Complaint Review: Total Merchant Services And Ameribanc National

I had a very nice young lady come to my office. She did not know a lot because she "had not been in the field long"; she used to work in their offices. When we were initially called by the company, we were told that the price for merchant services was a set amount and there were no additional fees. We were also told that there was no contract. Wanting to save some money, we agreed to the sales appointment.

When we started asking the saleslady about the fees, she had to call Jason. Then she asked if she could fax our current statement to him so he could look at it; "Jason was really good with the numbers". After she faxed the statement and called Jason back, he was good about explaining the numbers. He quickly offered to drop the percentage rate to a fixed rate. Everything was going well and we would probably agree to their offer. I explained to the saleslady that we had already committed to meeting with another company the next morning and felt that it was only professional and courteous to keep the appointment. She totally understood and agreed; and would call us in a couple of days.

The "no contract" turned into an "agreement" that consisted of over 30 pages. We asked her if she would leave it with us so that we could read it before signing. She agreed and then left. Moments afterwards she returned to my office with Jason on the phone. Jason, the "number person", became the rude and a unprofessional hard sale closer.

Jason began berating my wife about how we had promised to sign and how we had wasted over an hour of his commissioned salespersons time; who had to use her own gas to go to appointments. My wife passed the phone to me and Jason started by asking if we could talk "man to man"; I guess he has a problem with female business people. He started with the same lines on me. I guess he doesn't think my time meeting with his salesperson is worth anything.

According to Jason, he is a regional vice president. He informed me of this when I said I did not appreciate his company lying to me.

Sad thing for the salesperson is that we probably would have sign the agreement, if it had not been for Jason. Saving money is one thing but, the reputation and conduct of the company and its employees is another, especially an executive employee. I'm glad I was able to speak with Jason, it kept me from making a big mistake.

My name is Vincent C of (((Redacted))) from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and I am very interested in working for or becoming an independent contractor for a merchant services company. So far I have looked at and am doing research on 5 different companies including National Ameribanc. So far I have looked into Universal Merchant Services, Crescent Processing, Apex Merchant Group and International Bancard. My main concern is not what I am seeing on (((Redacted))) regarding any of these companies, but making sure that If I myself am going to come aboard and possibly bring on my sales staff as affiliate sales reps that everyone is honest and has a good product to sell. We are in the business of helping people and making great money while doing so. I will take any and all constructive suggestions as to who we should partner with and why.

We will be incorporating our merchant efforts with our (((Redacted))) where we leave card stands with local business owners that includ our (((Redacted))) free membership cards that allow customers who shop on line to save up to 30% at over 1400 national retailers as well as our Free discount drug cards that any customer can use to save up to 75% on name brand and generic drug purchases at over 54 thousand locations nationwide. And yes there is a revenue share for the store owner for allowing us to leave our card stands with them.

Sincerely,

(((Redacted)))

(((Redacted)))

I would be interested in getting copies of the reports you have. I sell merchant services (not with this co) but I am up against them and would love any info on them.

Hi
My name is Hassan I'm an ISO I run Merchant Services Company Express MPS Group and partner with Digital Financial Group one of the best company Sponsored by wells Fargo and first data.

I would like to educate and help small business owner that been lied or Ripped off by other merchant services company with there lease, rate etc..

I see that's a lots of bad Merchant providers' are hurting small businesses by RIPPING THEM OFF by signed them on a long term lease or charge them too much from there hard earning money for something you can buy for few hundred. And also they not helping the needs of the merchant
Some info

1- Don't not sign a terminal lease if it's more than $30 a month.

2-read the contract very close and keep a copy of it and tell the agent to wait for 2days or comeback within 2day so you have time to read the contract and look up their company @ www.ripoffreport.com

3-when you decided to sign with them make sure you get your contract copy right a way . (means) go to the copy machine and make your copy of the contract

4- If you have a lease and it's the end of the lease make sure you call the lease company to cancel your lease, because they will continue charging you

"Low Rates"
Let's face it, many Merchant Service Providers advertise their "low rates." However, when applying you find out that you may fall into a higher risk category or simply do not "meet their required transaction volume" to qualify for their advertised "low rates."

Watch out from low rate 1.03%, 1.39%, 1.59% for V/MC. whatever below the bypass (interchange) rate it's a lie they will charge you more..

If you have any Question please feel free to email me.

Hi
My name is Hassan I'm an ISO I run Merchant Services Company Express MPS Group and partner with Digital Financial Group one of the best company Sponsored by wells Fargo and first data.

I would like to educate and help small business owner that been lied or Ripped off by other merchant services company with there lease, rate etc..

I see that's a lots of bad Merchant providers' are hurting small businesses by RIPPING THEM OFF by signed them on a long term lease or charge them too much from there hard earning money for something you can buy for few hundred. And also they not helping the needs of the merchant
Some info

1- Don't not sign a terminal lease if it's more than $30 a month.

2-read the contract very close and keep a copy of it and tell the agent to wait for 2days or comeback within 2day so you have time to read the contract and look up their company @ www.ripoffreport.com

3-when you decided to sign with them make sure you get your contract copy right a way . (means) go to the copy machine and make your copy of the contract

4- If you have a lease and it's the end of the lease make sure you call the lease company to cancel your lease, because they will continue charging you

"Low Rates"
Let's face it, many Merchant Service Providers advertise their "low rates." However, when applying you find out that you may fall into a higher risk category or simply do not "meet their required transaction volume" to qualify for their advertised "low rates."

