ComplaintsforElectronic Merchant Systems

• Initial Complaint

  05/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Payment cloud uses them as a back end As a merchant account. So I started using them about a six months. My account was never properly set up and no one reached out to me. Their monthly charge for the merchant account $24 A month which increased to $95 a month. I have not processed one payment and now they are requesting a cancellation fee, even though the account wasn’t properly set up Transactions were processed or even initiated. They are claiming that the account was set up. Earlier this month, I initiated the process to cancel. I can never get through when I leave voicemails or call their customer care team. When I send emails, they just refer me to the customer care center without acknowledging The information within the email. Their customer care goes straight to voicemail. No updates of the cancellation and they do not return my calls. I would love to cancel my account like I initiated it earlier this month. Also, I would like to not have to pay a cancellation fee due to the account not being properly set up. I personally wouldn’t recommend them as a merchant account due to the lack of communication and the poor customer care.

  

  Business response

  06/04/2024

  Dear *** *******, 

  Thank you for taking the time to work with ***** ***** in our Retention department. This letter is to confirm your Electronic Merchant Systems processing account has been closed without penalty or early termination fee. 
  At this time, EMS will consider this matter resolved. 

  Sincerely,

  *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services

• Initial Complaint

  04/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My ordeal with EMS began when I was signed up for their services through PaymentCloud. Initially, the process seemed promising as EMS conducted extensive checks and inspections, including a physical visit to my location, followed by a phone interview, and eventual approval for a merchant account. However, the trouble began immediately after the handoff from PaymentCloud to EMS. Despite integrating the processor into my website and commencing sales, I encountered significant issues with receiving funds for legitimate transactions. My first charge, a $47 sale for a digital product went unfulfilled, with EMS claiming they were unable to verify the purchase with the customer, thus withholding the funds. Subsequently, a transaction totaling $4997 faced similar hurdles, despite EMS speaking directly with my customer and verifying the legitimacy of the charge. Despite these efforts, EMS persisted in withholding the funds. Their demands escalated to the point where they asked my customer to engage in an unnecessary three-way call with their bank, which understandably, my customer refused. Consequently, EMS notified me that they would hold all funds for months days before releasing them, effectively freezing over $6,000 of my revenue. Upon requesting account cancellation and the release of my funds, EMS shockingly insisted that the only way to retrieve my money was to refund all customers and recharge them through another merchant. This resulted in lost sales, disgruntled customers, and substantial inconvenience for my business. I canceling my account, EMS then began demanding payment for an alleged outstanding invoice of $306, despite my account being active for less than a week. Their representative displayed extreme rudeness and aggression during our interaction, threatening to escalate the matter to collections. Their apparent strategy of arbitrarily holding merchants' funds and subjecting them to unnecessary verification procedures is unacceptable and detrimental.

  

  Business response

  04/26/2024

  Dear *** ****** 

  Thank you for taking the time to work with ***** ***** in our Retention department. This letter is to confirm your Electronic Merchant Systems processing account has been closed without penalty or early termination fee. Per your desired settlement, there are no monies due. 

  I would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

  At this time, EMS will consider this matter resolved. 

  
  Sincerely,

  *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services

• Initial Complaint

  04/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up for their services a month ago through a subcontractor *** ********* ********* * was told by the sales person that there were no monthly fees and that the only charge was a transaction fee. I got approved and waited a month to insure there were no red flags before I started switching my clients to their platform. The first account I have switch two things happen first the hold the funds and claim that they need to contact the clients bank and the client before they will release the funds and second they billed her twice. Then while they are holding my funds the bill my bank account for 130.00 for service fees. I refunded the client both the charges and have decided not to use this company. They then try to bill my account for the refunds when they were holding the customer funds. So now they are holding 500 in funds paid by the client and will not release it and have tried to bill me 250.00 and 130.00 while holding my funds. I then decide I want to cancel and I am told only the retention department handles this. I have called now 4 times and have left repeated VM and no response. I called today and had the CS agent hot transfer me then the Retention specialist refuses to help me because the agent my account was assigned to was not in the office. It is a file and he has done nothing so there is no reason she cannot handle my case. No supervisor available and Customer Service cant do anything. I feel they just string people along and hold on to funds as long as they can. Very dishonest company. I want a refund of the Service Fees because I have never actually used their services and I want my account canceled immediately.

  

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  Dear *** ****, 

  Thank you for taking the time to work with ***** ***** in our Retention department. This letter is to confirm your Electronic Merchant Systems processing account has been closed without penalty or early termination fee. Currently no monies are due. 

  I would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. At this time, EMS will consider this matter resolved. 
  

  Sincerely, 
  *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services

• Initial Complaint

  04/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been trying to get my funds deposited from this company for about a month now. Over $7000 dollars is being withheld. I have done the site inspection, I have done the visa RDR which they require, I have resolved disputes, and I am trying to keep customers happy while they hold my money, making it difficult to fulfill orders. How do you expect me to fulfill orders without my deposits? Of course I will get a dispute. I need my money released asap so I can continue to process orders and do business. I need my money deposited asap to avoid further action.

  

  Business response

  04/09/2024

  Dear *** *****, 

  This letter is to inform you that your Electronic Merchant Systems processing account has been closed by our Risk department due to your high chargeback ratio. Industry standards require a ratio of less than 2%, and you are currently at 8.86%. EMS has processed refunds in-house on your behalf to your customers for any unfulfilled orders. 

  At this time, EMS will consider the matter resolved.

   

  Sincerely,

  *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services 

• Initial Complaint

  03/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We sold 2 puppies to a scammer which paid with credit cards then after picking them up a week later placed charge backs on all their transactions which was a total of $8100, We filed all the documentation to challenge it and won the case, customer placed another charge back on the same transactions, I called EMS and asked for advice and did exactly what the told me to do and submitted all the documents the asked for, we got a notification we lost the case which they withdrew the money from our checking account twice now, now I contacted them and they say they didn't have the one document needed but its in their email, I have proof I sent it, now they tell me they can't do anything about it anymore, I need to have this made right as I submitted everything they supplied

  

  Business response

  03/21/2024

  Dear *** ******* 

  Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. This letter is to confirm that your Electronic Merchant Systems processing account has been closed without penalty, or early termination fee. We have also discussed and agreed to the timing of the release for all monies held. I am pleased we could come to an amicable resolution. 

  At this time, EMS will consider the matter resolved.

   

  Sincerely,

  *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services 

• Initial Complaint

  03/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In late January, early February 2023, I applied and was accepted by EMS to process credit cards for my business. They had heavy fees, so I found another processor, that charges a lot less, and did not require a reserve, I processed with the other processor with very few charge back well under the required limited to not be considered high risk. The only reason I stopped using the other one, was they wouldn't let me change it over to my other business, ems did. I kept that account for over a year and had to pay their fees for the entire time. When I plugged them back into my gateway, they took hundreds of dollars to 'replenish' my reserve, without any explanation where that money went, in writing or otherwise. And one to three weeks later, they decide to place my account, which I had for over a year, on review. Where they stopped payouts. They asked for customer phone numbers to confirm the transactions, which I do not collect as they are not needed for the services I sell, and they said the only way to release my funds was to start requiring the phone numbers and review different transactions. They said it was my duty to collect customer information, which I did collect email and zip code and name. They never previously said I need phone number. I still got them the information, they called my customer, and offered them a refund, which is against my refund policy, and against the agreement I had with them, it is not their decision to make. The customer didn't receive the product because the cloud storage had to be paid, and hadn't been because they had held the money for two weeks. They said it is a business's responsibility to be able to withstand money being withheld. I did everything they asked to be compliant with them, and then they decided to close my account without a word. Now they are withholding 10% and every transaction for the last two weeks, how can a business survive its processor holding their revenue for 180 days. I didn't even have a charge back.

  

  Business response

  03/25/2024

  Dear *** *********, 

  Thank you for taking the time to speak with ***** ***** in our Retention Department. This letter is to confirm that your Electronic Merchant Systems processing account has been closed without penalty, or early termination fee. We have also agreed to release $1,498.15 from the reserve account and will release the remainder of monies held after 60 days pending no chargebacks. I am glad we could come to an amicable resolution. 

  At this time, EMS will consider the matter resolved. 

  
  Sincerely,

  *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services

  Customer response

  04/01/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I accepted the resolution, even though I didn't like it. It was the best possible, so I wasn't happy but satisfied.But today they withdrew money from my account for services, when they haven't deposited any of the transactions. So either they should not have debited it, or they should have withdrew it from the money they are withholding. 

