Complaint Review: Stripe.com - Internet

I setup Stripe payments for three of my websites and also installed a new invoice system API to work with Stripe since Stripe does not offer any invoice solutions.

I received my first Stripe payment from a student of mine and also tested my new invoice system using my own credit card which seemed to work very well and started working on over 8K of client invoices that I was going to send that day. An hour later, I get the following emails from Stripe using the following 'canned' email messages:

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[I]

"Thanks for signing up with Stripe. Unfortunately, we were unable to verify the information you provided. Any payments not yet transferred to you will be refunded, and we will be unable to accept any additional payments on your behalf. I'm sorry we won't be able to help with your business, and if you have any questions, please let me know."[/I]

and

[I]"Stripe provides a service between banks and our users. In order to provide service to our users we are urged by our banking partners to keep an eye on all accounts that sign up for our services. In the process of keeping an eye on your account, we've noticed that you've processed charges that seem to be unauthorized. In order to make charges with credit and debit cards the owner of the card must consent to the charge. Charges on your account do seem to lack this consent which unfortunately means that we will no longer be able to offer service to xxx.com.

To guard against currently pending charges that may be unauthorized by the cardholder we will be refunding all charges that have yet to reach your bank. If you'd like to recollect these funds you will need to reach out to your users and arrange an alternative form of payment.

I do apologize that your Stripe service will be ending so abruptly but our hands are unfortunately tied."[/I]

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Stripe basically shut down my services without any valid reasons or explanations. I sent them my Gov't photo ID and only processed three payments, one from a student and two from my own card during testing of new invoice system. I wrote them back asking them to be more specific in what I am doing wrong and why there was unauthorized charges since the only charges were from myself and one of my students.

I have received no response from them at all in past five days nor has my student or myself seen any refund from them. I have never actually experienced such poor support from any internet based company..

So before I delete all their API stuff from my sites, I decide to give Stripe.com support a phone call in hopes to find out what is going on and guess what? They do not offer any phone support!!

The following explanation is from the Stripe support website using a nonsensical excuse to why they do not offer any phone support:

Do you offer Phone support?

[I]

"No—but please don't misunderstand this as any lack of interest! We'd love to answer your questions.

We know the decision to omit phone support is unusual, but after experimenting with different approaches, we've found that starting with email enables us to provide the fastest response. We focus on providing fast and high quality responses by email, so you're always talking to a human that can help first-hand. If it makes sense to jump on the phone once we hear from you, we're happy to do so."

[/I]

WTF?!? A financial e-commerce company who does not offer any phone support?? Brutal to say the least.. I think the word is "HUP" or highly unprofessional and pathetic combined. I do although understand that there may not be enough call centers available in India to handle their customer complaints perhaps..?

Beware of Stripe.com especially if you are shipping physical goods or you may in for a big loss. They will halt your account for no valid explanation and automatically refund your clients without any prenotification. And that is not good for any business.

Stripe will not respond to your emails.

Stripe cannot be contacted via phone support.

Stripe is not interested in helping you resolve any errors.

Stripe states that they will refund any payments, both myself and my student have yet to see any refunds in past five days.

If these red lights are not enough indication that this company is incapable of doing a solid business with, take your chances and hope it works out better for you.