Central Payment (CPAY) Review
Merchant Maverick's Rating: (4 out of 5)
Last Updated: May 17th, 2011.
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Overview:
Central Payment (CPAY) is based out of San Rafael, California. They have about 40,000 merchants as their customer base, and process about $3 billion in annual credit card volume.
Most of the good info is listed below, but here's a quick overview...
I think their BBB complaint count is a bit high. They have roughly 40,000 merchants and 124 complaints (as of this update). Compared to some larger companies (see Chase Paymentech), their ratio of complaints to merchants is greater. Large processors are going to have more complaints than small ones, that's obvious. The ratio is just a baseline measurement, and something to consider. Hopefully, those complaints will stay under control though.
Their contract terms and cancellation fee (see below) are not ideal either, but I heard they're willing to negotiate.
I obviously like the testimonials on their site, and the Facebook page and Twitter account show me that they're willing to interact with their merchants in a public setting.
The fact that they offer both interchange-plus pricing and seasonal downtime definitely helped out their score a bit.
CPAY gets a 4 out of 5.
Keep reading to learn more about Central Payment.
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Date Established:
2005.
Location:
San Rafael, California.
Domain Name(s):
- www.cpay.com.
Parent/Partner Company:
Central Payment operates alone, but previously had some backing from iPayment.
After a noncompetition agreement expired, they started Central Payment with backing from iPayment.
Type:
Registered ISO/MSP.
Acquiring Bank(s) (Acquirer):
Wells Fargo and First National Bank of Omaha.
Payment Processor(s):
TSYS.
Payment Gateway(s):
PayJunction (Trinity) and Authorize.Net.
Do you need help setting up your payment gateway with your website? Click here.
Trust Symbols:
The CPAY BBB profile is sporting an "A" rating with about 124 complaints as of this update.
Negative Reviews:
They have 10 complaints on RipOffReport (as of this update), but I'd say 80% are from past employees who for one reason or another are no longer happy with CPAY.
Personally, I could care less about the company's internal beef's. My concern is with the merchant and how they're being treated, and as of now, I don't have any reason to believe that past merchants aren't happy with their service.
I do like the way CPAY has taken the time to respond to any complaints made against them. Most of those negative ROR reviews are followed by a rebuttal from CPAY, and usually it's the company's owner who's doing the responding. Good stuff!
Common Complaints:
Most of the BBB complaints are in the "Billing, Collection and Contract Term" categories. A good solution to that would be to scrutinize your contract early and often. It might be a pain in the ass, but it'll save you from any surprises.
The negative reviews on ROR don't have much in common except for the fact that most are from ex-employees. 
Verifiable Testimonials/References:
When I initially wrote this review, CPAY didn't have a testimonial section, but since then, they've added more than a dozen written and video testimonials. Good job guys! They are all fully disclosed (full-name/company name), so you can contact those merchants if you want. Don't forget to ask for references as well.
Security/Privacy:
No on-site security features (i.e. McAfee, Security Metrics etc...). The security issue really depends on what kind of information the merchant account provider is collecting from you. If they require you to fill out a full digital application with sensitive info like SSN numbers, then they should definitely have some third-party security in place. Sometimes, and in the case of CPAY, the initial contact form only requires some basic info, then the real application is taken care of by fax or later on through a secure online app.
Customer Service:
The rep that I spoke with was extremely professional and helpful. She answered all of my questions truthfully (I hope), and she didn't try to pull a "hard-sell." She acted more like a consultant than anything. Those are the kind of reps you want to get your hands on.
Contract Duration:
The Central Payment contract length is 3-years.
Cancellation Fee:
Their cancellation fee operates on a sliding scale starting at $500 if you cancel within the first year, and dropping by $100 each year thereafter. I was told that both the contract length and cancellation fee are negotiable, so don't forget to put on your bargaining hat.
Interchange-Plus Pricing:
Interchange-plus is offered by Central Payment.
Seasonal Downtime:
They do offer seasonal downtime, but be sure to specify up-front which months you need to deactivate the account for.
Product/Service Offering:
Credit/Debit, Check Guaranty, Check Conversion, e-Commerce/Internet, Wireless, Gift Cards, ATM, POS, PCI Compliance.
Product/Service Specialty:
None in particular.
Don't forget to leave your review and rating in the comment section.
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May 26th, 2010 - 11:02
I have to wonder how much they paid you to write this review.
