FISGlobal.com / Certegy review: declined checks! 620

certegy is a scam. I am a merchant and i pay them over $65 a month. every check that has been "approved" by them and has come back declined to me is never approved by certgy for some reason. I have submitted 5 checks to them and they did not pay one of them. I should have just kept that $65 in and acount every month and then just cover the check myself.

scam scam scam

I aslo just had the sam experience yesterday, at two separate stores, for nominal amounts on the checks writtten. I usually use my debit card, but recently lost the card and thought no problem I have checks left. Ha... I have money in the bank and shop for necessities. I think that credit cards are in on this scam as this caused me to pull out the Mastercard. This is almost criminal.

I too am a victim of Certegy. I agree that we need to have a class action law suit against these people. It only takes three people to form a class action law suit. I am holding for them right now. I am attempting to get their physical address so I can file civil legal action against them. They are denying my checks and can not even really give me a valid reason for their declining my checks.

Based on the numerous and similar complaints, this company needs to be held accountable for the damage that is being caused.
On 9/22/09, my son wrote a check to Radio Shack in Houston, Texas in the amount of $131.00. It was declined by Certegy. He was given the [protected] phone number to call. After being on hold and going through the menu selection, he did finally speak to a representative. She told my son there was nothing derogatory, but the check had been declined because it had information that was similar or close to others. This, supposedly done to protect consumers from fraud. She could not or would not give specific information. My son's account was a new account recently established with JP Morgan Chase Bank. The representative told my son to go online to www.fidelityinfoservices.com. and complete an application that would protect him from any future declinations of this kind. Going on to this website was impossible to find the application she was speaking of. I will filing a complaint with the Attorney General's Office for Consumer Affairs. Whatever good that will do. Whoever Certegy is, they have no right to the private info they continue to request from consumers, nor should they have the power that they have been given over our ability to purchase. What or who will stop them?

I got hit by them yoday also! At Murphy USA. The gas station at Wal-mart. The famous code two. Not enough info about my account. I had written check there and other places that uses them. This is a company account and Lowes uses them and I have written checks there over a thousand dollars. This one was for 47 bucks. I called and went though the process untill I got a person and was told the same thing that was on the card that was given to me by the attendant. No matter what I said they wouldn't budge on their answer.Of course I was offered the gold program application which I said no way. Well I guess from now on if the store I'm going to uses them I won't shop there.

My sentiments exactly, I was at Target yesterday and didn't have my Checkcard with me as my husband was using it so I happened to have my checkbook in my purse so instead I wrote a check for $188.85 and definitely had money in my account, as I'm sitting there with about 10 patrons in line behind me, I am told my check was declined, I knew for a fact I had money in there, I had to use a Credit Card that I just paid off which did not make me happy to say the least. I called these idiots today and although to rep who helped me was very very nice, she said they have 1000's of indicators that are used to determine if a check should be declined. I was told my check didn't have a negative decline and wouldn't be reflected negatively in their system, however, mine was a "rare" decline that happens from time to time just as a "precaution". Gee, thanks for the embarrassment and should I now feel honored that I am reflected positively in your system going forward? My positive reflection should be based on the fact that I don't bounce checks and can cover the checks I write. So basically, what I heard from that conversation is that if you don't have check writing history with them then you will be declined at some point, this my friends is considered to be discrimination!

To the person who posted "stop using checks", who cares that it's obsolete, it's still a form of payment and sometimes has to be used, I only used the check that day because I didn't have my bank card and not everyone wants to use a credit card, it's easier when it comes out of your account with finance charges, it's people like you that prove why American's are in Debt. Incidentally, I write 1 check per month to my daughter's daycare and all others I pay through my bank's website so I am with the times, I just HAPPENED to have the check book in hand that day because I paid for her daycare. At the end of the day, the bottom line is that if check's were obsolete, they wouldn't be issued anymore, they are still a form of payment and shouldn't be scrutanized that way. Hey, all my credit cards say "ask for ID" in my signature line and guess what, no one ever asks so do you think it's safer to use a credit card, it's not, trust me!

i went to cash a check at Walmart and was turned down because Certegy said i had written a bad check 2 yrs ago in Pennsylvania. one i dont live in Pennsylvania, two i havent written a check in 15 yrs and three the year they claimed i wrote the check i was here in Maryland.

