Complaint Review: Nova Merchant Services - Nationwide

My husband and I own two optometry offices near Portland, Oregon.

In July of 2015 a representative from Nova Merchant Services (Bryant Georgen) visited our office with promises of saving us 50% off credit card processing fees. This promise of savings he put in writing, sending a spreadsheet that showed the savings we would experience each month.

With this new service came a contract for leasing the credit card processing equipment for 4 years. That contract said it was unbreakable. Mr. Georgen said not to worry. He hand wrote into the contract that if Nova Merchant Services could not keep their promise of said savings that Nova would cancel not only the contract with Nova, but also release us of the contract for leasing of the machines ($189 per month, per office). Nova would also pay off the total remainder of my previous credit card machine lease. For each office we owed $1695.

It took me a little while to say yes to Mr. Georgen, but finally I agreed.  Later in the summer I received my first statement. I was surprised to see I was actually paying more money for credit card processing than I had been paying previously. The credit card machines from the previous contract had not been paid off, so I was paying for those as well.

I contacted Mr. Georgen, who told me that he was looking for another job because Nova Merchant Services had not been honoring the contracts he had been writing. He told me that he would help me if I needed his help. He told me some guy named Dave Anthony would be my contact and that I should try him.

Dave Anthony was no help. He assured me I was given great rates. I told him "they might be great to you, but they are not the rates I was promised." He also told me if I wanted to get out of the contract it would cost me a lot of money. I asked that he send me the copy of the cotract he had on file for me. He did. In the contract he sent me, all the information Bryant Georgen put in handwriting had been removed. The special pricing page that included the part that they would release me from the contract and the lease agreement had been removed. New numbers had been put into the contract he sent. The page where they agreed to cover the cost of my previous equipment was also missing. Dave quickly agreed to send me another one of those covering up to $295 of my expenses. Not the $1695 owed, per office. Dave and myself were having two completely different conversations. He did not hear one thing I said. 

In January I was able to change bank accounts, as Nova Merchant Services continued to help themselves to whatever money they deemed was owed to them. I continued to pay for the old credit card machines $102.72 x2, the new credit card machines $189 x2, and many fees for NOT using their system at each office. Then I started getting letters. Northern Leasing Company was upset. Nova was upset. No payment. They have now dinged my credit. Everything I buy will now be more expensive.

I've had an attorney in contact with Northern Leasing Company. They are demanding I pay them at least $8,000. That's what they will settle for. I need Nova Merchant Services to fix this. 

Nova Merchant Services' representative facilitated a fradulent contract with Nova and with Northern Leasing Company. I need to be released from these contracts. I need restitution for the moneys that have been paid. I need my credit to be fixed immediately. 

Thank you.