Category: Legal


Credit Card Processing, Legal, News

Is the Payment Card Settlement Legit?

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

First of all, I’m referring to the lawsuit formally named In Re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation. You may also see it called the Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement, which should be the return address. It’s a good idea to verify that any paperwork you’ve received matches this information. Unfortunately, there […]

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If you received a notice of a class action lawsuit claiming you may be affected by a payment card settlement, you’re probably wondering if it’s legitimate. It is, but there are some important things to know.

Visa MC Settlement

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Credit Card Processing, Legal

Worldpay Potentially Grabbing Millions in Hidden Fees

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

Update: 1/3/2020 I originally wrote about Worldpay’s questionable practice described in the article below back in May of 2019. Then, I spent a good deal of time helping the folks at Reuters understand what was happening in order to expose the deceptive billing tactic. Reuters published its article on the topic in August of 2019. […]

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Several recent lawsuits have put the spotlight on a whole series of alleged schemes by processors to collect junk charges disguised as legitimate fees.

Worldpay Hidden Fees

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Credit Card Processing, Legal

Cash Discounting for Credit Card Fees: Is It Legal?

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

The short answer: yes, when done correctly. The longer answer is that there’s a lot of confusion about the difference between “cash discounts” and “surcharges,” or “checkout fees” and that confusion has led to labeling surcharge programs as cash discount programs. Let’s look at the differences between the two and how you can stay on […]

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Credit card processing companies are popping up left and right offering “cash discount” programs to eliminate your credit card processing fees. Are they legal and are they permitted in merchant agreements?

Credit Card Cash Discounts

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Credit Card Processing, Legal

American Express Anti-Steering Supreme Court Case

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

The court heard arguments in early 2018 and ruled in late June. Let’s look at the arguments on both sides and the results of the case. Ohio v. American Express The States’ Argument American Express’ Argument History of the Case – Lower Court Rulings How Ohio v. American Express Could Affect Your Business Results of […]

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You may have heard that a case involving American Express went to the Supreme Court. The case, Ohio v. American Express, determined whether businesses are allowed to suggest customers use lower cost credit cards when paying for purchases.

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Credit Card Processing, Legal

Wells Fargo Merchant Services Lawsuit

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

Let’s take a look at what the lawsuit claims and what you can do if you process credit cards through Wells Fargo Merchant Services. Wells Fargo Lawsuit Wells Fargo’s Response First Data’s Role Does this affect you? What to Look For Tiered Pricing Excessive Bundled Rates Billback Pricing Interchange Clearing Fee Excessive Interchange Markup Equipment […]

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In the latest accusation against Wells Fargo, the company’s merchant services division is facing a lawsuit that alleges misleading sales tactics, expensive cancellation fees, and overbilling, including mislabeling some of its own fees as interchange.

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Credit Card Processing, Legal, Scams and Fraud

Avoiding Fraud: Takeaways from the Commerce Payment Systems Scandal

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

The executives, who worked for Commerce Payment Systems, are accused of perpetuating a scam against thousands of small businesses and obtaining more than $30 million through overcharging and deceptive tactics. In this article, I will lay out the allegations and show you how to avoid potential scam practices when choosing a credit card processor for […]

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According to the Department of Justice, two executives of a credit card processing company have been charged with fraud.

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Credit Card Processing, Legal

Repeal the Durbin Amendment?

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

In 2017, CNBC noted that Republicans planned to drop a proposed repeal of the Durbin Amendment. Additionally, financial and political publications have reported on the possibility of expanding provisions to cover credit cards, not just debit cards. In 2022, Forbes published a piece suggesting that expansion to credit cards is a bad idea and that […]

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The introduction of a bill to repeal the Durbin Amendment has added more fuel to the fiery debate between the nation’s largest banks and retailers. But at least for now, it’s not going anywhere.

Repeal-Durbin-Amendment

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Credit Card Processing, Legal

Home Depot Lawsuit Against Visa and Mastercard

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

Wal-Mart filed a similar suit against Visa in May. The Security Problem According to Home Depot Credit Card Companies’ Reactions The Monetary Problem According to Home Depot No Option Are PINs the answer? Prayer for Relief Visa and MasterCard Respond The Security Problem According to Home Depot Home Depot accuses Visa and Mastercard of being […]

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It’s a case of a home improvement retail giant versus two network payment processing behemoths. In mid-June 2016, Home Depot filed an antitrust lawsuit in federal district court in Atlanta against Visa and Mastercard, alleging credit card security is inadequate and exposes retailers and customers to hacking.

home-depot

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