TeleCheck Services
Reviews and Complaints

I wrote a check for repairs to my auto for $361.60. Telecheck refused my check and the merchant would not take it, which I can understand the merchant's position. I called telecheck and the refusal was not due to account balance but because I was not registered with them and the check was for a large amount. I asked for information about maximum amount to be on a check and being registered with them. I could not be given that information as each check is on an individual basis.
This is so outrageous and embarassing. You are denied but can not do anything about it for future use. I have written checks to Walmart for higher amounts.
This has caused the merchant to lose a customer and I know others who will not patronize this repair shop because of the same experience. I will not do business with anyone who has this Telecheck crap.
I totally understand protection against fraud and bad checks, but this is outrageous!
I certainly had funds for the check or I would not have written it, but that was not checked. I was told the check did not meet their guidlines, but again could not be explained to me.

I never heard of Telecheck until today. I don’t usually write checks, from the checkbook I was using, in stores. Today I wrote 2. The first one, presented at Wal-Mart in Manville, was accepted. The second, presented at K-Mart in Somerset was denied. I didn’t even know a check could be denied.

My purchase totalled approx. $240.00, I had $7000.00 in the account, I had all the proper identification, but it was no good. I was furious. I called Telecheck, while still standing at the checkout, in order to rectify the problem. Afer much hassle and much waiting I finally reached a real person.

She explained that my check had been denied because my check numbers were out of sequence. That’s right. Somehow I had accidentally skipped a check, and went back to it today. My check was denied because I had written out check # 1404 AFTER I had written check # 1407, and that put the transaction at high risk for fraud. I explained that there was no fraud, it was my account, in my name, with plenty of money in it, and that I had the proper photo ID, so how could there be a fraud? Unbelievable.

I asked that the next check that I write be approved, because I had a basket full of merchandise that I needed to pay for, and she couldn’t guarantee that the 2nd one would be accepted – and it wasn’t! Unfortunately it is a holiday weekend so I have to be patient, but I can’t wait to get to my bank on Tuesday and see what they have to say about this. I will be requesting a debit card for this account to use in the future, and I will be advising retailers from now on that when they say “Yes, we accept checks”, that they should also add “IF Telecheck decides to approve it, but you won’t know whether they will or won’t until after you’ve done all your shopping.”

From what I’ve read online in just the past ½ hour, I realize that this is becoming a common problem with Telecheck. There are tons of complaints about them. It’s just another case of yet another company/agency playing God with people’s lives and people’s reputations. Unfortunately, I’m sure things will only get worse.

I was denied a check at Office Depot When I called to find out why its because I wrote a check for over 700 and that seemed like a big amount to them. Never bounced a check since the account was opened the check was in the 14, 000.00.

The explanation for the denial was factors that they could not explain. Do not write a check for nearly 7 seven days

The read from a script for 15 minutes explained and apologized but had no supervisor and could not explain why.

At no time could she tell me why the check was denied.

I am writing this letter in complaint as a purchase of mine, with payment from my checking account having well more than the sufficient funds for the amount of my purchase was denied based on information from this company. I do not see how it is possible for ya third party to block access to my money and prevent a purchase that I would like to make. I tried to phone Telecheck to immediately resolve this issue but was only able to reach an automated service which then disconnected me when there was no check number to be given (one was not required for the purchase). I have made many purchases without issue, almost always paid by check, and I do not appreciate their interference with my purchases. I have had the same checking account for 15+ years and now suddenly Telecheck is going to deny me use of my own money to make purchases. I have read through hundreds of complaints about the way this company is conducting business and the numerous customers whose checks were denied despite having sufficient funds for their purchase. The only one profiting from these practices is Telecheck, whose charging vendors for the services and then causing them a loss by denying customer purchases, without valid reason. I have written a letter of complaint to Telecheck since you cannot reach anyone personally to address the issue. I have filed a complaint with the BBB of Metropolitan Houston (http://www.bbbhou.org) and the Attorney General of Texas, Consumer Protection Division (http://www.oag.state.tx.us/consumer/complain.shtml), as have many others, but perhaps a class action lawsuit is in order to address this issue since it is ridiculous to me that any company is capable of blocking access to your own personal funds, causing unnecessary embarrassment, humiliation, and aggravation to the customer.

