Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/23/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In June of this year, my account with Stripe was placed in the High Risk grouping due to my chargeback percentage being at ****% which is about the 1% threshold. I understand why it was done and what the results of that are (Stripe holds back 10% of each transaction in case of future chargebacks). My complaint is how they are handling the review of the reserve. Since my account was placed in the high risk group we decided as a business that Stripe was not a good match for our business model. We've used Braintree for 7+ years and they have placed no such hold on our account.We stopped using Stripe in early June and Stripe still continues to hold our money in reserve and keeps money out the date when the funds will be released. This is happening because obviously since we are NOT processing any additional transactions we will NEVER EVER drop below the ****% chargeback level. We've been told on at least 2 occasions that the funds would be released at the next AUTOMATIC review. This has not happened and of course, no one with any authority has taken the time to review the account personally and override the reserve hold. We've stated MANY times to them explaining the situation with no resolution. They are essentially holding us hostage and holding our money without any end date in sight. All we are asking is for them to use a little common sense here. If we aren't processing transactions how would we ever drop below the automatic threshold to get the funds released.Hoping that this gets to the correct person who can make a logical review and resolution.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by **********************;(herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 23.
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principals, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ID scans, may be requested by Stripe after submission.
  
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account. It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant submitted an account with Stripe on Mar 11 under the name "*****************" at https://www.************.com. During a routine review, Stripe determined that the complainant's business had a high level of disputes and was at risk for incurring more disputes. On Jun 8, Stripe contacted the Complainant, informing them that their dispute rate was over industry standard, at 1.2%; we are unable to accept payments for businesses we determine to be at high risk for a dispute rate of over 1%, as mentioned here: "High Dispute rates (typically those exceeding 1%) may result in your inability to use the Payment Processing Services." https://stripe.com/legal#section_c6
  
  In order to mitigate future losses to Stripe as a result of chargebacks on the Complainant's account, Stripe worked with the Complainant by implemented 2 reserve plans sine Jun 2022.
  Reserve Plan 1: 10% reserve expiring Aug 7 due to 1.2% dispute rate
  Reserve Plan 2: 10% reserve expiring Sep 29 due to 1.1% dispute rate
  
  This is in accordance to Stripe's Terms of Service:"We may impose a Reserve on you for any reason if we determine that the risk of loss to Stripe, Customers, or others associated with your Stripe Account is higher than normal. For example, we may hold a Reserve if: (i) your or your Customers activities increase the risk of loss to us or to your Customers, (ii) you have violated or are likely to violate this Agreement, or (iii) your Stripe Account has an elevated or abnormally high number of Disputes."https://stripe.com/legal#clearing-funds-and-reserves
  
  The Complainant requested Stripe review their account again to determine if the reserve could be released early. We determined the charge activity on the account supported early release of the reserve balance. On Sep 23, the credit reserve balance was released to the Complainant for payout. As of the time this complaint was raised to the BBB, the Complainant's appeal of the reserve hold had already ruled that the reserve could be removed.
  
  For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this merchant account and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/27/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I would like the complaint to remain visible. The issue that I have is, that it required me filing a complaint with the BBB for Stripe to escalate this issue for further review. I've been trying to communicate with them for a few months and kept getting the run around so even though the problem is now resolved, I'm sure there are others out there having the same run around with them. So please alert other customers that is they have trouble with Stripe just file a claim against them with the BBB they will get it resolved quickly.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/23/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Our business has had our stripe account restricted and closed. We had attempted numerous times to communicate with support about pending verification and otherwise to ensure something like this didn't happen. After a number of requests to the support team we never heard back with a resolution. Our company is comprised of 2 recent high school graduates who have been asked by our old school to build them a ticketing system for their use in homecoming and other events and in return provide us with a small service fee for each transaction. Stripe was chosen as the provider of choice due to their connect service which allows for easy transfer to the school directly from within the payment provider's system. This evening, September 22, 2022 at 7:22PM EST we had our account restricted with the message "As a precautionary measure, we will no longer accept payments for *************." and were asked to provide additional documents to verify our business which we were happy to provide. Later at 10:55PM EST we received a follow up with the message "Unfortunately, after conducting a further review of your account, weve determined that we still wont be able to accept payments for ************* moving forward." We believe whole-heartedly that we meet and follow all of Stripes terms and conditions as well as maintaining all the standards of a good standing account. We also have the backing of a public school system and are planning expansion of the product to the rest of the schools in the school system and surrounding areas. Ideally we would just like to speak with someone about our issues on the phone as the robotic communications we have received thus far have provided zero assistance or clarification. Please allows us to speak to someone.Stripe is currently holding and has said that they will refund purchases made by students or their families in order to attend one of our events and we would like to have a resolution for them.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by *************************;(herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 23.
  
  
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principles, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ID scans, *** be requested by Stripe after submission.
  
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account. It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant submitted an account with Stripe on Jul 19 under the name "Reman Hogbisz" at https://hogbisz.com. During a routine review, Stripe identified strong signals that the Complainant's account was in violation of the Stripe Terms of Service. On Sep 22, Stripe reached to the Complainant to let them know about its concerns and that it could no longer support their business. The closing of this account is in accordance with the following section of the Stripe Terms of Service. Stripe's terms very clearly state that Stripe "*** terminate this Agreement or close your Stripe Account at any time for any reason (including, without limitation, for any activity that *** create harm or loss to the goodwill of a Payment Method) by providing you Notice." https://stripe.com/legal#termination
  
  
  Stripe has taken this opportunity to further review the state of the Complainant's account. Upon further investigation, Stripe has found that the account was closed due to a false positive by it's fraud tooling. In light of these findings, Stripe reinstated this account on Sep 23. The Complainant is welcome to continue using Stripe and should find that their account will function normally. Stripe apologizes for any inconvenience that this has caused the Complainant. False positives like this are rare, and Stripe takes them very seriously.
  
  
  We would like to note that Stripe has taken note of the Complainant's request for telephone support and your experience with our email agents as robotic. While we want our agents to be professional in all interactions, we understand that we missed the mark ***** Stripe apologizes that the support interaction caused frustration. Feedback has been provided so that additional training can be provided to help prevent this from happening again.
  
  
  For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this merchant account and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/26/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Thank you all for your prompt support.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/20/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Stripe is openly stealing from small businesses. I have emailed and emailed with the same generic response. After reading the hundreds of people on ******* experiencing the same thing I am hoping this works as a few users said it did. Stripe has my information I have been waiting 121 Days for my money Im owed. They updated today to hold for another 221 Days violating there own terms and conditions.This is the tactics they use endless holds so you will forget about the money or give up.I will not give up this is my life and I need my money. I am not putting all the details but they have a record Im simply hoping to get the money I need and am owed before I have to go through the courts.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by **************************;(herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 20.
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principals, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ID scans, may be requested by Stripe after submission.
  
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account. It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant submitted an account with Stripe on Mar 9, 2021 under the name "CBNLV" at www.crystalsbynicole.com. Stripe will process payments for the account owner until Sep 28, 2022. 
  
  
  During a routine review, Stripe determined that the complainant's business had a high level of disputes and was at risk for incurring more disputes. On Sep 14, Stripe contacted the Complainant, informing them that their dispute rate was over industry standard, at ****%; we are unable to accept payments for businesses we determine to be at high risk for a dispute rate of over 1%, as mentioned here: "High Dispute rates (typically those exceeding 1%) may result in your inability to use the Payment Processing Services." https://stripe.com/legal#section_c6
  
  Reserve Terms
  Unfortunately, as of the date of this response, the number of disputes filed against the Complainant's account has been high. The most recent filed on Sep 1. Not all charges are outside of the 120 day window each of the Complainant's customers has to dispute. As such, Stripe reviewed the Complainant's request to remove the reserve on Sep 22 and pursuit to this complaint but have determined there is still a high risk of disputes. The reserve plan in place will remain as is until it expires Dec 13, 2022, though it may extend we dont see a decline in dispute rate.
  