William...I hope in the time that has elapsed since your wrote this report you've spent some time learning to spell, to write(in this case, type) and how to get your point across so that others can actually understand what you're saying.

I am also a victim of Certegy. I intend to contact the Better Business Bureau here in Vermont as this kind of thing has got to be illegal. They are defaming people with incorrect information. I am incensed at this. I was publically embarrassed over something that was untrue. I called and called them but I never once actually spoke to anyone. The first time I attempted to call I was "in the que" supposedly for 43 minutes! If anyone starts a classaction suit, please count me in.
Denise S. Mahoney

I totally agree. I went to Murphy's gas station that connected to Walmart, and I wrote a check for 20.00, and they said that my check was declined, and I have the funds in my account. I decided to called Certegy. I called that number at 4:45p.m, and it's now 5:30p.m, and I'm still listening to this same phone machine saying the same thing. What's up with this? Something has to be done about this.

You can't sue a company because you got embarrassed. Fraud is a HUGE problem these days and check fraud is no exception. Certegy is just trying to protect their clients. If you want to avoid embarrassment, get a debit card like everyone else.

Get over yourselves...the cashier that was checking you out when your check was declined doesn't really care, nor do they probably even remember...

And to the guy that was trying to pay with a check at a gas station: ...really? ...a check at a gas station? I think you're lucky that the gas station was even willing to accept a check...

My wife attempted to cash a payroll check at Walmart. It came back unable to process. When contacting certegy they claimed that the reason for the denial was the maker of the check. My wife works for State Government I doubt they write bad payroll checks. This company is useless and has no good reason for denying some of they checks that they receive.

I have the same problem with Lowes. I wrote checks to Lowes in Tulsa, Oklahoma with no problem. Wrote checks here at the Spring Lowes. Now all of a sudden I can not write them to Lowes in Spring. Certgery states it is no negative information. Just a check writing pattern. So I started writng checks to other companies that use Certgery, and there is no problem. They tell me it is the restrictions that this particular Lowes has on their store. So needless to say, I will be buying all my products from Home Depot. They are a little higher, but they will price match and then also give me 10% off. And... to boot they will take my check! Boy what a deal. Getting same product 10% less than Lowes and being able to write a check. Hopefully other customers will follow my way and hurt Lowes bottom line! They and Certgery can hopefully be at a loss!

J. Traylor
Spring, Texas

I have had the same thing happen to me and I'm am still unable to clear up.

I don't think that Certegy should have the right to decline a check based on "your check writing history". My family and I went into a local Dollar General to pickup a few quick things without going to larger store. When I wrote my check, it was declined. The clerk was nice enough to run it again and still declined. Lucky, my husband had some cash to pay for it. I have plenty of money in the bank and I generally use my debit card but I am in the process of getting a new one and therefore writing checks until I get the card, which is only the third one in a week, so I don't see a habitual check writing history, if that is the case. I haven't called them yet, afraid to with wanting all my info just to answer a question, something that can be done without all the info. I live a in a descent size town but I don't like being embarrassed when I try to write a check and declines because of 'history'. There are substances that occur to where you have to write checks. I know if I have to go back to any store with Certegy, I will be using cash or a prepaid credit card, see if that gets declined. I don't think I would trust the store/Certegy with my bank card either after this.

To Ruby, I understand about fraud and them protecting their clients but aren't they hurting their clients by their actions on declining checks based on check writing history or what it might be. you can read the posts and these people and I will not be shopping at those stores that have Certegy.

In July 2009 I attempted to make a purchase at the Dollar General Store in Woodville, MS, my check was declined. I was given the number to Certegy Check Services to find out exactly what the problem was. The representative I spoke with stated that a diver's license number was linked to my checking account and that she would take care of this problem. Which I assumed that she would.