May 26th, 2010 - 11:24
As you can see here JD, I don’t take kick-backs in return for writing a good review. I’d be interested to hear why you’d wonder what it is that you’re wondering.
July 27th, 2010 - 12:17
You say you don’t find Merchant complaints But I have found dozens of them. Apparently you did not search for them
Bill
July 27th, 2010 - 12:57
Bill,
Thank you for the comment, but I need details.
I’d be more than happy to be proven wrong, because as you might know, I don’t have any problem with updating my reviews, and/or lowering a providers rating based on facts that I might have missed. But, it’s incredibly hard for me to give your comment any credibility whatsoever when you don’t provide me with any sort of fact based information. Give me links, give me information, that is what will give your comment validity, otherwise I’ll have to disregard it, or worse, delete it.
I’ll give you a few days to respond with some good info for all of us. In the meantime, I’ll revisit the review to see if I missed out on anything.
August 17th, 2011 - 11:25
Heres a story for you!! They said they were going to take care of billing dispute in which they overcharged me, as a result I incurred a number of overdraft fees, and NSF fees because of all of the other charges they were trying to charge me. Luckily they didn’t get that money or might be in court trying to get it back because obviously they don’t know what it is to take care of something in a timely manner. Over three months to give me an explanation of what I was being charged for only for them to say “ooops we did over charge you” and the cost incurred outside of what they have over charged me has still not been resolved. I will say this is the only thing they have going for them, their Owners of the company list their emails, as soon as I cc’d him the first time this issue was supposed to get resolved immediately, he just ccd me in an email telling his employee to resolve my issue, I have not decided yet wether or not it is all just a day late and a buck short.!!!
June 8th, 2010 - 06:04
this site has been very very helpfull. thank you so much
June 10th, 2010 - 16:43
they have a testimonials section up at http://www.cpay.com/testimonials.php
June 10th, 2010 - 21:19
Nice! Thanks Dan.
July 9th, 2010 - 11:53
I found this helpful. Thank you for a concise, easy to read and understand review.
July 13th, 2010 - 00:36
No problem Gwendolyn. You’re welcome!
March 15th, 2011 - 09:42
Current customer of CPC and I can tell you they are NO 4-Stars. More like 1.5 stars. The majority of the time, no one knows what they are talking about and they are all very good at making up answers and that’s the department manages. My rep just lies and has since the day we signed up. Our fees were not disclosed properly when signing up and therefore the past 2 years we have been stuck overpaying for the majority of our transactions. Promises promises promises… that’s all I’ve heard for the past 2 years. I had (2) accounts of different types and it took (4) months to get them to cancel the first one and that was with a waiver signed that I can cancel at any time. They have fees they charge that no one seems to know what they are for. A little for this and a little for that. Don’t walk away, RUN!
March 29th, 2011 - 17:28
JSchmeltz,
Can you please call me at 415-462-8335 x7115 so I may get a better understanding as to what took place? Or, may I have your business name? I would like to make sure this gets addressed internally and help resolve any outstanding issues you may have. I apologize for the experience you have, it certainly is not what our service department stands for.
Regards,
Tommy Chang
Operations Manager
August 17th, 2011 - 11:07
I totally agree with you!!!!!!! I have been dealing with a dispute for a months now and still have yet to see my issues resolved.
April 26th, 2011 - 13:47
Totall rip off. I have never experienced a fraud and bad service as Central payment in my entire experience with merchant companies. this has to be one of the biggest rip off. They don’t disclose fees. promised to beat your existing rates but never do. pull money from your account with out your knowledge and the list goes on. Forges signiture on applications and refil contracts. I was shocked when I saw my contract that they sent me. As Mr schmeltz said above. Run don’t walk.
September 1st, 2011 - 18:56
After reading all the comments here, as an Agent of Cpay for 4 years, I feel the need to respond on the behalf of CPAY.
CPAY Execs work “VERY” hard to make sure CPAY is the difference in an industry inundated with negativity and unethical practices.
CPAY is “Intentional” in not wanting to have the negative reputation that many processing companies are willing to settle for as long as they still make money off of you.
I am happy to work with Cpay because it is one of the FEW companies that exist in the merchant processing industry that IS ethical, demands it from it’s Agents and also offers excellent support, especially tech support. The CPAY Tech guys go above and beyond to solve issues and see them through to customer satisfaction. It is not a perfect world though. And, just as in your own business, there are days they are buried busy and every now and then a tech thing that has a quirk (it is technolgy after all). Sometimes tech issues have “nothing” to do with the processing company – it has to do with your phone lines or phone service and the tech guys “still” I have witnessed go above and beyond to not leave you hanging. I had one tech support person even go so far as to call ATT for a merchant to have them check for “noise” in the line because the phone company said the line was “fine”. It was “fine” but the noise in the line conflicted with the signals the credit card machine was trying to send. A+ went to that tech guy that day and … fyi… it was a Saturday.