  For context, in order to mitigate future losses to Stripe as a result of chargebacks on the Complainant's account, Stripe worked with the Complainant by implemented 3 reserve plans:
  Reserve Plan 1: 10% reserve expiring Jul 29 due to 4.5% dispute rate
  Reserve Plan 2: 10% reserve expiring Sep 20 due to 5% dispute rate
  Reserve Plan 3: 100% reserve expiring Dec 13, with the decision to close the Stripe account due to ****% dispute rate
  
  
  This is in accordance to Stripe's Terms of Service:"We may impose a Reserve on you for any reason if we determine that the risk of loss to Stripe, Customers, or others associated with your Stripe Account is higher than normal. For example, we may hold a Reserve if: (i) your or your Customers activities increase the risk of loss to us or to your Customers, (ii) you have violated or are likely to violate this Agreement, or (iii) your Stripe Account has an elevated or abnormally high number of Disputes."https://stripe.com/legal#clearing-funds-and-reserves
  
  For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this merchant account and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/26/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/19/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Stripe issues my paycheck. However, once I was issued a new bank card from my bank they began asking for too much information to confirm my identity. The system they use to update a bank card on their app doesnt work and thats the issue. It requires me to submit a front and back photo of my license and a selfie of myself. Once I submitted the information I was notified that they couldnt confirm that it was **** immediately reached out via email, which has been the most frustrating experience. A employee said if I sent her a picture of my id with the date on it shed confirm my identity and update my card. However, a new employee took over in the email asking for additional information. After providing them with more information resulting in him asking for more information again I told them that they had enough information to confirm my identity and to call me to reach a resolution because at that point they were discriminating against me. They were to pay me on 9/16 but they havent, instead theyre demanding additional bank documents that are difficult for my bank to even comply with and that Im no longer comfortable giving to them. Theyve lost my trust, theyre holding my hard earned money and its because their system doesnt work. Please help me get my paycheck issued.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by ******************************* (herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 19.
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principals, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ID scans, may be requested by Stripe after submission.
  
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account. It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant created an account with Stripe on Nov 21, 2019 to be used to view their available balance, see upcoming payouts, and track their earnings in real time from Wag! https://wagwalking.com/
  
  
  For context, Wag! users must complete Two-Step authentication to view their Dashboard. First, they must sign into Stripe Express with their connected account email. Then, Stripe sends a *** verification code to the mobile number used to create their Express Account. The *** verification code must be used in order to access the Dashboard. The Complainant ran into issues because their phone number was not kept up to date. They also registered a different date of birth on their account than what was listed on their ID. The supplemental information Stripe requested was necessary because of the bad information on the Complainant's account; and in order to complete a phone verification, we had to first have documentation to confirm ID and phone number ownership. Once the Complainant provided the documentation needed, Stripe was able to complete the phone verification, confirm bank details updated, and phone number update. The payout in question has been submitted to the Complainant.
  
  
  For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this merchant account and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/18/2022

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I cant get anyone to answer my emails and I cant seem to get with anyone about updating my information. The app wont accept my drivers license to verify my identity and I have no way to get paid since stripe is how it comes through. They wont call you back and you cant call them. I need someone to help me resolve this so I dont have to get an attorney just to get paid! ************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/23/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by Hope Freebird (herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 18.
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principals, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ** scans, may be requested by Stripe after submission.
  
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account. It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant opened an Express account with Stripe under Wag! on Nov 21, 2019. This account is allows Wag! to provide payouts to the Complainant.
  
  
  Our records indicate the Complainant contacted Stripe Support for assistance with uploading ** as needed to complete changing their bank account to receive payouts from Wag! on Sep 17. Stripe Support responded on Sep 19 providing guidance on completing the ** upload and update to the bank account. The Complainant confirmed all steps were completed successfully. As of the date of this response, we note that payouts are actively passing through the Complainant. Though we understand all user's matters are urgent, we answer the on a first come, first served basis within 1 business day or sooner in most cases.
  
  
  For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this Express account user and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/23/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution will be satisfactory to me when the Stripe Team makes it accessible for employees to contact them via telephone when the online services do not work. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Hope Freebird

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/18/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Our legitimate business signed up for payment processing through Stripe. We utilized them for several months until we were notified that stripe would be closing our account due to the amount of chargebacks. We reached out 08/09/22 stating it had been 45 days since we were told that we would be receiving a payout. The payout was denied again until 09/18/22. We checked our stripe account 09/18/22 and see that there is a receipt for a payout being sent to our bank. They then cancelled this transaction the same day. The claim by Stripe is that they are expecting our dispute rate to go up so they are holding 100% of our reserves. However, we no longer accept payments through Stripe and our disputes have gone from 43 in June to 33 in July to 4 in August and only 2 in September. A very clear downtrend of disputes. There is no actual justification to support the idea that our disputes would somehow go ** in quantity when they have shown proof of dramatic decrease and there has not been a payment accepted since July 2nd 2022. We have reached out several times and get their automated responses providing misleading and incorrect information regarding our account. We are NOT asking stripe to continue working with us, but every representative response states something along the lines of "at this time we are not able to continue doing business with you". This shows that they do not have a real person reviewing the data on my account when I am asking for the release of my reserves. We have even been willing to accept a 50% release of our reserves with the remainder staying until we have zero disputes. Stripe still refuses to release any of our reserve funder totally over $118,000. We have had our lawyers review our business advertisements and processes and confirm that there is nothing fraudulent about our operations. Stripe has no justification for holding 100% of our reserves. We will next move to filing a compliant with consumer services and the *** if we are not able to remedy

