I determined that the equipment was junk and did not do what it was supposed to do. It is now 2017 and I have been receiving threatening legal letters for 11 years now stating they will be offering me a reduce payment from $5600 to $1118 These people are scum and prey on business people trying to make a living. I returned a copy of this letter with the latest invoice I received. I will NEVER pay them for that junk, I get pleasure in burning the original invoices they send using a few words I cannot put on paper.

  • Nikki Wisdom

    I have completed the required 48 months contract paying $15,500 for $4,500 worth of equipment and they still want $1,600 to buy it out! Ridiculous! Other companies I have dealt with charged $1 for the buyout.

  • Ekaterina Ananieva

    This is the worst company you could ever imagine. They’re absolute crooks trying to trap small business owners into 60 months non-cancellable leases without providing that information up front. DO NOT in any circumstance sign anything with this company. They’re in a class action suit in NY. I’m waiting for this company to be dissolved but still in a battle with them. I sent the equipment back and refuse to pay them another penny after I realized they’re scammers. Any help would be great. These crooks need to be stopped once and for all. I can NOT believe they’re allowed to still operate in any state.

    • George

      I paid these jerks the required 4 year contract length and when I tried to quit, they wouldn’t let me!
      They have all kinds of idiot stipulations about how and when you can stop doing business with them.
      After several attempts to fire them, I finally closed the business account they had been pillaging and sent their obsolete junk equipment back to them.
      Somebow they think I still owe them and every few months they attempt to collect on a nonexistant debt.
      I just got a 1-800 call from these bozos saying my account is moving through collections.
      I got rid of them 3 years ago!
      WHAT IS UP WITH THESE IDIOTS!!

      • Norma

        Same with me i closed my business8 years ago and they still are charging me auto draft. Called the bank and they claim they cant did anything because its auto draft and i have no number to call these idiots.

  • H Maxwell

    This is the worst fraudulent company of all times, having a non cancelable contract is unheard of I didn’t know my elderly father did this for his company now that we closed his business in 2014 and he is blind and disabled they have not stopped coming for him I have written letters returned equipment and still to no avail. I have called the AG offices and filed a complaint and BBB, this business needs to be closed down for good scum company and more research from perspective clients please do your homework

    • Jessica

      Yes be careful with MBF Leasing. They are dishonest and very unprofessional. This company needs to be shut down. All the comments listed pretty much sums up my incidence. Please feel free to give the Federal Bureau a call and complain about them. The attorney general of New Year has an active lawsuit against them for the second time.Yes it sounds like a lot of work but we need to protect our rights against businesses like this. In my case, it was a breach of contract when they denied to send me the correct equipment. They continued to deduct from my account and even threatened me when I cancelled them. In order to stop them from harassing you, provide them with a notice explaining why you are stoping the payments make sure all is certified mail.

  • Rosalie A. Gonzalez

    We cancelled our contract with MBF Leasing a few years ago and were told because we were in a contract, that we had to pay it off, which I have been doing for over 30 months. Realizing that this should have been paid off long ago, I call them to find out when the auto payment would end, and was told that my contract was renewed because I had failed to return a check ready, which by the way, we never had. So because it was missing, they continued to charge me a monthly. I finally called them to find out why and I finally said, let me pay for the missing piece of equipment, that BTW we never had and then they would stop taking out the automatic payment. I tried to have them tell me how many months extra I had been charged for because of this error, but they could not or would not tell me. What a SCAM……BEWARE! Is there anywhere I can go to file a suit against them.

  • Xhris

    We were sold this equipment through hotsauce technologies. The equipment and software wasn’t what we were promised and we are sending the equipment back to hotsauce and refusing to pay any cancelling

  • Laurie

    I was contacted by a sweet little old man in 2006 when my Rental company opened in SC he stated he worked for MBF Leasing llc and they were offering new business a special 1 year lease for a credit card machine. Many of my new renters inquired about paying their rent with their credit cards, and since I did not have a machine I could not help them. So I spoke to the man who insured me the special was for 1 year and if I didn’t like it or it wasn’t useful I could return the machine no questions asked after the year. I got the machine. He had me sign a contract that was not all filled out, he assured me that it was because they had to put it on the computer and I would receive a copy as soon as it went through, That never happened. After a year, I boxed up the machine, sent it return receipt requested and waited for my receipt. As a side note, I was also told it would be a flat monthly fee, but I was also charged a quarterly charge as well as a large charge at the end of the year. It is not 2016 and I have been receiving threatening legal letters for 9 years now stating they will be taking me to court for violating the 48 month lease I signed, I owe them $2,111.40 for the balance of my 48 month lease, blah blah blah. They even sent me a copy of a contract (finally) that was filled out with the 48 month in the duration of lease box and dated in a different handwriting . These people are scammers and prey on people by using elderly people to do their dirty work. It has been 9 years of them harassing me, I’m sick of it. HELP!

  • Dexter

    The sales rep told me I needed this equipment to do financing in my store! That wasn’t true and I found out in 2 weeks. I sent the equipment back in less than a month and there still charging me! It went from $3,700 to over $6,000!! Something has to be done about this! Lawsuits or something! They should be returning money!


    Are you with MBF Leasing? Learn how to resolve this complaint.

  • Rudy

    This company is a scam. Don’t ever sign a contract with this company. We were already done with our contract and we already returned the equipment and they are still charging us. We allowed them to charge us for several months while waiting for the end of our contract even though we were not using them anymore. But then when the day of cancellation came, they gave us a hard time to cancel. We returned the equipment as part of the requirement for cancellation but there was one missing, so they continue to charge us until now. From my perspective, they are not ethical and should not be allowed to operate this way. Something has to be done.

    • Rosalie A. Gonzalez

      This is the exact same thing that happened to us and I finally realized it and had to pay for a piece of equipment that we never received, even though they say we did. We returned everything! I am going thru the same thing with another credit card company as well, and we returned the equipment and they have never acknowledge receiving it and they will probably to the same thing to us as well.

      • Tyler Rice

        They did the same to us signed us up for machine same day took the machine we never used back voided contract for eleven years got charged for the voided contract the second contract expired could not reach anybody to return finally under advisement from lawyer closed that account opened another got different credit card service they got a hold of us by phone and said because we did not call at time of renewal it automatically renewed and the other one they never received back so we had been paying for a contract voided immediately since 2011 one night during business supper which the camera video taped with sound the man called 12 times in a row to demand payment and in a very inappropriate manner my son threatened him with harassment it stopped by phone continues by mail since I help separate his paperwork and send the proper paperwork to book keeper they got my number my son is very nice I had a successful business For 17 years I had them before they sold out “I” am not so nice they only called me once I got a settlement from my business I sold years ago- I play hard Tyler plays nice- not anymore mom was the silent partner who is no longer silent!


        This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee

        -Phillip

  • Carmen Johnson

    I had set up a contract with Harbortouch and they leased equipment for their service with MBF Leasing. I have been trying to cancel the contract for over a year. I was finally told I could cancel it as of 10/1 I called on 10/1 and was told it would be another 10 days. That account has now been cancelled however I am still being billed by MBF Leasing for the equipment. I called Harbor touch this morning and of course they don’t have a number for MBF and I am being told it is a separate company I am trying to find a way to contact MBF to get the charges removed and return the equipment if I need to do that. I have had to pay for a year for nothing. HELP

    • Dee

      We had to close bank account affiliated with MBF, it was worth it. You can open another account or get a new credit card, whatever method of payment used its worth replacing! The number I use to contact MBF is 1800 295-3699. We all should gang up on them and at the least complain to the Better Business Bureau at the least, I’d like to get a group lawsuit going as another angry writer has written!?!

    • Connie

      This company is a scam. They tricked me too into signing a lease for 4 years and tricked me to get equipment I didn’t need. I wanted to start accepting financing for my store and the salesman told me I have to have separate terminals. I told him I can buy them cheaper and he insisted that this company want to deal only with their own equipment. When I found out from the finance company that I did not need to have them, I called them and no one wanted to hear my complain. They would not even transfer my call to a supervisor.. It is ridiculous. I have a 1-888-275-3251 number for them in IL. I am going out of business and I wanted to see if they can settle for less but they wouldn’t even do that, even though I am with them for 2 years now and in good stands, paying for equipment I never used. Anyone got out of that lease yet? I would like to know.

  • Ken Beebe

    My lease with MBF is up in April of next year. If anyone has any advice as to how to finally get rid of these scumbags please let me know or the best way to cancel. I would greatly appreciate it. KB

  • John T

    I am having trouble with this company as well. Merchant Cooperatives told me they could get me out of the leasing contract with MBF Leasing in a couple of months if i was not satisfied. I have had nothing but problems ans merchant cooperatives lied when they told me they could get me out of the lease. They said i have to pay the monthly lease for the rest of the 48month lease even though i have cancelled the merchant cooperatives website development for me and even though i will return the credit card machine and will not use it. I am now going to a lawyer to see if there is anything that i can do.

    • Richardine Singleton-Brown

      HI JOHN: Any Luck resolving? I signed through Merchant Cooperative in 2013 and cancelled per S.C.Law timely and they continued to charge me telling me the contract was non-cancellable and that Jurisdiction is in New York. I am working on a Class action lawsuit. These people are horrible.

  • Tamara Tolkin

    YES, they are CROOKS…. and despite thinking they would go away…. The took the money out of my account, with a restraining notice from NY, I’m in LA….. M%&#r F@%KERS! $1151.22…. is it worth fighting in NY? NO :-(…. that would be an hour of a lawyers time. So I am pissed to say I have to pay the F@%KERS! If anyone out there wants to get a class action against them I’m in!
    Good luck people!

  • Jim Hollandsworth

    Our contract expired and equip returned but no way to stop these people from debiting our account. I am looking for an lawyer to sue these scumbags and their processed partner Harbortouch. Together they have overcharged my small business almost 100K. Never touch these crooks.

  • Carol Klink

    I closed my account in Dec. of 2014 and returned my equipment and the “assurance” that the only charge my account will have is for $21.41 for finalizing my end of contract. The equipment was sent back and acknowledged received at that time. Now I find on my bank statement that they helped themselves to $125.00 based on an audit that it was “property tax”? NEVER, NEVER do business with this company and make sure everyone knows about their schemes to help themselves to your account!

  • J Blackstone

    I have attempted to terminate my contract with MBF Leasing LLC in accordance with my lease agreement, and have been willfully ignored in their attempt to continue to extort money from me and my small home-based business. I have spent the last year dealing with their extraordinary measures and constantly increasing fees, and am to the point where I’m having to consider getting lawyers and authorities involved. These people have to be stopped. This is totally unacceptable.

    • R Hubbard

      I too have been fighting this low life,cheating,scamming,company to no end.Have you found any efforts in a law suit against them..This must be stopped.The way they do their scamming,what would stop any company from saying you signed this cartoon like contract and then sueing for money

  • Cheryl James

    I have returned my CC processing terminal. Why am I still being charger for this? I will report to the BBB if this issue is not resolved. Our office was closed last June. Seven months later- I am still trying to get this resolved. Our bank account will be closed and I need to get this resolved prior to the closure.

    • JOHN JONES

      yes these people are surley a bunch of crooks . it is a shame that there isnt any reasonable way to stop them of their crooked practices . i have put a blanket stop payment on anything comming from them in the future . there is a rite way and a wrong way of doing business and these people surley will get theirs one day for their crooked practices

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