First American Payment Systems, L.P. Review

Absolutely HORRIBLE! This company should be shut down. Bait and switch tactics. The woman who signed me up didn't even fully understand the contract. DO NOT SIGN UP WITH FIRST AMERICAN PAYMENT SYSTEMS. I am contacting my lawyer about my contract with them, something that was not articulated to me and that the sales person, a third party freelancer, fully admitted she had not understood when she sold me. Utter, utter hypocrisy and deceit. Save yourself my pain!

Unscrupulous. An ex-emplyee entered into a fraudulent contract with one of their salesman. When I noticed monthly transactions coming out of my business account I called First American Payment System's customer service.
Despite NEVER processing a single transaction, they racked up seven hundred dollars in fees over ten months and then told me I had a three year contract that would cost $450 to get out of.
In cahoots with Heritage Payment Systems. Find another merchant account provider. AVOID.

We never did business with this company. They sent a collection letter to an address I haven't lived at in over 2 years. No idea how they received my info but quoted a reference to an account with a payment processing company I did use, but that account was closed, my business was closed. We settled everything with the actual company we were using. Now, THIS company is saying that I owe THEM money and told me that they don't believe a word that I'm saying to them otherwise. When I asked to speak to a manager, she said, sorry, I am the manager and hung up.

I have been with this company for many years. I cancelled this service because i found a more inexpensive way to bill my customers online and have them pay their invoice immediately. I was told to write a letter back in March. When i noticed i was still being billed in May i called and they told me the letter received was not legible but they knew it was for a cancellation. I finalized everything they needed but just a week ago they charged me monthly again. I was advised that was for charges for May. I was also charged $475. to get out of the contract. When i called to see if i could get credited for almost $50. in June they refused. STAY AWAY FROM THESE MONEY HUNGRY VULTURES!

Scam beware! They are criminals and will try to steal you blind. I didn't even sign the contract. They are bad news all the way around. They were part of a package deal i wasnt aware when i went to Eloit Management to get a credit card processor. Then after i tried to return the faulty machine, Crystal W. from First American said i would have to pay them $425. She was so rude and wouldn't give me her name. The next day i bought a square processor, which is a god send. Two months later i started getting threatening letters from the same rude customer service woman. In the letter it demanded $525. This company is full of lies, and will do anything to steal your money.

Message me to file a class action lawsuite

Company has stolen over $5K from us DO NOT USE THEM. SPOKE TO MARIA MACIAS AND OTHERS VERY SECRETIVE AND UNHELPFUL. SHADY. CALLED ATTORNEY GENERAL. I CANT GET CORPORATE OFFICE TO CALL ME ONLY CUSTOMER SERVICE. TOLDME TOCOME TO TEXAS, I live in Indiana.

This company has been so wonderful to work with. I've enjoyed my years with them. Susan in their tech support team is by far the most polite helpful tech I have ever worked with. Thanks for always being there!!!

Please do your homework on this company. I didn't and now I'm locked into a 2 year contract with a $495 termination fee. They will hold your money and make you jump through hoops to get it. I have used many other processing companies and never had any problems or issues like I do with First American.

They started off by committing coercion by insisting that I deliver my product to the customer first before they would release the funds to me! Can you imagine ordering something online and paying for it after you receive it? They made me wait months to get paid because they thought that is the way I should run my business. They left such a bad taste in my mouth that i decided to stop taking credit cards online. Then they stole $495 from me for early termination fee!!! Stay very far away from this thieving company.

Terrible customer service and outrageous fees.Kept charging $91.40 for processing fees for 4 months even though I had cancelled and stopped processing. Refused to give me a refund although they said no addition fees would be debited from my account, Supervisor was extremely RUDE!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.... I got screwed the first time around with First American Payment Systems using Eliot Management Group in Salt Lake City, UT. They promised all sorts of savings. In reality, I spent 50% more than I would have using PayPal to process all my cards! After I cancelled the account, I kept getting charged for some time and it took months to get resolved!

The second time I gave this company a chance was using Equity Holdings in Salt Lake City, UT (DBA: Go Simple Pay, Shield Payments, etc). Whatever the name these guys chose, Todd Velis and Bob Stubbs were NO HELP at resolving issues they created. They promised a better experience this time around with First American and proceeded to sign me up for it. They signed me up for website and in-person transactions which apparently means two separate accounts and twice the charges. After some delays on my part and theirs to finish integration, I found out I couldn't even use First American with my eCommerce platform! Again I had to deal with cancellation getting dragged out and my money still being taken. This time around I spent $740 on a product I never got to use.

