Lauren Silva  |  November 11, 2021

Category: Fees

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pnc merchant fee class action
(Photo Credit: JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock.)

PNC Merchant Fee Class Action Settlement Overview:

  • Why: PNC was accused of overcharging its merchant customers, adding fees that were not agreed upon.
  • Who: PNC Merchant Services and three small businesses reached a class action settlement.
  • Where: The class action settlement is pending in New York federal court.

PNC Merchant Services and several small businesses, after four years of “hard-fought litigation,” reached a $14.5 million settlement ending two class action lawsuits alleging it overbilled clients with credit card processing fees. 

For starters, PNC will pay up to $10 million to over 200,000 Class Members and cover administration costs and attorneys’ expenses. The three lead plaintiffs, Anita’s Body & Skin Care, D.B. Kosie & Associates, and Choi’s Beer Shop, will also receive $10,000 each in service awards.

The small businesses filed the class action lawsuits after PNC allegedly charged annual fees and monthly paper statement fees that did not match with account agreements in violation of its contract. 

PNC to Make Policy Changes to End Merchant Fee Class Action Lawsuit

Under the terms of the class action settlement, the financial company will also make changes to its small business financing practices. 

PNC has agreed to provide customers with additional notice before imposing an annual fee, refrain from charging early termination fees, and obtain customers’ written consent before imposing monthly paper statement fees. PNC also agreed to allow customers to switch from a plan with an annual fee to one without an annual fee without penalty in future. 

The settlement Class includes merchant customers that used PNC for payment card processing services and paid at least one of the fees (annual fees, early termination fees, and paper statement fees) between October 2011 and the date of the settlement’s approval. 

Small businesses lodged a class action lawsuit against QuickBooks earlier this year after the accounting software provider allegedly ramped up fees on certain transactions without notice.

Credit card processing fees led to a historic class action settlement with Visa and MasterCard in 2013. Totalling more than $7.5 billion dollars, the deal benefited more than 12 million merchants who had allegedly been charged excessive credit card swipe fees. 

Did you use PNC’s credit card services for your small business? Have you experienced something similar elsewhere? Let us know in the comments below!

The plaintiffs are represented by E. Adam Webb and Matthew C. Klase of Webb, Klase & Lemond LLC.

The PNC Merchants Fees Class Action Lawsuits are Kelwin Inkwell LLC, et al. v. PNC Merchant Services Co. LP, Case No. 1:17-cv-06255-FB-CLP, and Choi’s Beer Shop LLC v. PNC Merchant Services Co. LP, Case No. 1:19-cv-05768, both in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York.


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13 thoughts onPNC, Small Businesses Reach $14.5M Class Action in Merchant Fee Class Action

  1. TRISH says:

    I filed a claim before the deadline (02/01/2022) and still have not received any information or payment from the settlement!

  2. Mike Rehrer says:

    PNC bank is the worst bank I’ve ever dealt with! I recently opened a business account and opted to purchase a credit card reader through their merchant services department. I was told my funds would be available the next day, it was a complete lie! My very first transaction involved a credit card with a maximum transaction of $1500. My customer owed me $5000 and told me to run 3 separate $1500 transactions and one for $500 so I did and they all went through. The next day no funds. Another day no funds but an email stating they suspect I’m committing fraud and wanted me to answer a mile long questionnaire with personal questions about my business and also wanted to see my invoices so I refused. So finally after 7 days I had to issue my customer a refund and closed the account. I’m now our $5000 and lost another $10000 job due to PNC merchant services. I’m also $700 short in my account. So anyone thinking of using PNC bank, I strongly suggest going ANYWHERE else!!!!

  3. Michael Murphy says:

    I have a Clover system through PNC merchants program. I was told about the reliability and customer support I would receive. The system goes down and there is no support. I am on hold 2 hours right now!

  4. Jessica says:

    I run a small local salon and have suffered from the same merchant fees under “misc”. I’ve been taken advantage of since January 2019. I would love to indersTnd how I’m entitled to compensation and/or settlement

  5. Leshia says:

    PNC (and thier POS System, Clover) have so many fees attached to your account, it’s hard to keep up! They also will “split” charges and list them under “Miscellaneous” and no bank employee can tell you exactly what those charges are for. Who do you turn to in order to get an answer? I would love to be part of that class action.

  6. Amranul Alam Emran says:

    Hello,
    PNC Merchant made lot’s of false bills and they refund to customer upon any charge back claim. i have an e-commerce business and few customer they claim charge back on unauthorize transaction. i provided prof of transaction approval and prof of order delivered to customer address. still they took money from my account.

    please help me to file a lawsuit or join a class actions if they any space against PNC merchant to get my money.

    1. SF says:

      Your company is a scam & a fraud. You do the same to your customers through your Amco Auto Parts business.

  7. Rick Wuest says:

    I quit banking with PNC because of what I believed were bullshit fees for my company, KWL Landscaping. After I told them I wanted to close all my PNC accounts, they said they could not do it today. They then added another $100 bullshit fee the next day before they closed the account. My advice to anybody doing business with PNC is to hire a good lawyer first.

    1. Mike Rehrer says:

      PNC bank is the worst bank I’ve ever dealt with! I recently opened a business account and opted to purchase a credit card reader through their merchant services department. I was told my funds would be available the next day, it was a complete lie! My very first transaction involved a credit card with a maximum transaction of $1500. My customer owed me $5000 and told me to run 3 separate $1500 transactions and one for $500 so I did and they all went through. The next day no funds. Another day no funds but an email stating they suspect I’m committing fraud and wanted me to answer a mile long questionnaire with personal questions about my business and also wanted to see my invoices so I refused. So finally after 7 days I had to issue my customer a refund and closed the account. I’m now our $5000 and lost another $10000 job due to PNC merchant services. I’m also $700 short in my account. So anyone thinking of using PNC bank, I strongly suggest going ANYWHERE else!!!!

  8. Mallory says:

    PNC claims that they have not received payments, although I have bank statements to prove they have been paid from our personal account. Now they are saying we never paid and own “$706” after paying our payment two days after paying our payment in December. Saying they never received it. Say thing happened in September/October. Although still have bank statements showing they received the money. Now they have taken TWO payments from us WITHOUT authorization just now in January!
    Will be Filling a claim against them with the CFPB!

  9. Best Bark Media says:

    Never received *Claimant Identification Number:
    I also have written/email proof of PNC Merchant Accounts false information and their bait and switch.
    Please send me my identification number since we have done over $6,000,000.00 in transactions through the PNC Merchant services.

  10. Sally King says:

    Please add me

    1. Trevor Farley says:

      Pnc merchant services took over 100+ for fees that we did not even agree on. I canceled. I canceled my account a d they billed me afterwards now I gotta jumps thru hoops to get my money back. Please admit me to this lawsuit

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