Complaint / Review
First American Payment Systems (Appstar Financial)
Kevin Hinkle Total rip off and completely unwilling to seek a satisfactory solution

I own a small grocery store and deli an New Hampshire, and I decided to switch my credit card processing due to a promise of lower rates. My concern was that their system wouldn't work with my Windows 2000 software. I was assured by their representative Phillip Shea that it would work if I purchase a product called PC Charge (non refundable). I purchased PC Charge for $290.00 and as I suspected It would not run on my computer.

I called First Americans representative and was told I needed to upgade my computer. I was not doing that and taking a chance of being out of business completely. The first of July they deducted $50.85 for the monthly fee. I called and was told it would be refunded due to the software issue. After several calls I knew that the money was not going to be refunded. I called the local rep. Phillip Shea and I asked him to find out what I had to do to terminate the contract.

He said he would get back to me. At this point he stopped taking my calls. So now they start deducting monthly fees ($50.85), annual fees ($95.00). I had my bank revoking the authorization for these charges and I begin the process of changing my bank account. During the process of changing the account they continued to deduct fees, one time $600.85. Still they have never processed one transaction. When I finally closed the account, thats when they wanted to talk. They sent me a demand letter for the amount of $600.85.

I called Kevin Hinkle and told him that due to their misrepresenting the fact that it would work on my system that I wasn't paying anything. He offered me a buyout on the contract in the amount of $80.85. I decided I would pay it just to hopefully get rid of these people, and I hope it works. I sen't them a bank check for the amount. I was too concerned about their business practices to send them a check from my new checking account. All in all they cost me about $420.00 and and some sleepless nights and never did a thing. It's a lot of work to change your bank account. I hope this saves someone else from the same fate.