I never heard of Telecheck until today. I don’t usually write checks, from the checkbook I was using, in stores. Today I wrote 2. The first one, presented at Wal-Mart in Manville, was accepted. The second, presented at K-Mart in Somerset was denied. I didn’t even know a check could be denied. My purchase totalled approx. $240.00, I had $7000.00 in the account, I had all the proper identification, but it was no good. I was furious. I called Telecheck, while still standing at the checkout, in order to rectify the problem. Afer much hassle and much waiting I finally reached a real person. She explained that my check had been denied because my check numbers were out of sequence. That’s right. Somehow I had accidentally skipped a check, and went back to it today. My check was denied because I had written out check # 1404 AFTER I had written check # 1407, and that put the transaction at high risk for fraud. I explained that there was no fraud, it was my account, in my name, with plenty of money in it, and that I had the proper photo ID, so how could there be a fraud? Unbelievable. So I asked that the next check that I write be approved, because I had a basket full of merchandise that I needed to pay for, and she couldn’t guarantee that the 2nd one would be accepted – and it wasn’t! Unfortunately it is a holiday weekend so I have to be patient, but I can’t wait to get to my bank on Tuesday and see what they have to say about this. I will be requesting a debit card for this account to use in the future, and I will be advising retailers from now on that when they say “Yes, we accept checks”, that they should also add “IF Telecheck decides to approve it, but you won’t know whether they will or won’t until after you’ve done all your shopping.” From what I’ve read online in just the past ½ hour, I realize that this is becoming a common problem with Telecheck. There are tons of complaints about them. It’s just another case of yet another company/agency playing God with people’s lives and people’s reputations. Unfortunately, I’m sure things will only get worse.

Beware that any merchant who uses Telecheck can claim deniability for any of their practices. If you write a check that does not clear your bank on the first attempt, but does clear on the second attempt, you will still be charged a $25.00 non sufficient funds fee which Telecheck WILL NOT reverse, even though the merchant received payment for the merchandise you purchased. This is a very convenient method for Telecheck to make money off of a transaction that occurred between two outside parties. Since many major retail outlets/stores now use Telecheck, it is highly recommended that you use other means of payment if possible. These agencies collect millions of dollars off of unsuspecting consumers every year. The best way to fight these practices is to take away their means of profit.

I hired Home Depot to do my roof on my house. I paid 3800.00 for down payment, all went well. March the 17th 2010 they did my roof, and paid the balance alil over 3000.00. Yesterday, I get a "transaction failed" from these ###s. I called everyone from the job coordinator through Home Depot to the folks at this Telecheck place out of Ca. Telecheck people say..."it has nothing to do with me, but rather, the computers are not reading the numbers on the bottom of my check (the account number) correctly. Im told to wait, and keep checking my account to see when the check actually goes through and clears. Mind you, I have plenty of monies to cover this check..

With as many mistakes as this process makes..I highly suggest any business using this company or anything like it..to GET RID OF IT/Fire them...before the business itself loses all its customers from such a mess that can devestate the decent persons finacial status through no fault of their own...

