So I signed up with Authorize.Net to accept credit cards online. I jumped through all the hoops to get it all going, I was being charged every month for the first three months even though I wasn't even in "test mode." At last after I had everything setup and I needed to run a couple credit card transactions. I had authorization forms from my customers and ran their cards through the Virtual Terminal on Authorize.Net. So after I charged my customers I waited for it to clear processing. It showed that it had cleared and charged. So I checked my bank account, nothing changed. I didn't recieve any money. So I figured maybe it takes longer, I waited a couple weeks, but nothing changed. I was confused, this didn't make sense, how can I charge my customer and not recieve money into my account that it was suppose to go into.
So this is when I called Authorize.Net and recieved the most saddening part, they told me they can't do anything because it's CyberSource that deals with the money, yet Authorize.Net is owned by Cybersource and says on their website is part of it.
So I finally get hold of someone at CyberSource and they send me an email on July 29, 2013. They tell me that my website and more business information needs to be provided BEFORE they will release my monies. I tell them I didn't use the website for the credit card transactions, but no real response. I finally talk to someone to update my website and I send all information to the Underwriter ([email protected]). That was August 20th. Since then no response, I called a week after that email to follow up and no response. I then emailed them again on the 26th with still no response.
They are still have over four thousand dollars of my hard earned cash in their accounts and it looks like they plan never to release it. Is there anyone else out there who has success with this company?
Wiggity One
DFW,#2Consumer Comment
Fri, October 25, 2013
There is no real solution, it looks like this is a company that gree too quickly and they no real organization or standard operating procedures... The bottom line is, it sounds like they do this alot, and more than likely make a lot of money off interest in a escrow account where all of our money sits. This is how they make money off you, when they are done with you. Read below, but this is what i submitted to the BBB as well, they have over 10k of my companies money, from two different accounts. The first got shut down in error, they passed the buck on that to my bank. First sign of a troubled company is not being accountable for anything, if you read thier complaints on the BBB, its awlays someone elses fault. So that big of a company NEVER makes mistakes??????? RED FLAG. My business also has complaints on the BBB. There are some we deemed legitimate, we dropped the ball and owned up to the responsibility. But the kicker is, they encouraged me to re-apply via email, I did, they approved, then just as you said, asked for additional information. However, this was the same info I submitted the first time, and within days had the HOLD, released. The second time, it was as if I was dealing with a completely different company. READ BELOW, and if you can GO ELSEWHERE!
E-Check.Net one of Authorize.Nets services is holding onto 10k of money, they say for 90 days, for no reason. We have had problem after problem.
We signed up for Echeck.net back in May, and were processing with no hiccups until the end of July. When we switched Merchants, we asked the gateway stay open to process Echecks. Our former Merchant requested the gateway be shut down, and without even so much as an email or phone call, it was abruptly shut down. We called our ACH provider, Auth.Net, and they said, even though we are directly a customer of theirs, when Wells Fargo asked for the gateway to be shutdown, they closed out our Echeck account too? Now, even though the only thing the two companies have in common was that they (Wells Fargo and Auth.Net), shared a gateway, they closed out our ACTIVE ACH account.
I have emails about this problem, Auth.Net now tells me I have to RE-APPLY,which includes running my credit again, less than 90 days after I had been approved. Are you serious? Then we get another strange email saying we are PRE APPROVED for a new ECheck account. So I send the proper emails, and I have the response saved. But I will summarize, it said, Jeremy, we have recieved your new application and your credit will not be ran again, we will be in contact.At this point, they had roughly 7k in reserve at that time, and I was pleased that after a simple phone call, they released about 70% of it, and I was more than happy to let them hold on to the other 30% to make sure we covered charge backs. So at this point, I feel like I am working with a company that is looking out for both of our best interests. This is where is gets shady...
After we were PRE-APPROVED for a new account, we were informed we could start processing, so we did. A few days after processing, we get an email saying that Auth.Net needs some additional information. Now I had already been through this, no more than 90 days ago, so the information they requested was the SAME EXACT INFORMATION I submitted the first time, had no problems with, and they released the hold. I submitted on 9.17.13, it wasn't due until 9.20.13.....We hear nothing....ever. So I call them, they give me the run around and that by the end of the business day, Brenden Arnoldus will give us a call with an update. That call never came that day, or the day after, or the day after. I called up there everyday, and they said he was busy, but he never EVER got back. They told me it would be less than 24 hours, and that was a lie. They were avoiding me. Then, the next day, after FOUR DAYS of stress, we dont get a phone call, we get a very abrupt email stating that they are shutting down our new account, with no explanation. So guess who we are now able to get in touch with, after the fact, yes, Brenden Arnoldus. He informs us they dont do telemarketing? If that's the case they sure didnt mind doing it the first time. Not only that, but had Wells Fargo not erred, that initial account would still be open. So the same exact info I submitted the first time got my account off of a hold, now this time, it gets my account shut down. It seems Auth.Net does not have standard operating procedures, nor does it care that the people they process for have commitments to employees, vendors , and their families. Had they simply informed us of this policy, we obviously would have taken our business elsewhere, now, me and my partner have new credit inquiries for basically the same thing.
Moreover, at this time, not only are they still holding onto money from the first account...thousands of dollars. They are now saying that will not release the additional 10k in reserve for 90 days, when NONE OF THIS WAS OUR FAULT. They are either extremely disorganized, and their lack of communication has put us in a SERIOUS FINANCIAL BIND. They are holding onto 13k of our money, and its important that business owners know to avoid companies that change policy with no notice, and hold onto huge chunks of money with no merit. Avoid at all costs.