Financial Credit Merchant Services , FCMS, FC Merchant Services, STEVE GRAHAM, LEROY J COSTINE ripoff, stole $2500, liars, con-artists Tempe Arizona

This is a belated update on this matter. As we expected, Alex Mikhals' claim (Small Claims Case No. SC152753)against FCMS was "dismissed without prejudice" by San Diego Superior Court - Central Division.

It is certainly interesting and mildly amusing to discover that the person shouting, "scam" at the top of his lungs all over the internet was actually the scammer.

We hope this lays this matter to rest, once and for all.

We just received a response from MonPay - Alex Mikhals not even an employee of theirs! Here's the email we just received:

Reply-To: XXXXXXX7@earthlink.net
X-Mailer: EarthLink MailBox 2005.1.47.0 (Windows)
From: ""
To: XXXXXXXXAuction.com
Subject: ibroadband.com
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 14:57:33 -0700
X-Originating-IP: 64.203.63.4

To whom it may concern,

ibroadband.com was a company using our service for CHECK processing only.

ibroadband.com is no longer using our service and seems to be shut down

we do not know of an alex mikhals. we have no employees here by that name.

tom peters

Based upon this email, I think the entire world can see that this Alex Mikhals is a liar and a professional scam artist. He has represented himself here and all over the Internet - as well as in communications with several customer rights group - as "Vice President" of MonPay - yet Tom Peters says he's not. So who is Tom Peters? I have forwarded this email to my attorneys - they'll have an answer within the hour.

It is interesting for me to read this report indicating that MonPay.com was attepmting to secure credit card processing privileges. Why - lo and behold - monPay.com is the same as iBroadBand.com so does that mean they did NOT have credit card processing privileges???

We signed up with iBroadBand.com back in May of 2004. During May, things seemed to go well. We would get sales and they showed up on our merchant console. Then, towards the end of May, we began to get suspicious. iBroadBand.com customers suddenly started contacting us directly to cancel their memberships and they were stating that iBroadBand had taken their money for use of our site - yet THESE CUSTOMERS WERE NOT SHOWING UP AS OUR SALES!!!

To make things even stranger, no new memberships posted after the first part of June, although many customers continued to use our website. When Alex Mikhails was contacted, he at first said we received NO sales. When we indicated we had PROOF (screenshots of the merchant console) he suddenly changed his story and said "Uh, well, I made a mistake. You had 1 sale". The information that iBroadBand.com did not have processing privileges will definitely be useful by me and my attorney, and we will of course send this to the State of California Attorney General's office. This also takes this matter to a criminal matter - we will be contacting the San Diego law enforcement authorities for fraud. I am SO GLAD Mr. Mikhails decided to post on Rip Off Report.

It is interesting for me to read this report indicating that MonPay.com was attepmting to secure credit card processing privileges. Why - lo and behold - monPay.com is the same as iBroadBand.com so does that mean they did NOT have credit card processing privileges???

We signed up with iBroadBand.com back in May of 2004. During May, things seemed to go well. We would get sales and they showed up on our merchant console. Then, towards the end of May, we began to get suspicious. iBroadBand.com customers suddenly started contacting us directly to cancel their memberships and they were stating that iBroadBand had taken their money for use of our site - yet THESE CUSTOMERS WERE NOT SHOWING UP AS OUR SALES!!!

To make things even stranger, no new memberships posted after the first part of June, although many customers continued to use our website. When Alex Mikhails was contacted, he at first said we received NO sales. When we indicated we had PROOF (screenshots of the merchant console) he suddenly changed his story and said "Uh, well, I made a mistake. You had 1 sale". The information that iBroadBand.com did not have processing privileges will definitely be useful by me and my attorney, and we will of course send this to the State of California Attorney General's office. This also takes this matter to a criminal matter - we will be contacting the San Diego law enforcement authorities for fraud. I am SO GLAD Mr. Mikhails decided to post on Rip Off Report.

It is interesting for me to read this report indicating that MonPay.com was attepmting to secure credit card processing privileges. Why - lo and behold - monPay.com is the same as iBroadBand.com so does that mean they did NOT have credit card processing privileges???

We signed up with iBroadBand.com back in May of 2004. During May, things seemed to go well. We would get sales and they showed up on our merchant console. Then, towards the end of May, we began to get suspicious. iBroadBand.com customers suddenly started contacting us directly to cancel their memberships and they were stating that iBroadBand had taken their money for use of our site - yet THESE CUSTOMERS WERE NOT SHOWING UP AS OUR SALES!!!

To make things even stranger, no new memberships posted after the first part of June, although many customers continued to use our website. When Alex Mikhails was contacted, he at first said we received NO sales. When we indicated we had PROOF (screenshots of the merchant console) he suddenly changed his story and said "Uh, well, I made a mistake. You had 1 sale". The information that iBroadBand.com did not have processing privileges will definitely be useful by me and my attorney, and we will of course send this to the State of California Attorney General's office. This also takes this matter to a criminal matter - we will be contacting the San Diego law enforcement authorities for fraud. I am SO GLAD Mr. Mikhails decided to post on Rip Off Report.

It is interesting for me to read this report indicating that MonPay.com was attepmting to secure credit card processing privileges. Why - lo and behold - monPay.com is the same as iBroadBand.com so does that mean they did NOT have credit card processing privileges???

We signed up with iBroadBand.com back in May of 2004. During May, things seemed to go well. We would get sales and they showed up on our merchant console. Then, towards the end of May, we began to get suspicious. iBroadBand.com customers suddenly started contacting us directly to cancel their memberships and they were stating that iBroadBand had taken their money for use of our site - yet THESE CUSTOMERS WERE NOT SHOWING UP AS OUR SALES!!!

To make things even stranger, no new memberships posted after the first part of June, although many customers continued to use our website. When Alex Mikhails was contacted, he at first said we received NO sales. When we indicated we had PROOF (screenshots of the merchant console) he suddenly changed his story and said "Uh, well, I made a mistake. You had 1 sale". The information that iBroadBand.com did not have processing privileges will definitely be useful by me and my attorney, and we will of course send this to the State of California Attorney General's office. This also takes this matter to a criminal matter - we will be contacting the San Diego law enforcement authorities for fraud. I am SO GLAD Mr. Mikhails decided to post on Rip Off Report.

I have no lack of faith in our signed agreement. My use of the phrase, ridiculous terms was the result of the indignation I feel. We agreed to rates that are well below those that we would usually offer a high risk merchant with Alex's expected volume.

We did this because under normal circumstances we do our best to accommodate our merchants. Alex claimed that the rates included on the first contract we sent out were higher than those quoted him. We sent out a new, signed contract with the agreed upon lower rates and the application fee zeroed out since this fee had already been paid. Alex again insisted upon new terms in order to process. We refused to offer new terms and Alex insisted that we return his application fee. We will not return this fee.

Alex began a campaign of slander and defamation against FCMS with postings like these all over cyberspace. Hence, my indignation and use of the phrase, ridiculous terms to describe the signed contract we have with Alex.

As I stated in my previous post, we are still willing to process for Alex on the agreed upon terms. All he needs to do is answer any of the messages I have left for him. We can have him integrated into our system and begin processing this afternoon.

Below is quote by Steve Graham, found on the " rip off report "

You have been responding to these postings within the hour
but in all honesty you never planned on processing after we agreed to your ridiculous terms.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Steve Graham refers to the contract as having 'ridiculous terms' and now he wants to process ?

If he has so little faith in our agreement, how can his offer be taken seriously - afterall, I personally have pleaded with his company in phone calls and emails since MAY , to get us processing.

Alex,

I love your post but you know as well as I you are not be truthful and forth coming here. I will still set that all aside and get you processing right away. Please just return one of my many messages that I have left. This is getting childish that you respond to these postings immediately but you have not tried to contact me directly. Send me an email or call. You have been responding to these postings within the hour but in all honesty you never planned on processing after we agreed to your ridiculous terms. I still want to make you happy and get you processing. I just wont return your fee.

Regards,
Graham

I am glad Steve from FCMS responded. This gives me a chance to dispell his lies.

For one thing, he says this was an application fee. The document he signed says ZERO application fee and anyone who is interested in seeing this document can email me at [DELETED]

Second: His employee Joseph Sorge tells potential merchants that they will be setup to process between 2 and 7 days. I have requested processing for over 60 days - my emails and phone calls have gone unanswered. You will notice the date of the contract and notice the dates of all my e-mails to the company.

Third. Steve Graham states that I can process at anytime. This is of course a lie. Below I have included an email from his employee Garth Bair:

Hello Alex,

I sought approval to begin setup for credit card
processing for MonPay. I received a NEGATIVE response.

Sincerely,

Garth

----------------------------------

Now I will include my attempts to start cc processing with this company:

Lee & Steve,

I have called several times and can not get past the secretary. I have left numerous messages. I am awaiting active credit card processing.

Alex Mikhals
MonPay.com
Vice President

**************

Mr. Steve Graham,

I have not been able to get ahold of neither GARTH BAIR the last couple days.

I have also unsuccessfully tried to reach you today.

