American Verification Processing Solutions (AVPS) Review

Merchant Maverick's Rating: (3.5 out of 5)

Last Updated: April 12th, 2010.

Overview:
From what I've heard, American Verification Processing Solutions (AVPS) usually deals more with the high-risk and bad credit type merchant accounts. They've been around since 2000, so that's about a decade's worth of service.

For how long they've been around, they only have a small number of complaints, but still worth noting. Be sure to read all of them, including AVPS's rebuttals, as they may help prevent you from ending up in the same situations.

A few good testimonials would really help offset the complaints, but as of this review, I could only find one that I could actually contact. Be sure to ask for references.

AVPS does have a Facebook account, so that's definitely a plus. It gives you the opportunity to connect with them socially and publicly, if necessary.

I'm going to give them a 3.5 out of 5 for now.

Click Here If You Need Help Choosing a High-Risk Provider

Date Established:
2000.

Location:
Canoga Park, California.

Domain Name(s):
www.avpsolutions.com.

Parent/Partner Company:
AVPS is an independently owned company, but they are not directly registered with Visa or Mastercard. They are a sub-ISO/MSP of TriSource Solutions.

Type:
Registered sub-ISO/MSP of TriSource Solutions.

Acquiring Bank(s) (Acquirer):
Merrick Bank.

Payment Processor(s):
TriSource Solutions.

Payment Gateway(s):
Authorize.Net, NMI (Network Merchants Inc.) or USA ePay.

Trust Symbols:
The AVPS BBB profile has an "A+" rating as of this review, with 8 complaints in the last 36 months.

They are also part of the BBB TrustLink program, where you can currently find 1, not so positive review.

Negative Reviews:
You can find a few complaints here on RipOffReport, and also on Scam.com.

Common Complaints:
The common theme amongst most of the complaints seems to be about "hidden fees" or "hidden terms." It's difficult to determine which party is at fault during these types of disputes because negligence could be placed on either party. It could be a rogue sales rep that's just trying to make a profit, or it could be the merchant who didn't read their whole contract. Usually, it's a little bit of both.

The best way to deal with a slimy sales rep, is to be very thorough. Ask lots and lost of questions. Be like Columbo. If you do that, then chances are, you won't be the type of merchant a snake oil salesman wants to deal with anyway.

Finally, read your entire contract. I know it's tedious, but trust me, it's worth it. If you notice something missing, if you think a page is missing, bring it to their attention.

Verifiable Testimonials/References:
From what I was able to find, there is only one verifiable testimonial on their site. I went ahead and contacted that merchant, but am still waiting to hear back.

Security/Privacy:
Doesn't look like the AVPS online application is secured, but it also doesn't collect the kind of information that would require it to be (i.e. social security number). It's more of an initial contact form.

Customer Service:
Have you worked with AVPS? Feel free to leave us your review.

Contract Duration:
3-years.

Cancellation Fee:
$300. I was told the cancellation fee is negotiable, so feel free to put on your bargaining hat.

Interchange-Plus Pricing:
Interchange-plus is offered by AVPS, but it does depend on what kind of business you are, how long you've been processing and how much you process per month.

Seasonal Downtime:
Seasonal downtime is also offered by AVPS.

Product/Service Offering:
Retail (Credit/Debit), Internet (e-Commerce), Mail Order/Telephone Order (MOTO), Mobile/Wireless.

Product/Service Specialty:
None.

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