This would be a 0 star review for First American Payment Systems, if possible. In my experience, the third party companies selling First American Payment Systems' products are just as much crooks...

Never again.

Do not sign up with this company and do not agree to submit what they call an application. It is an agreement to service not an application. There fees are ureasonable, I had no idea I had agreed to anything. Worst company to do business with for a merchant processor. Carolina was my sales person who works for Elliott management group a partner company, and finally spoke to someone when looking up the collection they tried to put me in and got in taken care of by Merimac. Be careful if you sign anything or commit to anything. In fact do business with someone else who will be happy to show you everything up front and then decide if it is right for your company before you put in an app. Honesty is key and these people took time away from me that Inwill never be able to recoup after fighting to get my money back.

Thanks for all your hard work Shelly from Tech Support! I refer new business owners to First American because of your professional, polite and most of all helpful support!

They kept harassing me to set up an account through them and I finally thought I would try it out. I couldn't even use the online system as there was no POS. They charged me anyway. I called and emailed to complain and cancel my account. They only refunded part of what they had charged. Then they called today and ask for me. When I said "speaking" they hung up. So professional. They have since been blocked.

This is by far one of the worst company to deal with they go by the name AKA APPstar. Their sales people will tell you anything to get the sale and then when you are pressured to get the contract back as soon as possible they will inform you verbal statements are not accepted and hold you to the letter of the contracts including a $495 fee to get out of the service contract.

Stay far away from these people, they get a list as soon as you file for DBA and they come to visit you, hoping you are to stupid to use the big banks, thinking the can get you to pay 60 per month to rent the terminal for 10 years, thats 7,200, that was in 2001, and you can go online and buy one, so take my advice and buy one, 50-500, but trust me, they suck, and they are really nice at first, but they will harass you and fight to get every penny once you get scammed into renting the machine, they say thats part of the processing fees (thats a lie, processing is additional), the major banks dont scam you that bad. I had a lady call me at 3AM, every day about payments, if any of this information is not accurate, if someone that works for First American Payment systems contacts me, I will be sure to remove it, I really want to challenge this company to say I am wrong, because I am not. I was 18 opening a first business, and I got scammed really bad, thinking i was making the deal of the century. By far the dumbest business decision I have ever made.

I used to love first American, today I can't say anything nice about them. Their sister company or lease company LFG, are just as bad. Each one blames the other for anything going wrong. I'm locked in with them until 2020. And cannot wait to be done with them.

Please never use this company, they have been stealing from us for over 6 months. I have to contact a lawyer to get my money back. They are horrible and go back on their word, plus they are liars.

There was a billing problem on my company account
That I tried to clear up with First American.

The lady Kassi C from First American called me and THREATENED me by digging out all my personal information.

One star is more than what I would give them.

It s also funny to see all the previous one star reviews, First American replied and asked the reviewer to send them email to discuss the issues, only one person change the review from one star to two. Rest had no follow ups. I wonder why the company even bother post reply to those one star reviews.

BUYER BEWARE! YOU WILL REGRET EVER LETTING THIS COMPANY INTO YOUR LIFE. This has been a complete nightmare! Business Consumer Alliance is a great company to go to for help. You can look companies up and file a complaint with them. BCA has been the closest thing to any relief we have had when fighting the fraudulent FSTAMPAY. This company will go so far as to copy and paste and forge your name to a contract. They put in a final response to BCA after several rebuttals that they were going to remove the negative collections from my credit history. Then ONE WEEK LATER, ZAPPED MY CREDIT FOR COLLECTIONS AGAIN!

Don't give up ya'll! Keep fighting! This company is a legitimate, crooked company.

We canceled our acct in feb of 14 and they are still withdrawing a monthly fee from our acct that we have never used. From feb to know that is over $4028.00 in fees that they claim are justified even thou they show in our records we called in Feb 2014 to cancel the acct

Frauds run and run fast. These guys will charge you insane rates and illegally overcharge your bank acct. With contract they won't allow you too leave them. Biggest crooks in processing. Bunch of thieves. Take it from me and do not trust.

