Category: Scams and Fraud


Credit Card Processing, Scams and Fraud

Merchant Services Scams

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

The sneaky part? It’s not a call from your current merchant services company, and the company has no idea about your current rates and fees. The Merchant Services Sales Call Version 1 Version 2 What Happens What To Do Lawsuits Checking Your Pricing The Merchant Services Sales Call There are different versions of the sales […]

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Merchant services sales reps use a variety of tactics to try to win your business, but some of those tactics are more deceptive than others. One example is a pre-recorded sales call that claims your pricing has increased and states that if you don’t contact the company, it indicates you agree to the price increase.

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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, Scams and Fraud

Avoiding Credit Card Factoring Scams

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

Officially termed “credit card factoring” or “credit card laundering,” this type of misrepresentation is illegal. You could end up with fines, lawsuits, and more. Under no circumstances should you sign up for a merchant account for someone else’s business in your name, or allow another business to use your business’ merchant account. Let’s look at […]

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While it may not be the most common scam out there, at CardFellow we regularly field questions from people asking about opening a merchant account for someone else in your own name.

Avoiding-Credit-Card-Factoring-Scams

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Credit Card Processing, Scams and Fraud

Business Owners: EMV Chip Card Scams and Misleading Sales Tactics

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

As often happens when there’s confusion, scammers and unethical companies take advantage of the confusion. Here are some of the chip card scams you may run into, even if you’ve already upgraded your machines. The “You Overpaid” Pitch The Free Equipment Pitch “This is Visa/MasterCard” Merchant Services Call EMV Compliance Invoice Physical Card Tampering The […]

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The switch to EMV chip cards was a mess for many businesses. The need to purchase new equipment, long delays in certification, customer confusion over using the chip cards, and retraining staff on accepting cards are a few of the problems businesses experienced.

Business-Owners-EMV-Chip-Card-Scams-and-Misleading-Sales-Tactics

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Credit Card Processing, Scams and Fraud

The Rise of Friendly Fraud – and What You Can Do to Prevent It

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

While credit card theft and other common types of fraud are decreasing because of EMV chip cards and new security technology, low-tech friendly fraud is on the rise. Remember, EMV cards don’t provide any additional protection for you or customers in ecommerce transactions. If you run an ecommerce website, it’s worth knowing about the tools […]

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There is nothing friendly about fraud – it is criminal. “Friendly fraud” refers to apparently legitimate customers using their own names, addresses, and credit card numbers to make an online purchase but later disputing the charge with the credit card company. A more accurate term for this behavior is “cyber-shoplifting.”

Friendly fraud online

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Credit Card Processing, Scams and Fraud

Credit Card Processor Scams

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

Disreputable processors range from deceptive to outright scam, and it’s important to know what you’re getting into when you’re choosing a credit card processing company. Take a look at what this business owner was told about hidden fees, cancellation fees, equipment, and more to learn what to watch out for so you can avoid making […]

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Recently, we received a comment here on our blog that perfectly illustrated some of the deception, half-truths, and spin that many credit card processing sales reps use to pressure and mislead businesses.

credit card processing scams and warning signs

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Credit Card Processing, Legal, Scams and Fraud

Northern Leasing Systems Lawsuit, Scams, and Review

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

The company’s culture is defined by a well-documented history of rampant scams, fraud, lawsuits, and even being sued in federal court for racketeering. Here’s a piece of advice if you’re thinking of leasing a credit card machine from Northern Leasing – don’t. Update: Subsequent to the June 2020 proceeding, the Office of the Attorney General […]

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Northern Leasing Systems is garbage. It defies logic that a company with a reputation as horrendous as Northern Leasing is still in business. It shouldn’t be.

Northern Leasing Systems logo

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Credit Card Processing, Scams and Fraud

How Your Credit Card Processor Scams You

Ben Dwyer
by Ben Dwyer

Here’s why. The problem is that you’re asking the wrong questions. The key to lowering your processing charges is understanding the fundamentals of how credit card processing fees work and then focusing on what’s really negotiable, and it’s not rates. Defining “Best” The Basics of Credit Card Processing Costs The Importance of Pricing Model The […]

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You’re paying a lot more than you should for credit card processing – and you probably know it. But the deceptive tactics used by processors leave you frustrated any time you try to do anything about it.

Businessman burning 100 dollar bill

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