I had the same checking account for years. Never had a problem writting a check. Would easily write a check at Bestbuy (who has used Telecheck for years), for amounts over $2000.
A year ago, my checkbook was stolen. No checks were ever written, the account was closed and a new account was opened immedietly.
In the past month I have attempted to write checks at Bestbuy. $1300, 500, and $300. All declined by Telecheck. When I contacted them to ask why, the answer is always the amount of the check, and I don't have a history writting checks for more than $80. I guess my landlord, car loan, utilitiy companies don't use Telecheck. Even when the "so smart" rep decided to read me back a list of the checks I've written, surprising missing was the first check declined for $1300. If they are looking at a history to prevent fraud, the fact that I attempted to write a check at the same merchant for a large amount should count for somthing.
Although I understand the principal behind it. Sometimes people do need to open new accounts, and TeleCheck should have a way to link your new account to the History in your old account.
According to the Rep, he can not tell me what they have my current check writting limit at. And he told me to slowly right checks for higher and higher amounts. I guess I just need to hope those check I right are being processed by Telecheck.
By law you also have the right to know why you were declined. but they can't tell you that either, they read the speech off the card. I should know the exact reason, and if the amount is what is in question, they should be required to tell me where I stand. They are rating me, and I deserve to know all the details that effect that rating.
It is imbarrasing and Humiliating to have your check declined, especially when they tell you at the same time "We don't have any negative history listed". They should be able to match up my histories based on my Drivers License Number which has been the same for the last 25 years.
They need to update their systems and policies to ensure people arent declined, only because they opened a new account. This doesn't seem like something difficult to do.

Telecheck refused to process my check for approximately $150, despite a balance in my account that was far in excess of that amount. The check was refused for lack of "history" or something of the like, despite the fact that I have had the same checking account for more than 10 years, never overdrawing the account. After tedious robot-directed calls to telecheck, dropped calls, and having to give extensive account information, driver license number, address, etc., multiple times, I had customer service representatives who were rude and essentially impossible to understand due to their inability to speak English. Is telecheck a complete fraud and do I need to be concerned about identity theft from these ###s? What I could somewhat comprehend from the last customer service agent I spoke with is that I needed to establish a "history" with telecheck before my checks would be honored. My question is how does one establish a history when a "new" check is denied? Do I start out buying candy bars and eventually work up to something over a dollar? I'm boycotting Coastal Farm & Garden for using this ###ic service! There are services available that debit an account immediately like a debit card.

OK, You have heard all of the unethecal practices by these jerks so do you want to get their attention? Your opportunity lies in their clients, which is who you deal directly with. I suggest you "boycott" any merchants who use TeleCheck for their business associate. Before you do business with a merchant, ask them if they use TeleCheck and if they do tell them your feelings, suggest they change partners, and leave. You will get a sense of accomplishment plus it can make a difference if enough people participate. Please participate!