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/23/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by *********************************;(herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 18.
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principals, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ID scans, may be requested by Stripe after submission.
  
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account. It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant submitted an account with Stripe on Apr 5 under the name "** *************** LLC" at https://fbc.biz. Stripe processed payments for the account owner until Jul 3. During a routine review, Stripe determined that the complainant's business had a high level of disputes and was at risk for incurring more disputes. On Jun 19, Stripe contacted the Complainant, informing them that their dispute rate was over industry standard, at ****%; we are unable to accept payments for businesses we determine to be at high risk for a dispute rate of over 1%, as mentioned here: "High Dispute rates (typically those exceeding 1%) may result in your inability to use the ****************** Services." https://stripe.com/legal#section_c6
  
  
  Reserve Terms
  Unfortunately, as of the date of this response, there have been 104 disputed charges filed against the Complainant's account. The most recent filed on Sep 17. Not all charges are outside of the 120 day window allowing the customer to dispute yet. As such, ******************** reviewed the Complainant's request to remove or reduce the reserve on Aug 9, Sep 17, and pursuit to this complaint but have determined there is still a high risk of disputes. The reserve plan in place will remain as is until it expires Dec 17, 2022.
  
  
  For context, in order to mitigate future losses to Stripe as a result of chargebacks on the Complainant's account, Stripe worked with the Complainant by implemented 4 reserve plans throughout the 3 months the Stripe account was open.
  Reserve Plan 1: 50% reserve expiring Jun 23 due to ****% dispute rate
  Reserve Plan 2: 25% reserve expiring Aug 1 due to 2.7% dispute rate
  Reserve Plan 3: 100% reserve expiring Sep 17, with the decision to close the Stripe account. due to ****% dispute rate
  Current Reserve: 100% reserve expiring Dec 17 when all charges outside of dispute window
  
  
  This is in accordance to Stripe's Terms of Service:"We may impose a Reserve on you for any reason if we determine that the risk of loss to Stripe, Customers, or others associated with your Stripe Account is higher than normal. For example, we may hold a Reserve if: (i) your or your Customers activities increase the risk of loss to us or to your Customers, (ii) you have violated or are likely to violate this Agreement, or (iii) your Stripe Account has an elevated or abnormally high number of Disputes."https://stripe.com/legal#clearing-funds-and-reserves
  
  
  Legitimacy of Complainant's Business
  To reiterate the statements included in the Jun 19 notification regarding the Complainant's account closure, Stripe wants "to make very clear that were not casting any doubts over the viability of [the Complainant's] business. That said, your business is operating in an industry which is considered high risk by our financial partners, and for that reason, we have no option but to discontinue our service to you." Stripe has made all decisions solely based on high risk to our financial partners.
  
  
  For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this merchant account and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless. 
  
  
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/26/2022

   
  Complaint: 18042622
  
  I am rejecting this response because: they have failed to acknowledge the fact that my disputes have been in a down trend to the point of nothing since September 10th 2022. indicating that my account no longer holds a risk to ********************. letting 50% of my money go would more than cover any future disputes if there are any. i think holding $118,000.00 is a little much. especially since all added disputes up to this date add up to $9260.01, $118,000.00 is extremely excessive.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/04/2022

  Given the high rate of chargebacks filed against the Complainant's account and that their charges are not fully out of the window in which they can be disputed, Stripe is unable to make changes to this reserve at this time. As such, the held balance will be released to the ****************** account on December 17, 2022.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/05/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me only if they comply with their end of the deal of releasing the funds on December 17, 2022.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/18/2022