Today, Nov. 22, 2009 I went to the same store and attempted to make a puchase for $74.20 and again my check was declined. Again I was given the number to Certegy to find out what the problem is. The company is closed on Sunday but the automated services stated that I had a returned check.

In the 32 years that my husband and I have had a checking account we have never had a returned check. It seems that the representative I spoke with in July did not follow through and take care on the issue.
It also seems that Certegy is not a very reliable company and does not care what embarassment it puts people through.

I have been keeping up with this almost a year now and have fought this servce myself.

To Ruby, there are a lot of people out there that still write checks and the last time I looked I still lived in America where we have that choice and if you don't want that freedom then you need to leave. There have been people declined their debit cards as well, so before you open your mouth and insert your foot again, please take the time to check things out .

The only thing a person can do about this service is to write the Fair Trade Commission. The BBB in Florida already know about this service. There have been people that have sued them but so far nothing has been done. No lawyer in town wants to persue a first class lawsuit so the only advise I can tell you to do is tell your State Attorney General's Office. Good luck ...

I tried to write a check at Big Lot on 11-23-09 and the check was declined on a new BB&T account. I then told the cashier that the account was new as we had just moved to town a few weeks earlier and she said "that is probably the problem". I told her that I still had my other account with the Coastal Federal Credit Union and she said she would try a check on that account. I wrote the check on the Credit Union account which cleared with no problem just 2 or 3 minutes after the BB&T check had been declined. I also called the [protected] and got the audiomated service. I followed instructions and was told to hold for the next available rep who never came on the line. I made the 800 call multiple times for the next few days and NEVER, NEVER, NEVER got a rep on the line or any human response. WHAT IS GOING ON? ARE YOU EVEN A LEGAL COMPANY? This needs to be corrected and if you can't keep your files up to date and stop these bad situations. YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN BUSINESS.

I attempted to cash a check at a local grocery chain where I have shopped for 4 years.
I nearly alway use my bank debit card, and have never had a problem but was writing a check since I had recently lost my bank card and hadn't received the new card yet. My check was declined and I complained of course and asked why. The manager couldn't tell me why (a card said code 2) and gave me Certegy's phone # to call. He also said a number of regular customers checks had been recently denied too for no apparent reason. I called Certegy and like so many people was given no plausible answer as to WHY my check was denied. I was just told standard BS line that Certegy uses standard practices to prevent loss & fraud; and that check-writing is a "priviledge!" I have NEVER had a check denied before -- after I went to a Fred Meyer store and they took my check. What a secretive & unethical company!

I too experience a similar situation last Friday. I went to Dillard's and wrote a check for the amount of $126.00. It was declined. As asked why and was given a slip of paper to contact Centergy. Needless to say, I write a check to Dillard's every week (sometimes 3 in one day) and I have never been declined. I called the number and was told that the system had declined me but that I had no negative history and had sufficient funds. I explained that Certergy had just approved a check for me the day before at Stein Mart for $154. What changed? I was mortified and humilated and all I got was sorry. I asked if this could possibly happen again and the person said yes. I said even though you have already discerned I have no problems. She said yes! I am afraid to write a check now.

I wrote a check at Dollar General On November 19, 2009. It was denied. When I called Certegy, I was told that they had a check for insufficient funds. This was not the case at all. I was denied writing a check at JC Penny's and Lowe's the same weekend. I was so embarassed. I called my bank and my account was fine. I stayed on the phone as my bank composed a fax to send Certegy. Getting through to this company is a nightmare and when you do get through they claim they never got the fax. They refuse to remove the $25 charge. The driver license is not my number and the last 4 digits of bank account is transposed. I am very frustrated that this can go in this day and time. Donna Edom

On Fri. Dec. 19, 2009 I purchased a laptop on sale (their last one) at OFFICE MAX in Norman, OK. Let me explain I am several decades over 21 with a perfect credit history and plenty of cash in the bank... NEVER a bad check in my history EVER... however, CERTEGY refused my check!

