Complaint Review: Intergrated card services

I am opening a small business in our area so I wanted to look around and obtain some information on companies that provide debit/credit card processing services. I came across ICS which seemed to have a good reputation and gave themselves an A rating with the BBB on their web page.

I sent an email requesting further information on their services and products. I received an email from Colt Curtis directing me to fill out the attached application. I was looking into two other companies so I held off on completing the application. Colt Curtis called me every day for a week and then sent several more emails urging me to just complete the application and if I decided to use his company, I would already be approved.

I completed the application and continued to do research on the other companies. Two days later, I recieved a call from another ICS employee who advised me that my debit card reader had been shipped! I called Colt Curtis immediately and advised him of the call and reminded him that I had not chosen his company and further advised that since I was still in the process of opening my shop, I still did not know if I was going to use traditional telephones or go wireless. Colt advised that he would look into the call and find out what had happened.

A week later, Fed Ex delivered a card reader from ICS. I then sent Colt Curtis an email and requested a return authorization and reminded him of our many communications. Within a few minutes of sending the email, Colt Curtis gave me a call. He advised that the reader he had sent would operate on both traditional telephone lines as well as web based. I advised him that I had never agreed to this shipment and further advised him that I had never signed anything with his company. Colt Curtis then advised me that if I wanted to return the reader, he was going to charge me $350 as a "restocking fee" and then charge me another $250 to close my account, which was never set up in the first place.

I tried to work with this individual but I could see I was getting nowhere. I then advised Colt Curtis that I wanted to speak to a supervisor. Mr. Curtis then became irate and stated that "he" was the supervisor and there was no one that outranked him. I then requested to speak to his manager. Once again, Colt Curtis became irate and stated there are only 13 people in his company and he is the "boss". Colt Curtis then suggested that "if I didn't like it, I could call a lawyer who would cost me thousands and he (Colt Curtis) would still win". I then advised him that I would contact the Better Business Berea and report his attitude, lack of professionalism and poor excuse for a reputable company. Colt Curtis actually laughed and advised me that he has dealt with the BBB on many occasions and they still have pending law suits that have been active for almost a decade.

At that time I ended the call and then called a few other telephone numbers I had for ICS. I was bounced around for almost two hours before someone would actually listen to me. As of this writing I have been advised by ICS that they will terminate "my account" at no cost and directed me to return the reader. We will see.