In 2007 I thought I should get credit card capability on my website.  Somehow I heard about Moneris Solutions and applied to them, and have been able to process Visa and Mastercard payments ever since for a usorious fee.

There’s the percentage charged per transaction, of course, but then there are also “service fees” and surprise! there is no actual service.  I recently decided to inquire further about these fees a couple of months ago, and called Moneris.

The customer service agent I spoke with said I could get a lower rate if I entered the card numbers on-line, rather than on the phone as I do now.  He said they’d send me a secret password to get started.  Nothing arrived for over a month, then two days ago a terminal and a bunch of wires arrived by courier.

Seeing this just confirmed to me I had to get away from Moneris, as this customer service rep had lead me to believe I was entering in my computer, and made no mention of a terminal and pin pad!  Also, I really don’t want to pay their fees any longer, and probably don’t need credit card capability for my customers anyway. I notice many people prefer to pay by cheque or with bank transfers, which are so easy and free.

So two days ago I phoned to cancel my contract with Moneris and that’s when all Hell broke loose.  I told my story and was transferred three times, and put on hold for several minutes each time, which was really helpful in making me feel absolutely sure getting away from Moneris was the right thing to do.

I spoke with a gal named Amanda, and for some reason I brought up the terminal which I’d just received.  She stated, “I don’t have any record of you having a terminal” to which I replied, “Well of course you wouldn’t, because your customer service is so poor.”  She said until the terminal was picked up and returned to them, they couldn’t close my account, so she said she would make sure that happened.

I said great, and then she added there’s also a $300 cancellation fee!  I asked why, and she explained my contract had automatically been renewed last year and it’s in “the terms and conditions” of the contract. To say I was mad is like saying Kim Jong Un isn’t very nice.

Today I noticed more “service fees” from Moneris out of my account, and so this time I spoke with Diane.  I asked why, when I had been assured the account would be closed, more fees had come out.  She said it takes 5 – 7 days.  Then she phoned back and said she saw I had a terminal, and guess what, no arrangements had been made by our little Amanda for it to be picked up!

Had I not called today, Moneris would merrily be dinging me with “service fees” and I would be assuming they’d snatched the $300 from my account as per the “contract” and it was closed.   Then in a couple of weeks I would see even more service fees, have to phone again, reach yet another agent, who’d go, “Oh I see Diane didn’t put that request through……”

Someday however, I’ll be seeing the back of Moneris amd then I can laugh about the whole situation, much like you do after a really bad hemorrhoid has gone away.  What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.  I also decided besides putting up with that, it’s good to make a Better Business Bureau complaint, which I did, and I’m sending a letter to their head office as well.  May as well spread the misery around.