I know firsthand of Agents that are Independent Contractors that Cpay has released because their lack of integrity did not agree with CPAY High Standards. My first week, someone forged a signature – CPAY let that agent go.
Forging by unethical agents is ridiculously common in this industry. CPAY does not tolerate such.
But, you know what, if I were a merchant and I was going to agree to signing up for a service, I would make darn sure I didn’t let Joe Schmoe who I just met leave with all my personal information without leaving me a copy… OR – faxing it directly to his company without faxing it from my fax machine and leaving me the originals so he didn’t have a chance to change agreed upon terms.
Don’t blame the company. Don’t even blame the Agent if you allowed him out the door of your business without making sure you were in control of what would be ending up on the other end at the processing company and ultimately affecting your rates or bank account. .. Or making sure you got a copy of what you signed and agreed to… OR if you signed without reading what you agreed to. THIS happens all the time with merhants. I make my merchants slow down and read the contract so they DON’T come back at me later and blame me for their lapse in doing so.
BUT – I am an ethical Agent and have entire towns of merchants that will NEVER switch from Cpay because it is not just about me or the rates, it is the whole experience.
I’ve been at merchants as they call other companies and get passed around or put into voicemails or put on hold for a good hour. This simply does not happen at Cpay. Real people answer the phone and no one passes anyone around – resolution is offered as quickly as possible.
First, this is an outstanding company that “expects” integrity and excellence, no matter whether you are an independent contractor out soliciting accounts on their behalf or an employee on the back end support services.
The first day I did this job (I had no idea what I was getting myself into) I walked into a merchant’s business and he said “get out! I hate you people”! WHY – Because a Sales Rep from another company lied to him and signed him into a 4 year non cancellable lease on a pin pad for $39.99/month … and told him he was getting it for free.
No matter “which” processing company you are dealing with, often it is not the company that is the issue when it comes to non-disclosure or lying. It is usually the Agent Sales Rep that lacked integrity and was out for a fast buck and had no intention of ever having you see him again. These guys cause the “good companies” such as CPAY and the “good” agents just as much headaches as the merchants – they make it difficult for all of us to do business.
I know “for a fact” that Central Payments Application “Intentionally” has in BOLD PRINT in a BOLD OUTLINED BOX “ALL” the terms of the merchant agreement FULLY DISCLOSED.
If you CHOSE to sign a contract without reading it, or allowed a Sales Rep to rush you into signing something that affected your business, don’t blame Central Payment.
Ever hear of the saying “Buyer Beware – don’t sign something without reading it?” And for those of you ready to rush a company into court, did you read what you signed and did you make sure you got a copy of it where you verified what you agreed to with an Agent?
Also, after receiving applications, Central Payment “makes sure” Underwriting calls merchants to verify applications to make sure their Agents are acting with integrity on Cpay’s behalf. “4″ years of working with this company and they “STILL” verify my apps … and I am JUST FINE WITH THAT because I know I am honest and fully disclose, as does the company and my customers welcome the verification after being with previous companies that don’t give a hoot if someone lacks ethics as long as they get their hand in your bank account.
I have “left” contracts with merchants for a good month and patiently waited for them to make sure they read every word – those merchants have never complained because they made it their responsibility to make sure they handled what affects their business.
Some merchants just sign and don’t read – I don’t rush anyone. They later take it out on the company when they decide to break their contract and accuse the company of being thieves when it is clearly boldly written above their signature what they are agreeing to.
Also, if you had a billing issue…were you willing to let an error be fixed or did you call up and immediately blast the person with abusive language who happened to be lucky enough to answer your call before you gave them a chance to work out the issues to help you- and – did you give ample time to research problem or did you call back with threats?
By the way, THAT merchant that I walked into in September of 2007, signed up with me and CPAY this past January because he could verify with his entire town the kind of company CPAY is in comparison to so many other bad companies that are out here and the service CPAY gives. Many of my merchants who have been through bad experiences will NEVER switch again after their positive CPAY experience.
