Complaint Review: Total Merchant Services - Basalt Colorado

I first noticed what was called surcharges on my bill the second month I was with Total Merchant Services. I called them to find out what they were for and was told that I was not entering the address correctly. I, myself, had to call terminal help desk to verify that I was entering the address correctly. When I told TMS that I was they said there would be an investigation and they would contact me with the problem. Several weeks went by and I did not receive a call. I phoned them back and asked what was the progress and they said I was not entering the address correctly. So the cycle started over and they said they would contact me. Weeks went by and another statement had surcharges for every Visa transaction I entered.

I was set-up as a phone order account and key enter all my transactions. I finally got TMS and Global Payments who is there ISO to give me a reason for surcharges. They said my terminal must ask for a order number and that my machine was downloaded incorrectly. We did a new download in Aug. (I signed up in Feb.) and the terminal started to ask for an order number. They refunded surcharges up to that time stating it was a courtesy credit! Whatever that means? I should thank them for giving me back my money they took for downloading my machine improperly?

The next statement still had surcharges for every Visa transaction so I called them again. The same cycle started over for the next three months. Many times I was told that it was my fault in one way or another and I can't tell how frustrating it is to try and fix something that is NOT your fault but be accused of it.

I received a call while I was out of state in December and was told I need to be trained on how to properly use my terminal. I told them I was out of State and I would have to contact them when I return.

I returned and called TMS and they told me they needed more information about why I'm being surcharged and that there would be an investigation. They also said they would call me back with a reason. I of coarse, at this moment, went off on the guy that they were blowing smoke up my you know what and that I was getting sick of being treated like an unimportant merchant. I hung up and waited for a call with no such luck. In February of 2002, one year after I signed up with TMS I got a surcharge of 24.00 and I went to find another merchant service company.

I canceled my account with Total Merchant Services because they were wrongfully taking my money and for over a year would not help me to rectify the problem. I was then knocked down by a $95 contract cancellation fee from them!

The story does not end there. Steamed, I called TMS to refund my money and they told me it was my fault I got surcharged because I did not answer there call in December to do a new download. After calling Global Payments and TMS every day for two weeks I was told by Global Payments that my terminal was set-up as a retail terminal and every time I did not swipe the card my transaction would downgrade.

Great Right!?! I know know that my terminal was set-up wrong so it is not my fault and TMS should understand this and refund my money if they want my business again or any merchant that I refer to them. WRONG!!! I am now being told that they will not talk to me anymore because the account has been closed. GOOD DAY!!!

I am currently trying to reach the President of TMS and the VP of Global Payments to try an get my money back. I will not let this go now. I have spent numerous hours over a period of a year to try and fix this account and have still yet to hear TMS say that it was their fault for downloading my machine wrong. To this day I am still the person accused of this. I pray that no one here gets an account with TMS that requires customer service because that department is as dirty as any politician I know.

To this day TMS owes me $133.76

Mike

Merritt Island, Florida

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