2007-01-03 webmail to CSI

Introduction

Here is the email conversation I had with Cardservice International when I was finally ready to cancel my account with them (after having wanted to switch providers for many years). The initial message was sent via their web portal, which requires a log-on for access; your log-on ID is your "merchant number". A copy of the message was not emailed to me, but fortunately I anticipated this and made a copy before sending it. Update: it turns out that there is also a copy saved within my account on the site, which plainly makes the request for my merchant account number (and proof of authority) completely redundant.

Initial Webmail to Cardservice

• Date: 2007-01-03
• Category: Account Changes
• SubCategory: Downgrade
• Message:

I would like to cancel my merchant account, as I am now using PayPal for all merchant card transactions.

Thank you!

Nick Staddon

owner/President

Reply from CSI, 2007-01-04

Subject:	MMO Inquiry Response for IssueId #2056
From:	syscheck-2024-11-21-13:55-spam@csi-corpspam.com
Date:	Thursday 11:29:43

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FROM: Cardservice International

Thank you for your recent email inquiry with Cardservice International. I am sorry to hear that you need to close your merchant account. To close your merchant account we will need written notification from the original signer of the agreement. Feel free to email me with any additional questions or you may contact our 24 hour customer service department at (877)274-7915 option 2.

Letter must include:

Merchant number

Business Name

Reason for closing account

Effective closure date

Signature of original signer of the agreement

Mail to:

Merchant Support

P.O. Box 5180

Simi Valley, CA 93062

Fax to:

Merchant Support

(805)552-8613

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My reply to CSI, 2007-01-08

I don't believe a written letter should be necessary, and furthermore introduces unnecessary delay and uncertainty into the process. You have my message sent via your web portal asking you to close the account, which should be sufficient proof of my authority to take this action.

Here is the additional information you asked for (although I do not know why you can't find that in my records associated with the message I sent via your web portal):

• Merchant number: redacted
• Business name: Cox-Staddon Enterprises, Inc.
• Reason for closing account: dissatisfied with service; have found better provider
• Effective closure date: January 3, 2007

Regarding the "Signature of original signer of the agreement": I cannot quickly put my hands on the original agreement, so I am not certain who signed it; it may have been signed by my former business partner, and I am certainly not going to go tracking him down.

Please close the account, and refund the monthly fee you debited on January 4 (the day after my original request to cancel the account). No further debits from you will be honored, effective today.

Thank you for your consideration.

Nick Staddon

Owner/President

Cox-Staddon Enterprises, Inc.

My follow-up webmail to CSI, 2007-01-19

• Category: Account Changes
• Subcategory: Downgrade

You do not seem to have closed my account yet as per my request of January 3, as I am still able to log in here. I sent email giving all of the information you asked for, but I did not receive a reply, so I will repeat it here:

Merchant #: redacted

Business Name: Cox-Staddon Enterprises, Inc.

Reason for closing account: dissatisfied with service; have found better provider (who lets me make changes through the web instead of filling out and mailing paperwork, for example)

Effective closure date: January 3, 2007

I will also mail a copy of the email so you will have a physical copy of my signature requesting this change.

Thank you,

Nick Staddon

Subsequent Events

The physical (and signed) copy I mailed was received by CardService on January 22 at 7:24 a.m., according to the USPS. I was still able to log in to my account at MyMerchantOffice on 2007-01-30, however, and the "inquiry status" area showed only my original inquiry on Jan. 4 and no record of the follow-up on Jan. 19. I'm planning to stop by the bank and see if they can prevent any further debits from CardService (or, failing that, close the account), but I don't know if I will actually have time before Feb. 4.