Crescent Processing company
DON'T USE CRESCENT PROCESSING - credit card processing company

I have a small business selling consignment clothing to teens and young adults. Isigned on with Crescent Processing Company to save on credit card fees. I couldn't have been farther from the truth. Every year they would add yet another fee. According to their website, qualified transactions consist of cards that are swipped. That's all of my transactions, but yet I receive a lot of mid-qualified and non-qualified transaction at much higher fees. When I asked, I was told corporate cards would classify as non-qualified. I sell clothes for teens. What corporation would let someone charge their kids clothes on a corporate card? Every year they add more compliance fees. When I checked into it, found it was for Internet transaction compliance. I don't sell over the Internet as I have over 3000 items no two the same. Very hard to post. So I got the fee waived after a lot of complaining, about two months worth. The fee was reinstated by them the following year. When I did an analysis of all the fees I was paying and the additional cost of the miscategorized charges, I found out that their fees and cost of service was more than triple what I was quoted by the sale rep that sold me the account.incidentally, I have called the sales rep a few times after receiving the account to help me fix the problems. I haven't heard from her since the account was opened.

After two and a half years of a 4 year contract, I decided it was cheaper to eat the $495 de-commissioning fee (cancellation fee in reality) and I closed my account on October 31. I sent them an E-mail stating that as they do not support their customers on the weekends. I followed this up with a phone call on Monday stating I wished to close the account. They sent a FedEX call ticket to pick up their terminal on Nov 2 which they received on the 5th.in December, my bank account was debited for monthly fees for November. I called and got no where.in January, they took out fees again together with two separate compliance fees. I called and got the run around being transferred from person to person until I was dumped into voicemail. I left a message and receive no call back. This went on for about a week. I also sent an E-mail which also was not responded to. After a week, I finally got through to a real person, actually several. I was told by three different people there that I should have never been charged these fees. At one point, I was told the account was never closed nor did I request it be closed. I asked why they had the terminal returmed then. They said that was normal. How did they expect me to use their services without a terminal? The finally closed the account 2 1/2 months later, I think. I'll see if I get charged again next month. The last attempt at getting my money refunded started in customer service. They said it was not their job and I needed to talk to account closing department. The guy there told me because I did not request to close the account in writing to the correct department, it wasn't closed until a few days ago. I informed him that E-mail is in written form and it was responde to by a Ronnie Lackey. I also followed up with a phone call where I was informed that to close the account they would be sending a call ticket for the terminal which shipped back to them via FedEX and was received Nov 5. They acknowledged the receipt of the terminal. Then I was told I need to speak with the settlement department as it was not their job to issue refunds. After that I sat on hold for two hours until my phone battery died. Actually the phone sat on hold, I was doing other things. I called back and was told the settlement department went home for the evening and they could not help me at that time. It seems they have a problem with job descriptions. Apparently no one has the job to deal with customers.

I have filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of financial Institutions. WI DFI referred me to their counterpart in Texas as Crescent is not licensed in Wisconsin. So, I registered a complaint with Texas. I also learned from Crescent's website that they are based in a bank in Georgia and may submit a compalint there too. I have also considered that this would fall under interstate banking and may be a federal issue. Judging by all the similar complaints listed here, this may warrant a class action law suit.

Company: Crescent Processing company
Country: USA

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