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Stripe locked my account. I have been trying for three weeks to contact them to work with me to get the matter resolved. I have been unable get anyone at Stripe on the phone, via chat or email to assist in resolving the issue. When reaching out to customer service via phone I get told by the agent that they are unable to do anything to assist me. When I ask to please get transferred to anyone that can assist I am told that is not an option. Their customer service reps can not resolve anything. They are not capable to escalate issues and are only there to placate the upset customer to get them off the phone as soon as possible. If you look at this companies ******** page it is filled with horror stories of folks having the same experience with this company as I have. This company needs to be investigated for all their business practices; they are fraudulent and corrupt. All I am looking for it to get a manager or supervisor from Stripe on the phone that can actually assist me in resolving getting my account unlocked and this issue resolved.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/22/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by ************************;(herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 18.
  
  
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principles, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ID scans, may be requested by Stripe after submission.
  
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account. It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant submitted an account with Stripe on Jul 28 under the name "Stilled Water Property Management" at stilledwater.com. 
  
  
  Payout Pause
  During a routine review, Stripe identified strong signals that the Complainant's account was in violation of the Stripe Terms of Service. Specifically, Stripe cannot process payments that until we have completed the *** (Know Your Customer) process. *** laws require ******************** to understand details of our users business models, industries, and marketing. On Jul 29, Stripe reached to the Complainant to let them know about its concerns and that payouts would paused until successful completion of verifications. This handling is in line with the Service Agreement which states Stripe "may suspend your Stripe Account and your ability to access funds in your Stripe Account" https://stripe.com/legal#termination Through back and forth dialogue with the Complainant, Stripe was able to gain the necessary insight into the Complainant's business on Sep 18; and re-enable payouts.
  
  
  Support Experience
  Thank you for providing this feedback around the support given. Stripe apologizes for the frustration of our Stripe Support team. With your feedback, we are able to identify those pain points and adjust our support experience approach accordingly.
  
  
  The Complainant is welcome to continue using Stripe and should find that their account will function normally. For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this merchant account and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/17/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Stripe is illegally holding my payments for almost a month now and this is affecting my small business.They accused me to run alcohol sales trough their portal but this is not true.We use Stripe to rsvp to our event wit hhttps://www.***********.com (ant this is the only processor they are linked to). All the transactions are of the amount of $50.00 for the reservation. There are absolutely NO alcohol sales.We do sell wine in store but this is not the only service we offer and when we do, we use our point of sales (Clover) connected to our credit card processor ( ************************ Bankcard).After a long back and forth of email trying to explain this to the customer service, I still did not receive my money. My customers have been charged and the payout are still on hold.Please help me to sort this issue out.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/22/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by ******************************;(herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 17.
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principals, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ID scans, may be requested by Stripe after submission.
  
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account. It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant submitted an account with Stripe on Jan 5 under the name "GVINO LLC" at https://gvinowines.com/. Stripe has notified the Complainant that all processing activities will cease for this account as of Sep 28.
  
  
  Restricted Business
  During a routine review, Stripe determined that your business was included in Stripe's Restricted Businesses list. Based on the website and business description the Complainant registered on their Stripe account, their business falls under the regulated businesses, such as age restricted goods or services category. Stripe requested on Sep 2, Sep 5, and Sep 21 that the Complainant update their Stripe account with the *** and business details according to how their business is ran. Our decision is based solely on the information the Complainant registered on their account.
  
  
  Payout Hold
  Per Stripe's Services Agreement, it cannot support businesses on its Restricted Businesses list. As your Service Agreement states, "You may not use the Services to enable any person (including you) to benefit from any activities Stripe has identified as a restricted business or activity (collectively, Restricted Businesses)." https://stripe.com/legal#service-requirements-limitations-and-restrictions. "We may suspend your Stripe Account and your ability to access funds in your Stripe Account, or terminate this Agreement, if (ii) you use the Services in a prohibited manner or otherwise do not comply with any of the provisions of this Agreement." https://stripe.com/legal#termination
  
  
  For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this merchant account and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/15/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I set up an account with stripe to accept payments. My customer made a payment through ******************** to me. The payment was successful. That happened on the 11th of September 2022. Immediately following the payment being successfully completed, I was informed that my account was not eligible for a stripe account due to the nature of my business which is a consulting business for events as in weddings quinceaneras etc. Now they are holding my customers money hostage for 120 days. They refuse to refund it although they shouldn't have even accepted it if my business was not eligible for a stripe account. All they're doing is holding everybody's money that's not eligible for a stripe account to build their finances by earning annual percentage rate on their accounts with other people's money. I know what they're doing. It's not my customers fault that they declined my company for a payment account with them and they accepted the funds anyway. They should not have accepted the funds. It went through successfully I have a bank account that's eligible to take the payment but they won't send the payment or refund the payment to the customer for 120 days.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/21/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by Lettakaye ****** (herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 14.
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principals, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ID scans, *** be requested by Stripe after submission.
   