When I protested, the store mgr. called them back and got a real person on the phone for me to talk with. Their only reason for humiliating me in front of half a dozen people nearby in the store and forcing me to repeat my personal information 3 times was... they had NO records on me ! The CERTEGY rep said if I would write another check for the same amount, $909.26, she would make an adjustment so it would pass, but the original check would not.

I complained forcibly that all they had to do was CALL MY BANK, which was local... only 10 mi. down the road. But both the Office Max store mgr. and CERTEGY refused to do so.

After returning home at 2:00 pm I immediately called the corporate customer service # at Office Max, filed a
complaint, and asked for immediate response via email. The customer service rep. was very nice, and assured me she would also be upset. However, there has been NO response from Office Max.

Due to the fact my personal information was broadcast repeatedly over a very quiet store, I will be changing my bank account number, and I informed both the store and the CERTEGY rep that I will never again spend one dollar in any store which uses their service.

This complaint will be posted in every online forum I can find, and there are dozens of them, all with plenty of other similar complaints about CERTEGY CHECK VERIFICATION SERVICES.

I am on SS disability and my check was denied a code two( by certegy) at Shoe Mart in Chattanooga, Tn, on Signal Mountain Rd. I was purchasing items totaling $120.16. whuch basically says "Certegy did not have sufficient information available to approvwe the transaction." I called certegy and asked "what information they needed. I gave the standard information, 1)drivers licence 2) exp date of drivers licence. 3, tel #.
This is all I have ever been asked for and never had a ckeck declined. I even offered to give the young man at Certegy by SS#. He said he didn't need it.
I agree with the complaint above from the person suggesting a class action suit.

Tried to write a check which I had many times to Game Stop and now after all the years of shopping there,
they will not take my check because of Certegy but the store does not why and I don't know why?
So how can I fix a problem if there is no problem. Certegy MUST BE THE CHEAPEST SERVICE
some of the stores are hiring to collect money for them I believe a I could do a better job.
So what do you do here dealing with Certegy IDIOTS.

I just came from Sentry and had a check declined . I knew I hadn't had a bounced check so I called the certegy toll free number only to get a recording saying I did. I then called me bank and have no ISF checks. I also have more than enough to cover the check I wrote. If there is ever a class action lawsuit, count me in, this was sooooo
embarrassing since I shop at this store frequently!

Wow. I went to a Coach outlet store Sunday and got declined in NC. I am wondering what these "secret factors" are that certegy uses but will not share because according to them the wrongdoers would then have the information and would be able to bypass the system. Well, there are probably some wrongdoers out there and they probably created companies like Certegy...this is ridiculous. I am an attorney and I am not even interested in consumer law but this is crazy. I have to find out more information about how they are able to give you the run around and not even clearly explain- this all sounds so arbitrary. Are the factors they use discriminatory. are they illegally profiling? When you aren't doing wrong you don't mind people asking questions Certegy just as I don't mind you "looking me up" but don't look up a profile of me and think I am going to do the wrong thing. The question should be is can the bank verify the money is there...if they can then you get paid. What does others wrongdoing have to do with a check number that I use, or the fact that I write a check for a certain amount...it is my money. How is Certegy getting by with telling me what "pattern" I can spend it. I know I am rambling, but after this experience and after not getting a live person to talk to nor any real explainations, I am floored. I had the money to cover the check and I have overdraft protection, hadn't written a check that hasn't been honored since I mistakenly did so at the ripe age of 16. I am 40 now. Why is certegy being used by merchants? Are they really saving you money big businesses or are they simply selling you a bag of magic beans. I know they made Coach miss out on my little $450 Sunday, which to Coach I am sure it won't make them go under. But if I can, I will make it through this Christmas season without buying another Coach bag- I will retire all of my Coach bags which is going to kill me considering I have carried Coach since I was 18 and have bought on average at least one bag a year just for myself...And there hasn't been a Coach that I have carried that people haven't noticed but now I will have to promote someone else. Michael Kors here I come- as long as you don't use Certegy...