Most merchants are also realistic that it is not a perfect world and we are in a day and age where pmnts and everything on an account is done electronically and mistakes can happen. It happens with banks, everywhere.
Also, employees, just like in your business, are human, and every once in a while may drop the ball or have an off day – could be due to a day where they were just buried in customers and they oops’d on you – I’m sure not intentional.
One person who may have a bad day does not make an entire company any more that one employee in your business determines the quality of your business. AND, does not make a company a bad company that gives poor service.
Unethical Agents also do not make for an unethical company.
There is no business on the face of the earth that can please everyone all the time and sometimes it is the customer that just doesn’t want to take responsibility for being lax in reading a contract.
Sometimes, stuff happens and it is difficult to please a customer to the customers expected satisfaction level.
I’ve gone into businesses where merchants signed up with a different CPAY Agent and are mad at CPAY and complain. When I take the time to hear them out, it usually comes down to the signing Agent did not give the service he promised or disappeared. THAT was an individual doing the wrong thing… NOT the company and NOT all the other Agents.
WE all pay for people that don’t do the right thing – even CPay.
BTW – They guy who said he was “shocked when he saw the contract they sent you”… Didn’t you read and get a copy of the original before signing it? If so, if it did not match what you later received, I guarantee if you produced the original, CPAY would have immediately rectified the situation and also addressed it with your Agent.
124 complaints for a company with 40,000 merchants I’d say is pretty darn impressively good sign of a business that does the right thing.
Donna Gilchrist
Acct Exec – Central Payment Corp
203-826-4509
October 4th, 2011 - 14:32
I wish I could give Central Payment or CPay 0 stars.
I signed up with them based on a quote they gave me based on my previous processor with 95% of charges at Mid or Qualified rate . Suddenly with my first bill 90% of my charges ran at the very high Non-Qualified rate. The next month I reverted to my previous credit processing company and the charges were as they had always been.
I have a subscription service based business and hold the same client credit cards on file which I charge each month.
When I tried to resolve this I was promised credits and a rate adjustment. I tried them a second time and the rates were the same. I called in and asked how to resolve this and they said I can pay the high rates or pay a huge cancellation fee, “per my signed contract”.
This company uses a bait and switch tactic. Do not believe anything they say.
November 28th, 2011 - 16:12
Mr. Pentz’s merchant account rates were adjusted for October and was issued a retroactive credit for previous months. Credit was posted to the account the following week. If Mr. Pentz would like to discuss this please give me a call anytime at 415-462-8341.
October 20th, 2011 - 11:14
I just got off the phone with Central Payment – San Rafael CA – I have been using them as my credit card merchant service for 5 years. I was told that the only way I can cancel is to pay them a $300 early cancellation fee -Early?? I have been with them for 5 years – my original contract was for three years – apparently they renew the contract automatically every year for a year. I am closing my business – apparently they will refund $150 if I get my landlord to send them a certificate that I have in fact closed my business. First why this cancellation fee? Second why should I get my landlord involved? Central Payment is NOT a company to do business with – they will screw you on the front end with high entry fees and an expensive credit swipe terminal, next they will increase their fees and finally when you want to leave they will hit you with a very high fee just to quit using them. Anyone reading this DO NOT GET INVOLVED WITH CENTRAL PAYMENT
October 24th, 2011 - 14:10
Nery Espinal – Merchant Relations – Central Payment contacted me via email today and gave me a phone number. I called and talked with him – Central Payment has dropped the early cancellation fee – and the entire run around about getting a letter from my landlord that I am in fact closing. So my opinion of Central Payment has now changed. I had been with them for five years and had never had a problem – NOW I AM HAPPY TO REPORT that they in fact DO have customer support and ARE willing to make changes. I can once again Recommend them as a company that is able to provide Merchant Credit Solutions for small business
Here is a copy of the email received —- I will say if you happen to get into any problem with Central Payment that you call Mr. Espinal he certainly made a huge difference for me and my opinion of this company
It was a pleasure speaking with you this morning. I appreciate your remarks and am glad we were able to correct any misunderstandings. As per our conversation your account has been closed with no cancellation fee. You will only be responsible for the monthly processing fees for the month of October 2011.
If you don’t mind, please email me when you have addressed the postings online so that I may update my executives. Feel free to keep my information in your records should you find the need to accept credit cards again in the future.
Best regards,
Nery Espinal
Merchant Relations
Central Payment
Phone: (800) 449-8012 Ext 7369
Fax: (866) 618-8284
Email: nespinal@cpay.com