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account.  It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant submitted an account with Stripe on Sep 11 under the name Planning at https://www.5miles.com/s/Fabulous_Finds. At the time a merchant signs up to use Stripe's payment processing service, we require merchants to register the website or URL used to market or sell the products or services. With your acceptance of this Service Agreement on Sep 11, 2022, you agreed to keep the business information in your Stripe Account current, and promptly update your Stripe Account with any changes.
  
  
  The closure of the Complainants account is result of Stripe not being able to complete our verification process based on the information registered on the Stripe account. The closing of this account is in accordance with the following section of the Stripe Terms of Service, which states Stripe *** terminate this Agreement or close your Stripe Account at any time for any reason (including, without limitation, for any activity that *** create harm or loss to the goodwill of a Payment Method) by providing you Notice."https://stripe.com/legal#termination
  
  
  Next Steps
  However, we welcome re-review of our decision but require the Complainant update the website/URL they entered on the Stripe account for Planning and provide an invoice or contract for the charge made on Sep 11. Successful completion of the verification will result in reinstatement of the account and release of the payout. In case the Complainant does not wish to proceed with that and want to refund the charge, the Complainant will need to add $5 to top up the account with enough money to process the refund to directly the cardholder. For instructions on how to top up, please email Stripe Support within your Dashboard.
  
  
  For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this merchant account and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/23/2022

   
  Complaint: 18028273
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  
  
  My main problem with the whole situation is that Stripe waited until I received a payment before informing me that my business is not allowed. Therefore, you, Stripe, are holding my customers money hostage. I had to have the money to get the event planned for them and you, Stripe, ACCEPTED payment from someone KNOWING that my business was not in an industry that is accepted. If I would have been told that before accepting payment, everything would have been fine. But I wasnt and had NO IDEA that I would not be accepted.

  I would like for you to show me where I was informed of the possibility that my company would not be accepted and that my customers rent money may be held up. Please show me.
  The application  required me to put in a website. I do not have a website yet. I am just now starting out. So I put my 5 Mile on there. You are now requesting me to give  another one.  I do not have a website yet. Do not know if I will.
  
  If Stripe wants to accept my business now, that is fine. If not, that is fine. The ONLY thing I care about is getting my customers money back to them. It is embarrassing and unacceptable business practice for Stripe to hold my customers money.
  
  What I will accept is for them to release the payment to my account or send the money back to my customer.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **********************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/04/2022

  Please note the next steps shared with the Complainant in Stripe's response from September 21, 2022.
  
  However, we welcome re-review of our decision but require the Complainant update the website/URL they entered on the Stripe account for Planning and provide an invoice or contract for the charge made on Sep 11. Successful completion of the verification will result in reinstatement of the account and release of the payout. In case the Complainant does not wish to proceed with that and want to refund the charge, the Complainant will need to add $5 to top up the account with enough money to process the refund to directly the cardholder. For instructions on how to top up, please email Stripe Support within your Dashboard.
  
  Once the Complainant has completed one of the two options outlined above, the Complainant's balance will be brought to $0.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/04/2022

   
  Complaint: 18028273
  
  I am PARTIALLY rejecting this response because: As I said previously, I am just now venturing out in this line of work. I do not have a website or URL to provide. That is why I gave the only one I could think of me having. 
  

  I have included the emails your company sent me after opening the account. Never was there ANY indication that my Company may not be accepted to be a consumer of your product/service. I believe it is thievery to keep someone's money that CLEARLY does NOT belong to you! I feel like this is a ruse that many crooked companies use to add more to their bank accounts, hold for as long as they legally can, so you can build your interest up. All the while the consumer is the one that suffers. 

  These people are trying to plan their wedding and now having to deal with this ridiculousness. If I only would have been told that y'all couldn't accept my company as a customer BEFORE y'all accepted my customer's money!!