I had an returned check that was processed the second time through but owed the returned check fee. It was paid two months ago. I still am not allowed to write checks anywhere because the LORD CERTEGY refuses the authorization.

i agree...get a business debit card. Hobby Lobby is just trying to protect itself and you. so stop downing them and get a life.

I have also had the same situation with me at walmart, again they told me it was nothing to do with my check cashing, it had everything to do with my check cashing profile. im looking for a list of all stores that uses certegy, so that I can avoid them. anyone out there know were a list could be obtained?

I have just returned from Walgreens where my check fiir $119 was denied. The Walgreens clerk gave me a 1-800 phone number for Certegy Check to call to see why. I was told that although there was nothing derogatory on my credit I was denied because I was "out of my spending pattern". This infuriates me that I have money in the bank, nothing wrong with my credit, yet cannot write a check when I need to purchase items (for my first aid kit). My opinion is that in an attempt to limit fraudulent transactions Certegy has stepped WAY over the line! They have WAY too much control over our day-to-day lives!

In July of 2009 I had a check declined at the Dollar General Store in my hometown. I was told to call Certergy's 1-800 number, I was told that a driver's license number was assiciated with my checking account that had a returned check. Of course, I was tiold this was taken care of. On November 23, 2009 I went to the same store, wrote a check and it was declined. Again, I call the number I was given. This time the assured me athe problem was taken care of, they even sent me letter assuring me. Today, January 2, 2010 I tried to write a check at Lowe's, AGAIN the check was denied. AGAIN, I was given the number to call. AGAIN, I have been told the problem will be taken care of and they will send it to me writing. Bet, I get the same form letter I received before.

When I called to day Certegy has no records of my previous calls, imagine that!

It seems that the whole Certergy Orgainzation is inept!

I've been victimized as well. My husband and I ordered a mattress at Dillards to be delivered in 3 weeks - we gave them a $540 check (over $4, 000 in the account). Certegy declined the check.
I called Certegy and was told the decision was based on "spending patterns" which were "a secret." Neither the customer service person, Steven, nor the supervisor, Joe, could identify even one of these "patterns" although the supervisor did state that one of the patterns pertained to (and this is a direct quote) "losses incurred by Dillards." The crazy thing is that there was absolutely no risk to Dillards in this transaction because we were not leaving the store with any merchandise. If the check had not cleared they would simply have canceled the order.
My husband then decided to make the purchase using a debit card on another checking account. But the clerk mistakenly ran the debit as a credit transaction TWICE and had to void them out. By then my husband was so disgusted he told them to forget it and drove straight to the bank to make sure all was OK there. He then learned that the credits had been run as debits and Dillards was holding $1080 of our money because the voiding transactions would not be posted for another 3-10 days! So they are holding and using $1080 of our money, and we have no mattress, no order, no sale, and they refuse to accept our perfectly good check.
I want to know who owns Certegy and who are they tied into? Who has access to this vast database of information about all of us - our checking account and routing numbers, check numbers, phone numbers, birthdates, spending patterns, who/what/where/when we do business. Does the government have access? The IRS? The FBI? The CIA? The mafia? WHO?
This has made me realize that not only is BIG BROTHER alive and well, he's strong, healthy and vigorous, and breathing right down our necks! It's absolutely disturbing and frightening. This calls for a class-action lawsuit NOW!

