Complaint Review: Elavon or Ladco Leasing

I have opened the restaurant business in Duluth, MN in 2012.  First I opened my door , our intention is to accept only cash as the we knows from the other about the problem of credit card machine.  A couple day later, our customers requested us to accept credit card for payment beside cash for their convenience.  The U.S. Bank from Spirit Valley office came in to our door,  I did not have to call them in, they know their way to get me. 

I stated forward and really clear that I do not want a term lease as I do not know how my business will go well or fail.  He said “of cause you can get off anytime you want without any penalty”.  The equipment is free, it's only 10 cent per transaction.  This was what he sold to me.  I agreed to have him provide the system for the restaurant.

The next day, he came back with the lease for me to sing.  I did not have much time to review as he shovel page by page for me and told me, sign here and here.  Usually, I am really careful person when come to sign a legal paper as English is not my first language.  Even I can read and write, I still struggle with some meaning.  When I signed the paper, I did not remember to see the term of lease show in the paper otherwise I will not sign them. In remarkable, I did not get the copy right away after sign the lease.

The surprise showed up after I got the first statement, and found out the charges was much more than 10 cents per advertise by the rep.  Now, I know I am dealing with the other company that I never met them or know them before.  My husband started to get involve as I am too busy with my cooking and customers.  He requested Elavon who we believed that a chain of US bank to cancel our lease, they said “good luck on that as you sign lock in term for 48 months”

When my husband told me, I said no, there is no lock in term as the rep. told me to get off whenever I want.  I called Elavon to send me a copy of lease and at that time we worked in this case with our State of Minnesota office of the Attorney General around December 201 as well.  On the copy that I received from them by fax have a 48 months term in there.  My husband tried to contact US Bank to get us out from the lease but she said it's Elavon.  If we talk to Elavon, they said it's US Bank as they did not have sale rep.

US bank tried to compromise by asking us to do the complement program which will help us deduce the cost monthly for $22.00 per month.  We are trying to do this program for months but never success until we have to ask a professional to come to our restaurant and work with US bank by phone.  We learned that their is another scam because if you want to do by yourself you will never get it done.

Now, our business get to the end as many of you know since November 2014.  I did return the machine and manual to Evlon and inform them that we are no longer business and there is no transaction in my checking account with CC to US Bank.  We also asked the US rep. to assist us off in this deal but she said it's not her lease.  I still let them charge the transaction fee from what they do the job for me and for the machine rent for my last month too. 

I got a call from Elavon's customer service on January 16, 2015 to advised me that I have to pay them fee for another 20 months even I did close my business and even I did not use their machine and return to them already.  My husband explained to them that we are not willing to continue the payment unless we are in the court order. They will put me to the collection which that means they destroy my credit and my life.

I would like to report to the public that they are a scram, unfair treat to the customers, misrepresenting the lease are being cancelled, misrepresenting the lease as purchases.  Misrepresenting that the equipment is free, misrepresented the the cost to buy out the equipment at the end of lease.  Misrepresent the length of the lease.  Missed responsible to their duties and try to push to the other.

I am not sleeping well since talking with them.  It causes me a tension as I never dealing with court and never wants to search for a problem.   I am searching Elavon website and found out there is hundreds and hundreds of small business have got hurt and rip-off  like me.  I am now fill out the complaint of  Elavon to Consumer Affairs in Tennessee and filling out the complaint of US Bank via Federal Consumer and will going to file the law suit at St. Louis County for my next step.  

 I would like to ask, if there is any small business or, if you have known anyone who has got this problem to contact me.  Please cooperate with me by signing your name up and we can put it together for the further actions.  Without some helping hand to each other, I may fail to the collection in the worst case but I will be proud if I can help the other out from this trail in this run.

Please contact me at my face book page "Pak's Green Corner, Duluth, MN" ........ together we will win