First Data Global Leasing Collection Agency Action fior a bill already Paid Coral Gables, Florida Nationwide

 If you have a weak stomach you do not want to read my First Data Global Leasing story. Also, if you are a small business person always check with your credit card processor to make sure they are not setting you up with a FDGL lease. During our 32nd year in business we leased credit card equipment for 2 gift shops from what we were told was Payment Systems. We knew the leases were way above market and the lower credit card processing fees more than offset the additional cost according the information we were given by the salesman. (Turned out not to be true - another story). We received the credit card processing equipment from First Data Global Leasing (FDGL) on 02/29/2012. On December 31, 2012 we closed one of our stores. I called FDGL and asked what to do with the machines and I was told to return them. The credit card processing devices were received by First Data Global on January 3, 2013, FEDEX tracking number 735-7935-15037744. After shipping the devices back, I discovered that I would have to continue to pay the lease for the next 38 months. The monthly payment of $231.08 was automatically deducted from my business bank account each and every month. In July 2013 I found that I would have use for the machines in my other store and I contacted First Data Global to have them ship the devices back to me since I was already paying for them. I spoke with Jerry. I gave her the FedEx tracking number, she checked with the warehouse and the equipment was there. She told me there would be a processing charge of $53.50, which was ok with me, and that she would have them shipped right out. The charge came out of my bank account and I never received the equipment. I again made contact with First Data Global Leasing. This time I spoke with Shelley. I went through the same tedious verification process (FedEx Number etc.), agreed to pay the $53.50 and was told they would be shipped right out. The charge came out of my bank account and I never received the equipment.

After another couple weeks I called again. I told the entire story to Monica and she said she could not help and she got me Miguel. I went through the entire story and process with Miguel on Monday, November 18, 2013. Miguel promised to straighten it out and to call me right back – he never did. Instead of shipping me the equipment Miguel paid off the lease for my other store by deducting almost $1,000 directly from my bank account on November 21, 2013 without my knowledge. I could hardly believe that this happened when I was calling to have the equipment I shipped back during January 2013 and on which I was still making payments, returned so I could use it. I called back to complain and I got Larry and he promised to ship me the equipment I had been waiting for, send me a Satisfaction letter for the lease that was accidentally paid off by Miguel and to forgive the normal charge back (around $475) for the equipment covered by the lease for my other store that had been satisfied by Miguel. True to his word I did receive the equipment I was waiting for. However, I was once again charged $53.50. This is the 3rd time that I was charged the same shipping charge for the same equipment. The first 2 times nothing was shipped and the 3rd time Larry finally had the equipment shipped. Also, I did not receive the satisfaction letter or the waiver of the equipment charge as promised by Larry During December 2013 and January 2014 I started calling and spoke with Chantel on at least 4 different occasions. Each time she assured that she would take care of getting the 2 extra shipping charges refunded, getting me the letter of satisfaction and the waiver of the charge back for the equipment from the lease that they paid off. The last time I spoke with Chantel I told her that unless she would take care of this immediately, I would close my bank account in order to take away FDGL access to my funds.

Since I did not hear back I went through the incredibility difficult process of closing our business bank account. It is now closed and I will never give them access to our new business bank account. I then received a call from Barry because they no longer had access to my bank account. I once again went through the whole story with Barry and he assured me that he would get it straightened out once and for all. I told Barry that I would deduct the 2 additional shipping charges from the February lease payment and he said that would be fine. The next month I received a bill for the shipping charges that I had deducted plus late charges and New Jersey Sales Tax. Also, at this time I began receiving Robo calls at 8:30 every morning at home from FDGL about the now $150 that they said I owed. I called Barry again and he assured me that as long as I kept making the monthly lease payments everything would be alright and he would have it fixed. I continued to receive the dunning letters and the early morning calls and I started calling Barry on a regular basis and he never returned my calls.

On August 8, 2014 I received a call from a collection agency that FDGL had turned over my account to them for collection and if I don’t pay they will damage my personal credit rating. With the monthly late charges and the NJ sales tax charged on the entire amount each month the charges now total over $250.00 I can honestly state that in 34 years in business we have never dealt with a more dishonest and incompetent group than FDGL. I sent all the information to our State Attorneys General office and was told that because it was business to business, I would have to retain my own attorney to deal with FDGL. My attorney charges $300 per hour so it is not worth it. If someone has a class action against FDGL please post the information so I can join the suit and contribute to fixing this inexcusable problem.