Alex Mikhals
MonPay.com
Vice President

***************

Hello Steve * Lee,

This is my 3rd or 4th email with no response from you regarding fulfilling your obligation to activate credit card processing for our company.

Alex Mikhals
Vice President
MonPay.com

****************

Re: The Setup Fee, Please read the following:

[Original Message]
From: Joe Sorge
To:
Date: 3/22/2004 12:36:01 PM
Subject: RE: merchant account

Alex,
Absolutley right, in fact we will make sure that you are approved and then we will take it out of your first wire when you have already begun to process. We don't want the fee upfront let us get you approved to where you are running business and then we will take care of it. So if you can fax in your application we can get you up and running by next week.

Alex Mikhals wrote:

if not approved, is it refundable / ie ... can it be a setup fee

---------------------------------------------

Since this ordeal began, I have corresponded with half a dozen merchants who are UNsatisfied with Financial Credit Merchant Services. I now have a very reliable contact at MasterCard International - If you have been ripped off by FCMS, do not hesitate to e-mail me at: alex_mikhals@ureach.com and I will put you in touch with the correct regulating officials.

I am glad Steve from FCMS responded. This gives me a chance to dispell his lies.

For one thing, he says this was an application fee. The document he signed says ZERO application fee and anyone who is interested in seeing this document can email me at alex_mikhals@ureach.com

Second: His employee Joseph Sorge tells potential merchants that they will be setup to process between 2 and 7 days. I have requested processing for over 60 days - my emails and phone calls have gone unanswered. You will notice the date of the contract and notice the dates of all my e-mails to the company.

Third. Steve Graham states that I can process at anytime. This is of course a lie. Below I have included an email from his employee Garth Bair:

Hello Alex,

I sought approval to begin setup for credit card
processing for MonPay. I received a NEGATIVE response.

Sincerely,

Garth

----------------------------------

Now I will include my attempts to start cc processing with this company:

Lee & Steve,

I have called several times and can not get past the secretary. I have left numerous messages. I am awaiting active credit card processing.

Alex Mikhals
MonPay.com
Vice President

**************

Mr. Steve Graham,

I have not been able to get ahold of neither GARTH BAIR the last couple days.

I have also unsuccessfully tried to reach you today.

Alex Mikhals
MonPay.com
Vice President

***************

Hello Steve * Lee,

This is my 3rd or 4th email with no response from you regarding fulfilling your obligation to activate credit card processing for our company.

Alex Mikhals
Vice President
MonPay.com

****************

Re: The Setup Fee, Please read the following:

[Original Message]
From: Joe Sorge
To:
Date: 3/22/2004 12:36:01 PM
Subject: RE: merchant account

Alex,
Absolutley right, in fact we will make sure that you are approved and then we will take it out of your first wire when you have already begun to process. We don't want the fee upfront let us get you approved to where you are running business and then we will take care of it. So if you can fax in your application we can get you up and running by next week.

Alex Mikhals wrote:

if not approved, is it refundable / ie ... can it be a setup fee

---------------------------------------------

Since this ordeal began, I have corresponded with half a dozen merchants who are UNsatisfied with Financial Credit Merchant Services. I now have a very reliable contact at MasterCard International - If you have been ripped off by FCMS, do not hesitate to e-mail me at: alex_mikhals@ureach.com and I will put you in touch with the correct regulating officials.

We have just been made aware of this report submitted by Alex Mikhals of Monpay.com. Obviously we are concerned whenever anyone has a problem with the service we provide and how it reflects on our reputation.

The first claim of this report, that Alex believed there was a discrepancy in rates, was brough to our attention and we take full responsibility for this. There was a
discrepancy between the quoted rates and those offered in the contract.

We agreed to provide processing at the lower rates and assigned Mr. Mikhals account to a new sales representative as a result of the miscommunication. We agreed to the exact figures Mr. Mickals said he was quoted.

As for the application fee that is non-refundable. What Mr. Mikhals neglects to point out is that he has been approved to process credit cards through FCMS and for his own reasons has chosen not to do so.

Since Mr. Mikhals has mad it clear to us that he
intends to persue litigation in this matter we have decided no to pay the commission to the sales agent(ISO) until the matter ir resolved. We would prefer not to be out of pocket for a non-processing account.

FCMS has indeed responded to phone calls and emails from Mr. Mikhals in the past. At this point, his messages insist on a refund only and we have made it clear that we will not be providing him one. We seeno reason to waste our time and his by repeating our position over and over.

Again, FCMS has held up our end the bargain.
Monpay.com can process credit cards with us whenever they choose to do so.