Watch out from low rate 1.03%, 1.39%, 1.59% for V/MC. whatever below the bypass (interchange) rate it's a lie they will charge you more..

If you have any Question please feel free to email me.

The rebuttal is a complete lie and does not even suggest they can support their claim with anything more then fabrications. The fact is that I did receive commission, at least two months, of approximately $2500 each month, I have the back up to prove that. The rates were approved and signed off by Mike at Ameribanc, I have that back up as well, I also have emails from Ameribanc admitting to the mistake but not accepting liability. Suggesting it was my tough luck. My concern was also for the merchant who I signed up only to be given the bait-and-switch from Mike at Ameribanc. I also have copies of the bill from the merchant for $17,000 in equipment.

As to their claim I asked to come back and work for them, that is completely false as well. I just assume sit at home on the couch before I would work with a company that has mastered a business plan that revolves around defrauding merchants and the sales people that sell these merchants.

SCAM SCAM SCAM.

The claim that "Total Merchant Services Aka Ameribanc National Get Merchant Consultants to sign up merchants at low rates then raise the rates and cut off the Merchant Consultant that sold the deal Basalt Colorado" is an incorrect statement.

This is just a preliminary response to the claim(s) that Jeff made against AmeriBanc and Total Merchant Services - I will offer another post with more specific details in the near future if needed. We felt the vindictive nature and tone of the complaint needed some sort of response to avoid potential recruits and/or customers getting incorrect information about our company, our processor and the how basic credit card processing works.

AmeriBanc National approves around 1000 applications per month currently and certainly wants to approve as many as possible since this is how we generate income and profit for our company. We also benefit by keep each and every representative informed, educated and as happy as possible in order to extend the life of our working relationship. We treat our representatives as customers since they are the source of our new customers and therefore; our future income.

The merchant in question was purported to qualify for special rates from Visa/MC under the description of a qualifying "Grocery Store" status. V/MC does offer a signficantly lower interchange (cost of processing) rate for qualifying stores. I will have to look more closely at the details, but it would be fair to say that the rates for a qualifying "grocery store" would be lower for the merchant, but the store has to be formally qualified by Underwriting at TMS and by V/MC standards before those rates can be granted. It would appear that this is the basic issue/disconnect in this situation. Jeff believed he could give rates to this merchant that they didn't qualify for and got very upset to the point of extremely unprofessional and alienated all the parties in the equation with threats and insults.

As to the merchant getting billed for this for $17,000, I would have to look into that more closely to be certain, but my guess is that since TMS provided 15 sets of Free Placement equipment, TMS would have informed the merchant that they either needed to return the equipment or pay for it. There is also the reality that the merchant DID actually transact sales on the account and V/MC does charge TMS for those transactions so there is a wholesale cost that MUST be covered. As to any cancellation fees, TMS tends to rarely charge merchants cancelation fees and especially not merchants that either never got set up or just recently got set up and there is a clear miscommunication about rates and fees that the rep promised and what the rep could actually deliver. Obviously there needs to be some checks and balances in the system or every merchant would be signed up as a "Grocery Store" and given special pricing. Each and every independent agents signs up for liability for pricing errors that they commit to protect TMS and V/MC against fraudulent practices as well as well-intended mistakes/errors/ommissions that result in losses on the account. The liability is limited to the amount of income from residuals with TMS that the agent has unless it is judged that the rep committed intentional fraud which is a different problem.

Jeff signed this account as an independent agent/ISO with TMS and therefore had the responsibility and the resources to research the account and determine how to price the account fairly and correctly. In an industry where the average revenue per account is $50-$60 of which the agents receive half resulting in about $25 - $30 it would appear that Jeff was attempting to either take advantage of the merchant's ignorance of proper pricing and/or was attempting to set a price that was not allowable by V/MC standards and/or AmeriBanc/TMS standards. To even attempt to set up a merchant fee structure that would generate $3000 per month is unrealistic at best and dishonest at worst. Any other representative could come in to that account and price it reasonably, save the merchant over $2500/mo = $30,000/yr and the merchant would leave that service provider. Just to point out that Jeff (at least) was counting chickens before they hatched.

Our typical merchant representative runs on our appointments, signs up accounts and we pay them commissions per approved account signed up within our Direct Sales Program Guidelines and receives NO residuals and NO liability. Jeff signed up as an actual Independent Agent and took on the responsibility to run his own business to sell and service his own customers.

This situation is unfortunate for all and every sales person agonized about the "one that got away" but Jeff took this to a new level of unprofessionalism and made personal attacks and criticisms resulting in nobody wanting to work with him any longer. He did contact our offices within the last couple of months to inquire if he could return to work in our Direct Program, so it would appear that we might not be as "BAD BAD BAD" as he stated.

I hope anyone reading this will forgive me for the length of the response and take a good look at our industry, our processor (TMS) and our company, AmeriBanc. We feel like we do an exceptional job of serving our employees, our customers and our representatives in the field.

~ AmeriBanc Corporate