Have you been hosed by CardService International?
Let me tell you how they ripped me for $2600 in
one day,
then let's gather other victims and really turn up the heat.
My name is Rob
Frankel. I'm NOT a whiner. Never have been. Always played
by the rules. But now something has to be done.
If you know about merchant services, you know that
a Merchant Service Provider (like CardService International)
is the agency that charges you for taking money out of your
customers' credit card accounts and transferring the money into
your account. They charge about 27¢ every time someone
accesses your account, whether it's for a purchase or a return.
Fair enough.
I was originally a CardService International customer
because they were the only game in town at the time. As a super-fortressed
company (try getting through on the phones to anyone who works
there who's NOT in sales), any problem I had was NEVER rectified.
But most of those prior were inconveniences, not really important
issues.
I've always run a very secure operation. Followed
all the security advisories ever issued. My gateway processor
was Authorize.net.
On one day in September, 2002, someone hacked into
the system and generated 8,000 credit card transactions, apparently
trying to test for valid credit card numbers. There were no
actual transactions. No dollar amounts.
Authorize.net recognized them as fraudulent immediately.
CardService International just sat there and watched -- and
then billed me for all 8,000 non-existent charges.
No help. No warning (from this "totally automated"
company). Nothing but a huge cash suck.
Isn't this Authorize.net's
fault?
No, it isn't. They jumped on the problem and stopped
it. CardService International didn't even bother to look, and
when they did,they simply kept charging. Even your own VISA
card company calls you when there's suspicious activity on your
account -- what makes these guys any different?
If you're concerned about credit fraud, THESE
are the guys you should be watching, not the pimply teenager
who buys porn on his father's VISA. Outfits like CardService
International are robbing merchants blind, hiding behind service
agreements that absolve them of any responsibility.
At least Authorize.net had the good business sense
not to charge for phantom transactions. CardService International
simply was not interested in doing anything to alleviate the
situation.
My day in court will come with CardService International.
In the meantime, I strongly suggest you take a minute to show
your support. I'm taking this story to the media, where it will
likely do more to advance the cause of protecting well-intentioned
merchants.
I would like to generate as many e-mail addresses
as possible so that we can launch massive campaigns together
and pressure pirates like CardService International to change
their policies. We will also post a list of ethical MSP's
whose practices are more ethical.
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR MERCHANT FRIENDS.
Count Me In. I'm tired of
these pirates.
If you're sick of being powerless, join
us and we'll put the numbers of the web against this effort.
We don't want your last name or address or anything else. Just
your stories about how you got ripped off, when it happened
and what was your result. We want your e-mail because there
will be a call for you to help everyone by writing a letter
or complaint/support when we launch the campaign: