I resisted it this long, but wanted to see what the bonuses were on shops mentioned in other threads so I had to sign up for Stripe. I feel sick. I just gave this third party full access to not just my checking but credit cards and my linked family accounts at my bank. All transactions that go in and out, all activity on all accounts and they sell it to others. The terms were clear. All of you guys gave this info to them freely? For a sandwich?

I'm totally terrified now. They have everything and I can't take it back. I knew I shouldn't have, now it's too late. Ugh.

For all shop payments, whether paypal/direct deposit/tipalti/etc, i send to a secondary bank. I then xfer/zelle from there to my main bank. Maybe if you are worried, you set up another account somewhere else and move your money to be safe.

I also missed whatever shop/threads this was so I am not even sure what it's about. "Stripe" doesn't mean anything to me and nothing comes to mind when trying to think what it could be.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2025 10:56PM by hbbigdaddy.

I am so sorry this is happening to you! I would contact my bank and everything I could think of and just let them be aware. I would also cut off my credit.

Yes. Thanks, guys. I'm going to call my bank and get it blocked. I'm mad at myself and mad at the MSC for selling their shoppers out like that. But many shoppers seem to have agreed to it willingly. That eastern seaboard sub must be a helluva sandwich! Not worth it to me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2025 01:22AM by sestrahelena.

And there's some super-negative feeback about Stripe payments on Trustpilot and reddit.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

I also missed whatever shop/threads this was so I am not even sure what it's about. "Stripe" doesn't mean anything to me and nothing comes to mind when trying to think what it could be.

Sounds like it might be associated with ACL in some way?

I do these shops. I have no idea what Stripe is. I would never give that info to anyone. Not sure if you have been scammed but I cannot figure why a company would ever need that info. I trust the MSC for the sandwich company and have worked for them a long time. I have never been asked for my cc info.

ACL used Stripe for a few months and then got away from it. I believe Foto pay (owned by ACL) uses it now.

Well, to see shops on ACL, it was required to first sign up for Stripe. Today.

I deleted the sandwich chain name since we identified the MSC. Anyway, after some time on the phone with the bank and changing login stuff, I got an email from the bank that I am no longer "sharing" with Stripe. Next, I'll shopperbob that MSC and terminate them. Third, I'll never eat at that sandwich chain whose shops lured me into a world of data mining. Hah! So there! Thanks for letting me vent, kids.

And, yknott, you might want to read Stripe's Ts & Cs. You agreed to it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2025 01:33AM by sestrahelena.

I am so sorry for your upset and frustration. Maybe I have poor Google skills. I will admit trying to get into Stripe but it seems I do not have an account and cannot find a place to login, except for businesses. Maybe I was trying to login to the wrong side? Anyway, even after searching, I cannot find where they would want or need a cc from someone getting paid. I can only find that sort of thing for businesses set up with them. Now I am worried I have information I did not realize I had. If it is not an imposition, could you possibly c&p the TOS requiring all these financial things? This is quite troublesome. I sincerely thank you.

It's way too long, and you're right - almost impossible to find, but this is a link to it:

[stripe.com]

I think we are considered the End Customers. And somehow I was able to turn off all optional cookies but I was spun around in so many circles I can't even tell you how I found that.

Either way, you know how scam warnings always say to go to a website directly, not through a provided link. Yet ACL provided a link to their mandatory pay system, Stripe, which then provided a link for me to log in to my bank through their site, which then brought up ALL my accounts for me to choose which account my payments would go to. Very sus. Other systems simply ask for routing and account number, which is okay with me - NOT the bank's login information or other associated accounts.

I know we share more than we know or think about when we deal online but this one was way out of line with what they wanted access to.

I had shopped quite a bit with ACL in my early days but, since veering away from restaurants, especially when they obtained the (previously profitable) Asian BBQ and offered us 100% more work with partial reimbursement and no pay for it, I lost my taste for them. I haven't done work for them in at least ten years so I won't miss it.

