ECX, USA Card Services, MCCS, Woodforest Nat'l Bank, Etal Corporate Multi-headed, Inter-Dependent Beast Houston, NY, Other TX, NY Interstate, computerized Commerce Nationwide

Inter-connected corporate rip-off biz scheme. None taking responsibility for any wrong-actions of the others. ECX/USA Cards initially did a web-based startup for small businesses to take pmts online...person submits credit app for potential web-biz operator, for approval at WF Bank, saying the site will be up and running and can be used asap, upon credit approval. Frantic rush to get operational devise to me, turns up a used piece of equiptment used to process credit cards in a brick & mortar business, not what was presented to me, as a web-based operation. I was assured that I just needed to attach this to my phone line, in order to get the site in operation and the equipment would be exchanged, I was assured. (I had no clue as to what the devise might be, to make the computer/site "commerce ready") The sales person was Carole Albert, supposedly working for ECX/USA, but the papers look more as if she worked for MCCS and I was told neither she nor USA Card were in business. I'd tried to find out how to cancel this arrangement, as I kept being charged, and never did get a Website nor another "devise". They'd moved "upstairs" and were in flux...trying to upgrade, for all the new business the Internet ad had generated, etc, she said. Then, like the others, there was a big void, no returned msgs by phone or emails...always, if any response, some excuse as to who did what and much assurance of remedies.
After a while I went on the internet and did some searches, finding I wasn't the only one who'd had problems and called the bank to find out who the deducted charges to my bank a/c were going to, as the statement only showed some transfer numbers and rep at my bank said he'd just issue a stop payment, as they couldn't find a physical name for where it was going. So, they did that and it was no time at all til I had threatening msg to call the Northern Leasing Co., immediately, or else(?) The bank had not only stopped pmt, but refunded me 3 mos they'd already paid out. This was my lst encounter with Northern Leasing. Afraid of the horror stories and the impending admin change, economic scare, credit card scams etc, I backed off, but before that, I'd talked to Woodlands Bank, who said they'd send me a paper to sign to release me from the contract..but after Northern Leasing scared the socks off me and I had to have the money reinstated to their a/c, due to whatever these companies had set up between themselves, which I had no way of knowing...I'd just been under the impression I would be doing business with the USA Card/Website...after a free trial period, during which time I would be able to get counciling by Fran Tarkenton's biz group, also free. I never got the site up to to get counciled about anything. Today, I was told, at the time of renewing of the contract/s? that I should have turned in the cancellation last year, but since I didn't, if I cancelled now, I'd own them $495. as a penalty...or I could keep on paying the monthly pmt, for another 5 yrs. It's been 6 yrs now at a combined amt of $70 per mo, to Northern Leasing and I suppose, MCCS/Woodforest Bk...one hand not knowing what the other's doing, according to MCCS...they just troubleshoot the equip and charge me for using it..(the box they sent that I didn't ask for, instead of the USA E-commerce site). Now, w/o one pmt, the other won't work. The original USA CS is defunct, or from what I could tell...looks like they've gone to A-1?...another place to fund their bogus operations...? So, MCCS says they could care less where/who the credit's being issued to/card run etc, that the deal's between me/them/the bank...so how'd USA/Northern Leasing get out of the deal?...Now Northern Leasing says I can send them the equiptment and I'll still be charged for this month (arrears) and a month after they receive and notify me of it's return...? Now, this Carol Albert, who sent me the devise (used and banged up...which she acknowledged..."just to get you set up and going..") and...I've NEVER run a transaction on it, just plugged it in, to set up the a/c as I was told to do...but, now, will they say I used it, because of its obviously used condition? With Murphy so deeply involved in all this, I'd just about bet that may be the case.
After I talked with "Mike" at Northern Leasing, he gave me the info/address to mail it to them:
Equipt Process
132 West 31st St.
15th Floor (no suite#)
NY, NY 10001
this is the company that takes an act of congress to get thru to and they don't recognize the number which is on the forms...so had to give SS#...the entire number to them. Which is scary right there. They've already notified the Co. Tax Office here, every year, at which time, I have to fight them over keeping my house as a personal homestead, not a Brick/Mortar business, which is illegal here, to boot...and never meant to used as such. And the ones who scared me into calling my bank back to give them the 3 pmts back, after the bank couldn't find who they were giving my money to...and I didn't know til I got the threatening calls. So, without all the missing pieces and newer companies showing up that I didn't know I even was indebted to, I was afraid to ...and still am...close out one, without closind out all of them.
As you can see by all the other posts, referring to one of these, you get referenced to another of them also...and as far as the BBB is concerned, that was the lst thing I did, was call Dallas to see about their status and they didn't show any "unresolved complaints" on file...see the other posts...BBB is protecting their paying customers, not who they've offended; and that's the same, with the Chamber of Commerce...it protects business, not the consumer. After deregulation, it's given Carte Blanche for Corporations to take far-reaching liberties, with no accountability for being honorable. The main reason our country is in the mess it's in. We didn't know, til we were already thrown in the hole, with the dirt being shoveled in over us..and it's not being stopped, yet....I still see posts from several yrs back and all these companies are doing, is re-naming themselves, regrouping and back to business as usual. Are none of the atty's filing suit, to get anything done?
Is all they have to say is "Oh, so sorry, we'll get back with you" and that's enough to make it all ok, now, without actually making things right? Are we all going to be left at the mercy of these people, reminescent of the days when they "tied you to the RR track"...and be railroaded, calling it legal, when only one is held liable, and it's the innocent person who only wanted to make a bit of money ..and ended up losing to the institutions that were needed to do any business, in the lst place? It may not be bait & switch, but the rug's being pulled out from under the whole nation, now, due to these unethical practices. But, ethics and morals aren't inforceable any more, I guess? And we're left holding the bag....if we don't get a large enough body of people together, who still care about things like that, who will actually go the extra mile and bring it all to up, to the light of day....and make a lot of noise!

S.A.
Arlington, Oregon
U.S.A.