On Friday December 18th 2009, I attempted to pay one of my wholesale venders with a Company check as I have done every week for the last 5 years, nearly $500, 000 in checks written to this vendor in the time frame and never any issue EVER! On this morning I had the Check as I do every week to the cashier and she proceeded to process my order paperwork as normal, the check was for my purchases of $1702.00 she then run my check through a device which was a new step in the process and handed it back to me stating that it had been denied, I asked why she state that Telecheck services had denied it, I asked again for a reason and she stated she did not know, the system told her it was a CODE 3 denial and that if I wanted more information to call an 800 she handed me, she also stated that if your checks were denied that it was a new company policy that you would have to pay in cash in order to continue doing business with this company. I was floored, 5 years of perfect business transactions with this company and because of the Telecheck Denial I was now on the CASH ONLY BLACK LIST. I walked away and went to call Telecheck, once going through the digital screening process this company uses I got a human on the phone, gave "AMY" all the information I had just entered again. She asked me some personal identification questions and then proceed to state that the check had been denied, I stated that I was aware of this and wanted to know why, she then put me on hold for 4 minutes 41 seconds and came back and stated it was a code 3 denial, I again stated I know that, What is a Code 3 denial, again put on hold and she came back on within a minute and stated that I / My Company had no history with Telecheck therefore any merchant using there services would deny my checks. I asked what was meant by no history, your checks have never been presented to a merchant that used our service therefore your checks a deemed as a HIGH RISK, mind you I have written over 400 checks to this vender and never had any issues but NOW because of Telecheck I am a HIGH RISK CUSTOMER, I asked for a manager or superviser, typically was told that there were none available, asked again or for their Legal Dept. That got a response, I was told that if I wanted to talk to their legal Dept. I would have to write to a PO Box and wait for a response, I said if that is the case I wanted the address and a customer service or complaint address form anything, I was promptly told that I were considering legal action that I would never be able to cash a check again with any merchant, WRONG ANSWER, I immediately felt as if this was an attempt to threaten me, my company and to BLACK BALL ME in fear of the fact that I might proceed legally in pursuit of this issue. Needless to say after 48 minutes of RING AROUND THE ROSIE with this individual I hang up STEAMING and went back to the VENDOR asked for the Sales Manager that has handled our account for 5 years explained this whole ordeal to him, he called their finance mgr., explained the whole ordeal again, he thought it was interesting and on the sales managers word that I was a good customer and an honest individual with a long standing history with CARGO LARGO / Recovery Services, that they would make an exception and accept my check for the purchases. Fact of the matter is that I was so wound up, embaressed and Insulted by the whole situation that I walked out side and decided that if I were going to be treated by Cargo Largo / Telecheck Services like I had been that morning that I would just go home (284 miles) with an empty truck and not spend my money with a merchant that had been that insensative to a long standing and I hope valued customer. Bottom line is I am contacting our attorney to find out what avenues can be pursued in this matter. As for CARGO LARGO, I will continue to do business with them BUT IT WILL ONLY be after recieving a formal apology in person and in writing from someone in their management team. The fact that they would allow a long standing customer, in good standing be subjected to this much frustration by turning over control of their Brains to an outside service that KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THEIR customers makes me realize that there must be some REAL issues with the management of CARGO LARGO. I do want to thank the sales manager and finance manager for at least be sensible enough to look at this situation and make the offer that they did, non the less it is something that CARGO LARGO should have considered long before signing on with TELECHECK, I can promise you my company and retail outlet will never use thier services, because (1) I trust my customers that have done business with us and (2) I won't give control of the reputation of my company and that of my valued customers to some electronically controlled, robot managed service like TELECHECK. If I did I wouldn't expect to be in business very long. Just a side note, at the time tha check was presented the account that it was written on and was the same one I have used for every transaction with CARGO LARGO had a balance of $8755 available.
Again TELECHECK did not care about the BALANCE in the account only based their recommendation on the fact THAT I / MY COMPANY had no History with theirs.
My Name Is David Rietter, I own Usoldwhat! Enterprises in Centerville Iowa and can be reached by anyone who has productive information or is involved in any kind of Class Action against Telecheck that I can be of support to at [protected].

Oh what a mortifying time this is . I would like to know how Telecheck can for no reason deny our personal checks. I have not written any bad checks and considering I have direct deposit and payday is on Friday and today is Saturday theres plenty of money in the account.
So there I 'am Christmas shopping, at the register with a half dozen people behind me. I paid most of my bill in cash and was going to write a check for the balance. My check was denied ! A collective groan and subsequent smattering of grumbles and accusing stares came from the people behind me. I of course inquired in embarrasment, WHY ? The sales clerk said I don't know, of course. The manager then pulled my purchases off the counter and said " Sir I'm sorry but your check is denied " Nice and loud of course . More grumbles...more stares.
So I called the number, gave the lovely Pakistani girl my info and a large piece of my mind. Had it been a real piece I would now officially be able to complete only the most simplest of motor functions.
She then tells me that because I wrote checks for 10, 15, 19 and 50 dollars, that the check for 79 dollars was out of normal for my history and habits. WHAT ? I have direct deposit, I don't have a debit card, I write 15 checks a week on average. How is this possible, for that matter how can it be legal ? For my own protection she tells me . Thanks, I have dog for that I replied . People, this sucks. Plain and simple Telecheck is a scam. It will in the end only hurt consumers and the businesses they frequent. I will not return to the store where this occured for some time. I feel they will remember me just fine. I was the one on the security footage, with my head down and glowing like Rudolphs shiny damn nose. Thanks for listening to my rant. God Bless us everyone ! Except Telecheck, the company and it's policy makers may rot in hell .