Ppl please stay away from this crap company! Just please ! You would regret for the rest of your life singing the contract with them ...,

I have seen first hand how this company operates with a local tanning salon in Medford, Oregon. Their business practices are unethical and disgusting. First they send out two very attractive sales men who are exceptionally well-versed in social engineering skills. They tend to promise the business owner a great deal, pay off any previous contract, and mention nothing about the outrageous debits they make to your bank account for early cancellation fees. Then they threaten to report your business to credit reporting agencies if your business does not pay them their outrageous marked up con $$$'s! Not only do they get away with this unethical attack on small businesses, they also ruin businesses via the credit reporting agencies. Something has to be done with a company that continues to gain momentum (year after year) ripping off small businesses and is still getting away with it (after many years of fraudulent dealings). Hopefully, karma does come back to haunt bottom feeders such as First American, Merimac, AppStar . . . If they knock on your business door, slam it in their face and let them know their bad reputation and unethical business practices are duly noted. Be sure to point your legal connections to these reviews. Get the ball rolling small business owners -- or these scammers will continue to roll the rip-off$$$$ ball all over you.

We signed up with American Payment Systems in 2009 thinking they were are decent local (DFW) area company and have had horrible service of late. A customer claimed bad service and this company issued a refund without any proof so we have lost thousands of dollars this year. Now after obtaining new (contract free) processing services from a new supplier, First American Payment Systems is holding us to an auto renewing contract that we didn't realize we had signed 10 years ago. My advise is to not use this company unless you like monthly fees, PCI fees and annual service fees that total close $500-600 per year per account without even using the service. After 14 years in business this company has been the worst to deal with of all the services we have used over the years.
I tried to negotiate a buy out today and was told that there is no negotiation. If I could give them negative stars I would...Buyer Beware

I was charged an early termination fee back in 2016 although I have a document from them stating there would be no early termination fees. I have sent them a copy of the document and they refuse to honor it. They have sent this to collections which is now reflecting poorly on my credit report.

BEWARE!!!! Company treats you with the lowest level of respect, charges fees out of the roof and when you ask to speak with account management,THE OPERATOR STATED THEY HAVE NO ONE WITH THIS TITLE. Operator forwards call to Crystal W. in collections who is rude, raises her voice and proceeds to hang up in face. I have experienced this multiple times. I would never recommend to anyone!!! Poor customer service, poor transparency and poor services!!! Will be filing a complaint with the BBB as well immediately!!

I fell into victim of this company, or should say fell into one of many it's front companies, the one who walked into my door was called "Trinity Merchant Service". As many previous reviewers have experienced: after 3 years of higher-than-average-fees contract expired, I tried to cancel and switch, then was told must pay $495 termination fee and there is a 90-day advance notice before contract ending date in January, and... must be IN WRITING to cancel, and only a 90-day window out of a year to do so, otherwise will be penalized $495 just to cancel this agreement now, otherwise it is automatically renewed for another year with $90 annual fee and $65 monthly fee continuously being charged to my account until I see anther 90-day window to cancel next year. In other words, even after the initial contract expires, not only I don t have the freedom to cancel it any time, but also I have only a 90-day window out of a year to HAND WRITE a letter to them to cancel, or will be penalized. The small fine print of this obvious extra revenue on the original contract is very very deceptive and unfair. I am not even sure if this is legal since the sales person told me I can cancel anytime after 3 years without penalty and pretty much just flip through the contract ask me to sign. Very high pressure sale at the time. I feel victimized by this company. This is unfair business with deceptive small fine print on contract of large penalty. WORST OF ALL, when I repeatedly faxed cancellation letters to them, all three faxes went missing in their office. I made follow up calls twice after faxing, still no sign of my fax, even with a successful fax confirmation out of my machine . It made me to believe this is intentional to make cancellation extremely difficult and near impossible to avoid early cancellation fees.
In March 2016, I couldn't put up with their evil practice and reported FAPS's sales company, which I have the contract with, to BBB. Soon after, a company VP replied to offer no-string-attach cancellation in exchange of positive feedback for them. I gladly complied. 10 month later, I realized not only the contract was not canceled, but also been sneakingly charged my account $65 a month for 10 months, also, in January 2017 FAPS charged me another $95 annual renew fee plus $75 monthly fee for next 12 months, so now I am trapped for another 12 months, a total of 22 months without using their service at $75 a month.
In short, FAPS and it's daughter companies definitely have unfair and possibly illegal contract preying small business owners, or wouldn't have ALL THESE NEGATIVE REVIEWS stating the same thing. I am determined to stop this company and it's many front companies to victimize other hard working business owners.
I have filed complaint with TEXAS Attorney General's Office, North Carolina Attorney General's Office and Federal Attorney General's Office today. I HIGHLY recommend so many victims here spend few minutes to do the same. This type of business practice should not exist in this beautiful country to hurt tens of thousands of hard working small business owners.

Very unhappy with the customer service and business tactics they use to gain new customers. Tricked me into signing a 3 year contract with a substantial cancelation fee hidden on the 8th page of a contract. Also, decided to charge a yearly "PCI" compliance fee that wasn't listed in the contract. They will process a credit card, but beware.