MY HUSBAND WENT TO OUR LOCAL WALMART TODAY IN SANFORD, NC TO CASH HIS PAYROLL CHECK FROM TYSON FOODS, INC. AND WAS DECLINED FROM CASHING IT...LAST WEEK THEY ACCEPTED IT AND THE WEEK BEFORE THEY DECLINED IT...WHAT ###! I CALLED THE TOLLFREE NUMBER THE WALMART REP. HAD GAVE TO HIM AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A LIVE PERSON ON THE DAMN PHONE..THEY RECOMMEND USING THEIR WEBSITE BUT YOU MUST HAVE CHECK NUMBERS AND PRECISE DOLLAR AMOUNTS...HE ALREADY WENT SOMEPLACE ELSE TO CASH THE CHECK SO THE NUMBER ISNT AVAILABLE FOR ME TO GIVE THEM..BESIDES ITS NOT A PERSONAL CHECK..WHY DO I NEED THAT INFORMATION TO KNOW WHY THEY ARE REFUSING TO CASH IT?WE ALWAYS TRY TO USE WALMART SO WE CAN LOAD OUR PREPAID VISA FOR EMERGENCIES, ETC AT THE SAME TIME .ALL THIS IS JUST INCONVIENT ### THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY HUSBAND OR THE COMPANY THAT WROTE THE CHECK...CERTEGY NEEDS TO BE BLACKLISTED AND REPORTED TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU- I MEAN REALLY..WHO IS BENEFITING FROM THEIR SERVICES..SURELY NOT YOUR HARD WORKING INDIVIDUAL WHO DOESN'T LIKE BANKS!

Used check jan-22-2010 about $74.00, next day, today jan-23-2010 bought about $86.00 worth.
check now refused, but have plenty of funds.

I feel that certgy is not tracking checks its tracking SSN's. I believe this because of a simple test. BTW their phone number is [protected]. I have ywo completely different business checks written to me. They are from different companies and two different banks. The only common demonator in these checks were my SSN. I am personally being targeted by this company and feel that is diffenetly due for a law suite. If anyone is with me and has similar evidence that its not the checks and it is the people please E-mail me so we can truly sew the pants off this corupt people tracking company.

Brad Williams brad@omninetworkengineering.com

I had a recent issue with Certegy. I did have a check that was returned NSF. Once Certegy got the check, they paid the merchant; reissued the check to my bank for payment (it cleared) and charged a $37 fee (it cleared). This took about one month to resolve; however, I am out of their system and my check writing "priviliges" have been restored w/o any problems. I hope this helps anyone who is worried about his/her ability to write checks after being wrapped up with this company. BTW, the CSRs were nice (although I after reading many of the post here, I was fully expecting a nasty encounter); I was pleasantly surprised and relieved that I can write checks again!..

I volunteer as treasurer for a charity called St Vincent de Paul through my local church. We help provide money to indigent people who need rent, medications, utilities, etc... We had an elderly gentleman need prescription glasses from a local Detroit eyeglass company but he could not afford it on his fixed income. We wrote the eyeglass company a check for a little over $200 and it was denied by Certegy, they used the term "code 2".

After attempting to talk to a live person for over a half hour (and being unsuccessful) I learned that we were denied because we have not shown ourselves to be a reputable account with Certegy.

Our charity has never bounced a check, and we routinely give approximately $30, 000 a year to the poor. We only write checks, never do cash (because of the potential fraud), and certified checks are expensive. How Certegy can claim that we are not reputable is beyond me.

My daughter, who recently opened her first checking account as a teenager, had her second written check declined at Target. This is a terrible thing for a teenager to have experienced, it has made her feel like a a criminal. She had the money in her account to cover her purchase. When I called the phone number and talked to a rep, he said that it was because she had no history so they declined it. This seems to be a catch 22 situation, they won't let a check go through so of course she will never get history. He told me a ridiculous thing, have her go to the stores and give checks after so many declines they will approve her! HUH! How stupid is this!
Is this sort of thing legal?

This sounds like you should write your complaint about Certegy instead of Hobby Lobby. I won't pretend to understand what happened here, (although I know for a fact that credit card machines will sometimes decline cards if the time is wrong in the unit particularly if the store would normally be closed at that point). I recognize that for record keeping purposes writing checks is probably easier, but given all the issues it probably wouldn't hurt to use a credit/debit card tied to your business account. Everything else aside, if you have to return something getting your money back (with your receipt) is far easier.