I paid TRS/telecheck for 6 $20 checks, plus interest, written to Wal-Mart--they continue to harrass me; now I received a letter from First Judicial Court System they reported me to, saying I have to pay several hundred in interest and take a class in "bad check restitution!" I am having to get TRS to send a letter saying I am clear of this, but they refuse; they even changed check numbers on my money order receipt copies when I had them traced (they WERE cashed by TRS); but I am told that they can do that--even called the Atty. Gen. Office.

This company claims to provide QUALITY SERVICE. Hah! Just try to talk to a customer service representative. All you get are recordings, and repeated requests to enter mile-long numbers. This company does not have any human beings. No matter what number you call, you will get recordings.

How could my check for $300 be declined by KMart (thru Telecheck) when I've got $15, 000 in my checking account?

I'll never know, and I'll be damned if I make a purchase at any business that uses Telecheck.

After paying off 3 bounced checks, 2 months later (9/24) I received 3 letters from TRS charging me $50 for each check-service fees. I figured okay, I gues that's about right.
Less than 12 hours after receiving the letters, they withdrew the first $50 without my knowledge or consent. I did not even have the chance to wake up in the morning and call them about it. The checks (that had bounced)had already been paid. I was told that if a collection agency is trying to get $$ from someone for a second party, they can legally withdraw the money without asking you. HOWEVER, TRS was acting only for themselves.
After calling them and speaking with a supervisor, they apologized and assured me they would refund my $50. That was all I had in the bank at the time, and don't get paid until the end of the month. They were very apologetic, which sounded to me like they knew what they did was wrong.
Unfortunately, I wake up on 9/26, check my bank account on line, and they have tried to take out the other $100 I owe them-again, without my knowledge or consent. Now I am in the red $70 for NSF, because there is no money in my account.
I am furious at these people, and called them again today(9/26), talked directly to a "supervisor", and got the same "I am so sorry, we will refund the money". I tried to explain that they did not get any money, because their withdrawal request was NSF, but the guy was not listening. I was not yelling, just assertive, and begged them NOT to do this, taht I would pay them next week. He hung up on me.
Okay--Can anyone out there help? I want to speak to someone higher up in this company; does anyone know a number I can call? I am an intelligent person, I pay my bills, even when they are late (I am having the same problem others are having economically), and am not trying to get out of paying them their service fees. BUT--I feel something should be done about this.

Used a check to pay for groceries on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009 and my check was declined by Telecheck.
The acting Mgr. called them at my insistence and was told that Check #154 for $ 32.00 had not been paid by me and that they were still trying to collect on it from July 1, 2009. I did not even have a check no. 154 as my checks were in the 5000 numbers and they didn't care. They still declined my check. I was told to go home and call them again. I did and was asked it I knew a person by the name of
xxxxx xxxxx whose license number was, , , , , , , which was actually their social security number and I told them I never heard of them. I was then told that this person's license number was inadvertently connected to my account. I was then told that this person was only an accounts clerk and that I would have to call another number to have the information corrected. I did this and was asked for my license number, my bank account number and my bank's routing number and if I did not give this information to them they could not correct the problem. I was at their mercy. I then asked where was I calling and was told the "Phillipines". Great, now my information is in the Phillipines. I called my bank and they told me that they were not concerned with the first number but the fact that I had to call a second number was what concerned them. I am now faced with having to cancel out my checking account and getting a new one as I am afraid of Identity Fraud. As a consumer I feel we should have some rights with a company such as Telecheck. Also, the Stop & Shop Company should have some responsibility to the consumer as they have hired this company and thus they are a "sub-contractor for Stop & Shop. Can you imagine not even I am sorry for this error...