Outrageous contract stipulations that are misrepresented by their "account specialists" when you set up the account. You are locked in for 3 yrs + and have to pay through the nose to cancel the account. DO NOT USE THIS MERCHANT SERVICE! Much better customer-friendly merchant servicing by Square and other credit card processing companies. Better rates, and no indentured servitude. DO NOT USE 1ST AMERICAN PAYMENT SYS. unless you like paying high fees and being locked in!!

I asked for a quote from Eliot Management Group on a merchant system. Next thing I know, there's a 3 year contract, which they did not inform me of and money was being removed from my account by First American Payment System for no services provided. Then I'm told four separate times they will close my account, which was never done. After 6 phone conversations and 25 people, I am informed my request was denied. And that I owed them an additional $430 to close the account for no services provided. Do not use this company or Eliot Management Group.

I am a current employee of First-American with responsibilities involving Partnerships & Technology. I have seen many concerns come across this review platform and wanted to add some insight from my perspective.
I've worked at the some of the largest payments companies in this industry and now 3 years at First-American. First-American is DIFFERENT...
100% TX based customer service with an award winning call center.
Deployment of terminals and payment equipment support is 100% here in TX.
Just these two above attributes should bring you here for processing. Rates vary over how you account comes in, but be assured we are extremely competitive.
I'm proud to be apart of an organization that values its relationships with both employee and clients.

SCAM STAY AWAY!!!! THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS TERRIBLE AND WILL OVERCHARGE YOU!!

Thieves, fraudulent contracts and attempted to make me pay on a debt I didn't owe.

I wish I could rate them 0 stars. I am currently in the process of sending their contract over to a class action lawyer to try to get them shut down.
I had a representative knock on my house door randomly and tell me we had an appointment, even though we didn't. I wasn't even working at the time, I was on maternity leave. They convinced me they could save more money than my current cc processor, Bank of America. I was hesitant, but their sales rep was very pushy and proceeded to fill out the "application" for me, and I thought, ok, I can always cancel the app after I read the fine print etc. if I am not happy. I signed what actually turned out to be a 16 or more page fine print contract with them that is bulletproof. I called immediately and cancelled, as I realized they were sheisty and did not want to deal with them. They informed me that the order was cancelled, yet when I came home 3 days later, there was a cc machine on my porch. I called them and demanded they take back their equipment, as I didn't want to use their services. They then proceeded to send the sales rep to my house again, in a 5 minute window, and she convinced me to try their services. My son had a dr's appt, I was trying to leave, and so I said fine, thinking I would simply deal with it when I got home from the doctor. She took my contract, wrote in 30 day trial instead of 15, signed her name, and left. I promptly called as soon as I returned home, asked what I needed to do, and was told to send a letter cancelling the service and send back the equipment, which I did that day. This was in December 2013.

June 2014, I start getting calls from David with First American, and letters demanding I pay $688. and some odd change for cancelling my contract. On a machine I never even turned on, and cancelled the day I received it. I called, him, he was rude, demeaning, and refused to listen to reasoning. He kept saying I should learn how to read a contract. This went on for a couple of weeks, daily phone calls, me asking to speak to someone over him and him stating that he was the end all for my account. Their company is filled with DBA/s and affiliations and he informed me that I called the wrong company to cancel my service, and I should have sent the letter to them and if I had read the contract I would know that.
He then proceeded to call me back and informed me he had pulled my credit, because the contract gives him permission to, which is rocky due to deaths and a divorce, and berate me for every single thing on it. He then informed me that when my Carmax car breaks down and I am homeless because my marriage will fall apart and I won't be able to buy a house, I would wish I had taken better care of my credit. He then said to enjoy my deadbeat life living off of my husband and let him know how that works out for me and hung up.
Needless to say, he crossed a line and I will do everything in my power to cost him his job and hopefully shut this company down.

The programming they use is flawed. If you want your deposits correct use a different company. Also, the departments don't communicate so the level of service is a zero star. Chargeback notifications are only 1 day response.

This is a telemarketing company that called us three times in a row on one day and multiple times the previous weeks, demanding to speak with the old owner of the business. We hung up each time as it was clearly a spam call. The rude sales rep then pretended to be a customer and attempted to speak to our bookkeeping department. When the owner of the business asked for more information, she was extremely rude and hung up on us. It took a bit of googling to find out this is indeed the company that has been harassing us. All other reviews reflect a similar exchange with this service and it's customer service department. Maybe don't put your name in the caller ID if you're going to hire rude employees to harass small businesses.