We obtained a merchant account through an independent agent in California. We are a company that sells adult products online. The transaction was done over the phones and the agent then fraudently completed the application for the merchant account and submitted it to a credit card processor. The Agent purposefully left off the fact that we sold adult products. At the same time, he had us sign a lease for a credit card processing machine from NORTHERN LEASING SYSTEMS that he stated was required.
The merchant account was initially approved, and then about 15 days the later credit card processor discovered that the application had been completed fradulently by the Agent and promptly cancelled the account.
We then notified Northern Leasing what had happened, that their independent agent was at fault and since we no longer had the merchant account we had no need for the credit card processing machine. They were extremely rude, informed me that the lease was non-cancellable and that I had to pay it.
I wrote several letters to Northern Leasing explaining the situation and all were ignored as I continued to be billed. Finally, I sent back the machine to their West 31st Street address along with a letter saying I would pay no longer.
They now call my home and office several times a day, are disrupting my business and generally being a pain in the butt. When I attempt to explain to them the situation, they are rude and obnoxious and state the have no record of any correspondence from me. They are, of course lying. They are also rude and obnoxious to my employees who answer the phones.
I have now sent the a letter, signature required, demanding that they no longer call the business during business hours as they are interring with our ability to conduct business. If they continue to call the business phones I am turning the matter over to an attorney for possible legal action for violation of the Fair Dept Collections Act.
If anyone has any other suggestion please let me know.
DO NOT deal with this company. I have never encountered such a deceptive and fradulent company. Their Independent Sales Agents are crooks with apparently no controls and will do and say anything in order to get the sale. This company has no ethics whatsoever.
Thanks,
Fed Up on the west coast
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