First American Payment Systems/Summit Merchant Solutions They probably have others that I'm not aware about. Most deceptive company I have ever encountered. Fort Worth, Texas

First of all I'd like to say that this is the worst experience I have ever had with any company, and we know how difficult it is with some merchant processing companies.  This is also my first complaint I have ever filed about any company on any complaint board.  After the situation I type in Summit Merchant Solutions on google and find many complaints on many boards about this company and its affiliated companies.

I have recently been contracted by a sales rep. from Summit Merchant Solutions, a.k.a. First American Payment systems in early October 2011.  I made an appointment with her on October 11, 2011 to have my current processor analyzed so that she may give me a savings estimate.  She estimated I'd save about 35%+ on my total processing fees, telling me that my effective rate would be a little more than half of what it is now.  She also told me that the company sends free rolls at beginning of the month and offer new terminals if I required one.

She told me I'd  have a 30 day trial period and that her company would take care of any fees from my previous company if there were any.  I went ahead and signed two contracts for two small business (big mistake on my part), because apparently I'd be saving money.  Everyone likes to save money.

I told her I'd like a new terminal, and the sales rep. told me she would take care of it in two weeks.  Two weeks has gone by with no word.  I call her on November 11 to ask her about my terminal, paper rolls, and statement, which I have not received yet.  She told me she would take care of the rolls and the terminal and to give it a few more days for the statement.

I wait a few more days and the statement comes in on Nov. 15 without postmark, with only the company information and my company information on the envelope window.  The envelope is also prepaid.  No date or timestamps.  I find this awkward.

I call my sales rep. that morning and she told me to call the customer service to take care of it.  This is when it hit me.  She's now avoiding me.  I do as she says and after half an hour of telling the story to a customer service rep., I get the issue escalated to an account manager.  The account manager tells me that my grace period is over from the contract date to Nov. 15.  At this moment I became infuriated.  I tell her my situation about the statements and her sales rep, and she tells me has no control over those matters, only what's in the contract.  It was a 3 year contract with a $495 early termination fee.  I told them I'd get back to them.

I then call the sales rep and tell her the situation.  She tells me that she'll make some calls to take care of it, and call me before noon the next day.  She did not call.  I called her twice that day leaving her voicemails.  On the 17th, her voicemail now tells me she won't be back until Nov. 28, which she'll return all calls.

I call the customer service line about the situation and they escalated me to another account manager. The manager avoids my story, even when I told her does it make sense to change companies so that you may have a higher effective rate?  The manager goes on and on about grace period and my term will continue until Oct. 2014 and have a 1 year renewal.

How does a company blatantly lie and deceive get away with this?  Are there no class action lawsuits against them?  If there are, did they win or lose? How's their rating with BBB? And many more questions about this scum of a company.  I don't know how they are still doing business.

I have no words for what I feel right now.

In the end, I'm paying more than what I was previously, and will be $1000 short when, not if, I break the contract.  To some business owners 1 grand isn't much, but we can all agree money is money and if presumedly it isn't my fault, I shouldn't pay for it.  I won't give up without a fight though.

Any tips or comments on this matter would be appreciated.  I hope this post and many others help shut down this company.