Thanks again for listening. And please be careful who you give sensitive personal information to online, and how much of it.

No need to be mad at yourself. Just chalk it up as a learning experience. You now know not to do it again and what you need to do to fix things. Everyone messes up. We grow from it, no need to get upset at yourself.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Yes. Thanks, guys. I'm going to call my bank and get it blocked. I'm mad at myself and mad at the MSC for selling their shoppers out like that. But many shoppers seem to have agreed to it willingly. That eastern seaboard sub must be a helluva sandwich! Not worth it to me.

Stripe is like paypal.

"Yet ACL provided a link to their mandatory pay system, Stripe, which then provided a link for me to log in to my bank through their site, which then brought up ALL my accounts for me to choose which account my payments would go to. "


Are you talking about the service PLAID which connects your bank login and accounts? Then you select the accounts you want to "share" with whoever you are trying to use?

The link from ACL said it was redirecting me to Stripe. If it has a different name, it was not mentioned. After I withdrew from everything my bank sent an email that said I was no longer sharing with Stripe. All this confusion seems yet another red flag to me, as far as doing business with this MSC, which I once regarded as steadfast and trustworthy. Maybe they found a better way to make money, selling us off to "partners."

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2025 05:07PM by sestrahelena.

@sueac101 wrote:

Stripe is like paypal.

Paypal never asked for the login info for my bank or accessed my accounts directly. They only have the routing and account numbers for transfers, not my username and password for the bank.

Plaid is the platform that connects Stripe to the shopper's financial institution. From ACL website:

For U.S. based shoppers, E-Payments are issued through a company called Stripe. Stripe is a payment service provider that millions of businesses of all sizes—from startups to large enterprises—use to accept payments, send payouts, and manage their businesses online. You will receive your direct deposit to the account of your choice via Stripe.

From the internet:

Plaid Inc. is a financial technology (fintech) company that provides a data network and API platform enabling applications to connect with users' financial accounts. Essentially, it powers the financial connections behind many popular fintech and digital banking products. Plaid focuses on open finance, digital banking, and other areas where users need to link their financial accounts to third-party apps

So far, "knock on wood," I have had no issues with Stripe or any payment from ACL. The only time I have had a payment issue with ACL was several years ago when my paper check did not arrive. I only connected the bank account associated with my shopper business via Plaid to Stripe.

Oh! Thanks for explaining that gigi. During my freakout, I didn’t bother reading anything else on the MSC website. Still, I don't like it. I deactivated, which is probably for the best anyway since they've not had anything that interests me in a long time. I'd say more shops for you guys but I wasn't competition anyway. Enjoy!

I really do like ACL. They seem to be very responsive and fair. I try to pick up hotel shops from time to time as well as an athletic shoe store when I am in rotation or able to drive to select a new pair of running shoes. I wish they had more variety overall and actual shopper pay. It used to be that $120 reimbursement shop for athletic shoes was more than enough to cover the cost of the shoe. For my most recent shop, I purchased a pair that were on the low end but that I actually wanted for $160. I was out of pocket $40 plus tax, but I considered it a fair trade for a simple report and pictures.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Oh! Thanks for explaining that gigi. During my freakout, I didn’t bother reading anything else on the MSC website. Still, I don't like it. I deactivated, which is probably for the best anyway since they've not had anything that interests me in a long time. I'd say more shops for you guys but I wasn't competition anyway. Enjoy!

Helena emphatically states--I'll shopperbob that MSC and terminate them.

Bob comments--Folks, in 2025, the pay this business usually offers, is insufficient to be stressed and/or irritated. If you have been mistreated AND are not in the position of needing the company, kick 'em to the curb.

Many yrs. ago, when there were several boutique MSCs, the business was radically different. The pay was higher and the communication superior. That, though, was then and this is now.

I love how shopperbob is a verb. That's it. And, ACL has lost all of the clients they had, so no worries about however they are now paying..

Stripe wants to look like PayPal but it lacks the track record and integrity of PP, and it does phish your info.