Consumer complaint received 2023-12-06
Company: Block, Inc.
State: TN
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Trouble accessing funds in your mobile or digital wallet

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I opened an account with squareup.com, a provider of credit card payment options that are supposed to be tailored to small business. Their claim is to " empower business all over the world ''. That turned out, for me, to be anything but the truth. 

I went through the account setup and application process on that date, XX/XX/XXXX, and received my account credentials the same day. Operating as a sole proprietor, I initially begin populating my account with invoices and payment options for my small, local customer base. I used Square Invoicing, an addon feature that comes with its own additional monthly cost, to invoice customers for services and products relating to XXXX canvas and upholstery, like boat covers and cushions among other XXXX related textile products. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I took my first payment via Square using their mobile app, this in the amount of {$200.00} for a small rip repair on a bimini ( like an awning for a boat ). The payment process went through and the funds, minus the 2.9 % + {$0.00} transaction fee we're delivered to by acctached XXXX XXXX XXXX account the next day. 

During that time I continued to build out " estimates '' for customers using the same Square Invoice service, as part of my Square account. On XX/XX/XXXX an unrelated customer made a payment, also for canvas repair, this time to a full enclosure for their boat. A deposit was made by this customer in the amount of {$680.00}, and I received the funds to my linked bank account, minus the 2.9 % + {$0.00} transaction fee. 

During this time, another customer accepted an estimate through the Square system, this being a full total enclosure for their boat. This project would be a mixture of XXXX canvas and clear vinyl, and for the purpose of enclosing this customers boat and shield them from the cold and the elements. This customer stays on their boat on nights and weekends and wanted this for that purpose. Once again, we require a 50 % deposit to purchase materials and procure any additional materials, with the remainder being due upon completion of the project. A project like this would typically take XXXX weeks to complete. On XX/XX/XXXX, my customer made the payment via the square invoice in the amount of {$4400.00}, half of the quoted and agreed price. XXXX from the customer of the quote and payment was all made on the Square platform. 

Just XXXX minutes after the invoice was paid and we received notification, we received an email from Square. This email has been screenshot and uploaded for reference. 
( XXXX ) A copy of the emails text is below. 

FROM SQUARE : Hi ( REDACTED ), Were looking out for you. A recent review found unusual activity on your Square account, and we need to make sure its really you. 
To help keep you safe, we paused the ability to transfer funds until we can confirm your identity. Theres no interruption to accepting payments during this time. 
Complete an easy identity self-verification step to get back to businessitll only take about XXXX minutes. 

Only it didn't take XXXX minutes, I submitted a picture via the app of the front and back of my drivers license, along with a " selfie '' to verify " it's really me ''. After submitting this information, I received another email from Square which has been uploaded as well, ( XXXX ) A copy of this emails text is below. 

FROM SQUARE : Were reviewing your information now Hi ( REDACTED ), Were taking a look at your identity information and will get back to you within XXXX business days. 
Note : You can still accept payments while we finish up our review, but funds will be held in your Square account as transfers are currently unavailable for your safety. 
Keep an eye on your message inbox as we may have more questions. When we can successfully verify your information, your funds will be released and available for transfers. 
Thanks for your patience and we hope to get you back to business soon. 
Sincerely, Square Account Services Having provided what was requested and being who I said I was, I figured we were in the clear and this was part of Squares standard account verification. The following business day, late in the afternoon, I received another email from Square. This email has been uploaded for reference ( XXXX ), and a copy has been provided below. 

FROM SQUARE : Hello ( REDACTED ), We recently reviewed your account and found activity that our platform is unable to support. Because of this, we are sorry to inform you that your Square account is now deactivated. 
What does this mean? 
You still have access to view your Square Dashboard, but you will not be able to process new transactions using Square. Any funds currently in your account balance will be held for a period of 90 days, and are due to be released to you within XXXX business days after XX/XX/XXXX. 
Please note that the release date and amount available for release are subject to change based on any additional activity, including chargebacks or bank returns that occur. If there are any chargebacks, they will be covered using the funds held in your Square account. If the held funds are not sufficient, your linked bank account may also be debited. 
If you have a payment that hasnt yet been deposited, please see our support article on issuing credit card refunds to your customer and accepting an alternative payment method. Customers who paid via bank transfer must initiate a return directly with their bank.

Thank you for choosing Square. We understand that this decision may cause changes in how you run your business and did not make it lightly. For more information about our policies, please review the Square Payment Terms. 
We appreciate you considering Square for your processing needs. 
Sincerely, Square Account Services On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Squares customer service phone number only to hear a recorded message saying my account has been terminated and that I wouldn't be able to talk to anyone, and telling me to refer to the email I received ( XXXX ). Of course, this not being a sufficient response, I called using my companies phone line and was able to reach a representative of the company. I explained the situation to the account rep and requested her assistance in the matter, the account rep name being XXXX. XXXX expressed her sympathy and actually attempted to find a resolution, only to be stonewalled by the company. We discussed just refunding the customer their payment, which square states in their Terms of Service and in the email sent to me on XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX ) could be done. Only myself nor XXXX, nor her supervisor, was able to refund the customer to their original form of payment, and a message displaying " server error, please try again later displayed in red letters. XXXX stated she hadn't seen this message before and was working to resolve it with her IT team and her supervisor. Unfortunately, she herself wasn't able to refund the customer or to release the funds to me, but she did state that she had opened a internal case with the account services team about releasing the funds to me. I asked her if she would be willing to put that in writing and she agreed, a copy of her email to me has also been uploaded as well. ( XXXX ) A text copy of that email is copied below for reference. 

FROM SQUARE : Hi ( REDACTED ), Thank you so much for your patience. 

I have gone ahead and escalated your case XXXX to our Account Services Team to see if we could get your funds released sooner than 90 days. 

If you have any questions please feel free to respond to this email directly or give us a call at XXXX and reference your case number. 

Thanks, XXXX Square Customer Success ref :! XXXX.! XXXX : ref XXXX ( XXXX ), Thank you for your patience. 

I'm so sorry Square could not run this refund for {$4400.00} after countless efforts of trying. 

I have gone ahead and escalated your case XXXX to our Account Services Team to see if we could get your funds released sooner than 90 days so you can refund your customer. 

If you have any questions please feel free to respond to this email directly or give us a call at XXXX and reference your case number. 

Thanks, XXXX Square Customer Success ref :! XXXX. ! XXXX : ref As of this complaint filing on XX/XX/XXXX, no response has been made by Square and I was advised to submit a complaint to the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. I have went ahead and purchased the materials and tooling required for the job in which I was contracted to complete as of XX/XX/XXXX. As a United States american and small business owner, your word means everything I can not have a customer out there that will not receive the goods or service that they paid for due to corporate oversight or corporate greed, whichever being the case. 

I think it speaks volumes that a company that's entire mission is to " empower business all over the world '' would deem it necessary to terminate my account without statement of reason, to cut off phone call access, and to delay the transfer of funds 90 days, or longer, at their discretion. 

Due to the fact that a refund wasn't possible, as stated in the email ( XXXX ), and with which Square deemed was indeed possible via email ( XXXX ) and in their Terms of Service, I am hereby formally requesting the funds be released to me immediately. 

Thank you for your time, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation