I started a new business and like most I was drawn to the "free laptop" and perks that were part of the sign on through a company called 1st Data Seravices in Colorado. I jumped through the hoops and wasnt sent the laptop right away (due to technicality which I straightened out after having to make three paymnts and also for a machine I sent back they didnt have a record of until I contacted the sales person) but recieved the wrong credit card machine, and I was sent a contract from Lease Finance Group... Not 1st Data Services... The laptop was nt a full size model like the ad lea me to believe, it turned out to be a mini netbook the ACER, I didnt pay mind to this but should have. I was sent a credit card machine that did not work due to my apartments utilities (I rented and had cable only plus I used a cell phone for calls) my not having a "landline." became an issue.
I called the sales rep back and he said it should work in my apartment. I went on to explain that I was not going to purchase a land line telephone at my expense for a credit card machine. He suggested I send it back to different address and he would send me another machine and a return shipping label. I recieved another machine a few days later that would use a cable connection but it had to be programmed on a "landline" phone. You see where this is going... If I idn have a landline why send a macine that has to be programmed by one??? I had to contact some mexican programmer with hardly no ENGLISH at a Florida telepone number, I have nothing against Mexican people and I admire their work ethics and determination to earn a living in a strange land but now Im contacting phone numbers all over th USA...
I asked and was allowed to use the manager's phone to "program the phone", it was not setup for my businss or anything where it came from. I recieved a stern warning that this could not continue from my landlord. A few days later I wanted to cancel my contract due to no business and after hinkin about the cost being paid for everything, I could save and buy a setup online with lowe cost I found out through my financial software, plus I had no longer had a job as well thanks to Wall Street and the credit card companies.
I recieved a letter from LFG (Lease Finance Group). They claimed that they did not recieve the credit card machine, a "different type" then the one I sent them. Mine was a PD 150, they claimed it was a merit 2080 or some nonsense, I immeiately contacted the salsman in Colorado and informed him of the machine name error and their wanting to charge me well over a thousand dollars to replace the machine they claimed was not delivered to them. I used Fed Ex as my courrier but didnt get a shipping confermation or anything due to it's having a prepaid return label, the Fed Ex person was in a hurry and didn't give me proof of mailing or any options of delivery confirmation. Lucky for me the courrier and the supervisor remembered me as I am a priest.
I called the 1st Data Services office and told the salesman of the unit not being recieved and the bill for it's loss. He told me he would look into it right away and he actualy did. LFG claimed they did not recieve the machine from me and he told them the correct model number and they suddenly found the "misplaced machine".
I was called back and told they had found it and that I would not be charged for the machine. 1st Data Services had held up it end so far. I recieved a letter shortly afterwards stating that I had to have homeowners insurance to cover the machine and key pad, something I was not informed of in the beginning and that my website had to be PCI compliant in order for me to continue to use the service or the machine. None of this was told to me and I dont think 1st Data Services was aware of it either. They want me to use their PCI comliance partners for a couple of hundred a month, I said I would not and have a website that is hosted on a PCI compliant server for 14.38 a month and monitored for free monthly by McAfee.
I have used my machine twice since 2008 and want to get out of my contract due to no business and I simply cannot afford my machine or it's 130 a month fees for the machine and credit card charges plus the website gateway fees which I was hooked into a seperate contract for which could have been included into the original contract for... The home owners insurance etc, Our economy and this company keep me broke monthly, can I send back the machine and pinpad a have both contracts canceled due to no business, noincome, and the also becasue of what I wasn't told in the beginning...
Signed an honest business person being taken advantage of by the company I now have read many horrors about... Is there anything I can do to get out of these contracts and stopped being charged-conned monthly... You ll are in my prayers... As a priest I serve God but I dont think these people at LFG do...
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