Stripe
Stripe closed my account after reviewing a $15k payment — ~$45k now held for 120 days. What are my options? Update 2: **The issue has been resolved by Stripe**, and my account is up and running again. I reached out through the Support Center, and Stripe followed up with a series of questions, which I answered honestly and provided the requested information for. I’m not sharing the specific questions here because I don’t want to give bad actors a roadmap for circumventing Stripe’s review process. However, there was nothing in the questions that a legitimate business should be afraid to answer. I appreciate Stripe taking another look at the case and ultimately resolving the issue. —————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Edit: I see threads where people suggesting asking clients to do chargebacks as Stripe won’t help. This is getting scarier. Update 1: Received response from Stripe Based on the information available to us, including documents submitted via your Dashboard to appeal our decision, we've determined that your account still presents an unacceptable level of risk. NO CHARGEBACKS, RETURN CLIENTS, PROOF OF DELIVERY, ARC accredited travel agency and still Stripe did this to my Business. Looking for a processor and thinking of Stripe? One word suggestion- RUN! ——————————————————————————— I’m looking for advice from people who have dealt with Stripe account closures and fund holds. I run a legitimate travel-related business and have been processing payments through Stripe. Recently, I processed a **$15,000 payment from a client**, which triggered a review. Stripe asked for information, so I provided an explanation along with **WhatsApp conversations with the client showing the nature of the transaction and our relationship**. The important part is that this wasn’t a random/new customer. This is a **long-term client whom I have dealt with previously, including transactions in the $10k–$12k range**. I have also met some of my clients in person(including this one) and have genuine, ongoing business relationships with them. I have had **zero chargebacks**. I have not had a fraud issue on any of these transactions. There hasn’t been a history of disputes or suspicious activity associated with my account. Despite providing the requested explanation and documentation, Stripe has now sent me an **account closure email** saying they can no longer support my business. The really concerning part is that approximately **$45,000 is currently sitting in my Stripe balance**, and Stripe says the funds will be held for approximately **120 days, until December**. I have already: Completed the Stripe review/appeal form Provided the requested business information Provided documentation Provided explanations regarding the transactions Provided WhatsApp communication with the client Explained my relationship/history with the customer What’s frustrating is that **I actually liked using Stripe**. I was happy with the platform, the overall experience, and the rates, and I would have preferred to continue using Stripe for my business. I’m not trying to circumvent their decision or reopen the account through another entity. But **holding approximately $45,000 for 120 days after providing documentation, with no chargebacks and an established customer relationship, is unacceptable to me**. I’m trying to understand whether there is anything practical I can do to get the funds released sooner. **What should I do now?** For people who have experienced something similar: Is there any realistic way to get Stripe to release the funds **before the 120-day period**? Does escalating through Stripe Support / a supervisor / their complaints process actually help? Has anyone successfully had a 120-day hold reduced after providing additional documentation? Would sending Stripe things like **invoices, contracts, proof of service/fulfillment, customer confirmation, bank statements and previous processing history** make a difference? Is it worth submitting a formal complaint to Stripe’s complaints/legal department? At what point does it make sense to involve a lawyer or send a formal demand letter? Are there any regulatory or financial-complaint avenues that apply to a US Stripe account? Has anyone here actually gotten their funds released **before the 120 days**, and if so, what specifically worked? I’m particularly interested in hearing from people who had **$20k–$100k+ held by Stripe after an account closure** and eventually managed to get the money released early. I genuinely liked Stripe and would have been happy to continue using the platform. But this experience has obviously made me reconsider that, especially with **$45k being held for four months**. Thanks in advance. I’m trying to figure out the most practical way forward rather than just waiting until December.