   

  
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** *********
  
  
  
  
   

  

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  Dear *** *********,

  Electronic Merchant Systems has initiated a refund of $169.89 to your business bank account and offset the fees owed to the monies held in reserve. The $169.89 represents fees for your March activity. 

   

  Sincerely, 

  *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services

  Customer response

  05/02/2024

  RECEIVED VIA EMAIL BY BBB STAFF MEMBER:

  Can you change to resolved and accepted the resolution by consumer. I am satisfied with what they did and offered as long as they keep their word. 
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have purchased the services of electronic merchant systems over a year ago. I have been charged almost 1 year and have tried to cancel and call and call but I keep getting moved around and nobody helps me. I had to cancel the service because business was not doing well and I canceled and shutdown the original email linked to the business and have no access to the other company EMS claimed I needed to contact to get this resolved. Please director of client services reach to me at ********************************* so I can cancel and hopefully get theses monthly fees refunded please.

  

  Business response

  02/21/2024

  Dear *** ********, 

  Thank you for taking the time to speak with ***** ***** in our Retention department. This letter is to confirm that your Electronic Merchant Systems processing account has been closed without penalty, or early termination fee. At this time, EMS will consider the matter resolved. 
  

   

  Sincerely, 
  
  *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services

• Initial Complaint

  02/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have terminated a contract with Electronic Merchant Systems few months ago. I stopped using their service but was told that I would have to pay an early termination fee unless I waited until March 2024. It was less money to pay the small monthly fees than the termination fee. However, I sent in the equipment back in Dec '23 and have still been getting a rental fee, $29.00 a month and this month I am getting a PCI-Non compliance fee of $50.00. For what I ask? I was told that this is the last of the payments. However, I do not see on this statement that our account is being closed on any specific date.

  

  Business response

  02/20/2024

  Dear *** ********, 

  Thank you for taking the time to speak with Stacy Smith in our Retention department. This letter is to confirm that your Electronic Merchant Systems processing account has been closed without penalty, or early termination fee.

  At this time, EMS will consider the matter resolved. 

   

  Sincerely,

  *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services

  Customer response

  02/20/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ********
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In December of 2023, our company opened a merchant account with EMS after going through a thorough underwriting process in which EMS reviewed our past credit card activity and financials. Our company does short term villa rentals and deals in relatively large dollar transactions. From January 18-21, we settled 6 credit card transactions totalling $46,982. EMS has still not forwarded these fund to our bank nearly 3 weeks later - a far cry from the 1 to 4 day norm. EMS requested followup information on 3 of the transactions for verification purposes. Despite promptly providing all requested information, they have still not forwarded the funds from these transactions. They have shown no concern for the difficult position they've put our company in by holding these funds, as we must pay the villa owners for these short term rental contracts even though EMS refuses to forward the funds from the credit card transactions. After researching EMS further, we found that many other businesses have posted similar complaints. 21 of the 24 reviews on ***** ***** were 1 star ***************************************************** with many reviewers going so far as to call this company a scam and a fraud. Sadly, we've arrived at the same conclusion and believe that EMS is not operating in good faith and may have in fact wandered into criminal territory with the way they conduct business.

  

  Business response

  02/15/2024

  Dear *** ********, 

  Thank you for taking the time to speak with ****** ******. This letter is to confirm the release on monies placed on hold. $29,757.91 was released on 2/6/24, and an additional amount of $9,892.00 was released on 2/9/24.

  At this time, EMS will consider the matter resolved. 
  

   

  Sincerely,

   *** ** ********

  Director of Client Services 

• Initial Complaint

  02/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I've been with EMS for over a year. I was planning to stop my services with them when my contract was over in November of '23 because they charge a $595 cancellation fee when you cancel during the contract term. To my surprise, when I called in to cancel they told me that the contract had auto-renewed, and because I did not call in to tell them I did not want it to auto-renew (mind you paying a monthly service fee while waiting for the contract to expire) that I would indeed have to pay the $595. This is a shady way of doing business and says a lot about how they treat their customers.

  

  Business response

  02/09/2024

  Dear *** ******* 

  Thank you for taking the time to work with ***** ***** in our Retention department. This letter is to confirm the refund of your early termination fee. At this time, EMS will consider the matter resolved. 

   

  Sincerely,

  *** ** ******** 

  Director of Client Services

  Customer response

  02/09/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ********* ******
  
  
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