  I have also attached the invoice sent to *************************. But I cannot conform to the other request as I do not have a website or URL. 

  Also, I REFUSE to pay $5 for you to refund the money or release it to my account!! This is NOT my FAULT and I refuse to pay for it. If anything, Stripe can pay EXTRA!

  Sincerely,
  
  Lettakaye ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/15/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My Stripe account was hacked in April of 2022. Thousands of dollars was being charged to my client credit cards so I reach out to Stripe for help and I was told that I had to individually refund each one and that the refund fees that Stripe normally charges would be reversed because it "was no fault" of mine. That was months ago - I have reached out countless times - I've had 4 conversations with Stripe Each time I've gone through a grueling process to prove that I am the rightful owner of the account. I've provided bank statements, phone records, a scanned copy of my driver's license, etc. My ability to collect monies that have been paid to me is frozen because they refuse to remove the refund fees associated with the steps they directed me to take. As it turns out, I could have let each client dispute on their own and avoided fees altogether. I am retaining an attorney to get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, I've filed this complaint to warn consumers NOT TO DO BUSINESS WITH STRIPE. If you're ever hacked, they'll treat YOU like the criminal vs the client.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/21/2022

  Below is Stripe's Response to the complaint submitted by *************************;(herein referred to as the "Complainant") on Sep 15.
  Stripe Overview
  As background, Stripe provides a technology platform that allows merchants selling permissible goods or services online, or through a mobile device, to quickly and simply accept credit card payments.[1] Merchants register for an account by providing contact information, some information about their business and its principals, and bank account information. This information is submitted through an electronic application process and additional information, such as ID scans, may be requested by Stripe after submission.
   
  Merchants have control over what information is provided to Stripe for credit card charges, this must minimally contain the card number and expiration date. Most merchants also elect to provide the name, CVC, ZIP code as an anti-fraud measure, but are not required to. It is important to note that funds are briefly held in an aggregated clearing account at a bank before being deposited into the merchant's bank account.  It is important to note that merchants identify the account into which funds are ultimately deposited through the Stripe management interface. Merchants consent to Stripes Services Agreement when establishing their account. A current version of the Stripe Services Agreement is available at https://stripe.com/legal.
  [1] https://stripe.com/payments
  Merchant Account Overview 
  The Complainant submitted an account with Stripe on March 26, 2019 under the name Living Larger at living larger.life. 
  
  
  For context, two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security process in which users provide two different authentication factors to verify themselves. 2FA is implemented to better protect both credentials and the resources the user can access, and prevent account hacking or take over. Two-factor authentication provides a higher level of security than using a password or passcode alone because it requires providing a password as the first factor and a second, different factor -- usually either a security token or a biometric factor, such as a fingerprint or facial scan to gain access to the account.
  
  
  Though it is possible the Complainants account was taken over by another individual, our review of the account activity shows the 3rd party passed the 2FAusing the same set up since 2019 and still being used today. This indicates the credentials to the account were shared. Stripe does not provide reimbursements in cases where shared credentials lead to authorized activity. This was disclosed within the Service Agreement the Complainant entered into March 26, 2019, which states The Stripe Parties are not liable for any losses, damages, or costs that you or others may suffer arising out of or relating to hacking, tampering, or other unauthorized access or use of the Services, your Stripe Account, or *************** or your failure to use or implement anti-fraud or data security measures. [**** Disclaimer of the Service Agreement] 
  
  
  We encourage the Complainant to keep the credentials of their Stripe account secure to prevent occurrences such as these. As a reminder, you must prevent any Credential Compromise, and otherwise ensure that your Stripe Account is not used or modified by anyone other than you and your representativesAny act or failure to act by Stripe will not diminish your responsibility for Credential Compromises. [9.3 Stripe Account Credentials of the Service Agreement]
  
  
  Stripe Support has attempted to set up calls to discuss this with the Complainant directly, and currently has an open email thread requesting the best time/day to speak. On Sep 13, the Complainant emailed that there was no need for another call, but Stripe continues to be open to verbal communication on this matter to explain our position on not provided reimbursements. Should the Complainant wish to continue verbal dialogue, they may reply to the email with the ********* best to contact them.
  
  
  For the reasons explained in detail above, Stripe acted in accordance with its terms of service in the handling of this merchant account and the Complainant's claim for damages is baseless.