Square banned me for "reasons"?

[blesdbuds]

The first reason they claimed to ban me was for breaking a rule. When I asked what I did, what rule I broke, they said they couldn't tell me. When they escalated, they then told me they can make any reason and all decisions are final. I didn't break any rules, but I'm banned for...reasons? The only thing that makes me different than the other sellers in my industry is my religion and my disability. So, that has to be the only factor, right? I'm not doing anything different than anybody else, but I'm singled out to be banned with no actual reason for it. Seems suspect to me. Hey, maybe I'm kicking up dirt, but what if they just up and did it to you? Decided you broke some made up rule. Claim they investigated, yet can't say what it is you did because...reasons. Seems like they don't actually have a real reason and just want to ban me for the only thing that sets me apart from the others, my religion and my disability. I mean, if they had an actual real cause for something I did that they found in their investigations, they should be able to say what it is I did wrong, no? But there seems to be nothing there. So, what is it?

[Donnie-M]

@blesdbuds I know it is frustrating.  Sorry you’re going through this, especially when it feels like you’re not getting a clear answer.

I’ll just say this from experience in the community: when Square deactivates an account, it’s almost always tied to something specific they flagged as high-risk or outside of their Terms of Service. It’s not always obvious to the seller, especially for newer accounts or if it’s related to the category of goods or services. For example, we’ve seen this happen a lot with businesses in industries like CBD, supplements, adult content, or anything that skirts the edge of what’s allowed by card networks, (raffles are a big no no) even if it seems common elsewhere.

Usually the original review email will include a phrase like “violation of the Terms of Service” or “prohibited business activity.” I’d recommend checking that email again closely. They don’t always give detailed explanations, especially if their risk team believes the account poses a potential liability to the payment ecosystem.

Its not personal, it’s just how risk mitigation works across the board, not just with Square.

To try and help, can I ask:

• What kind of products or services do you sell?

• How long were you using Square before this happened?

• Did you process any transactions before the ban, and if so, was it a large amount?

• Did you recently change anything on your website, pricing, or product list?

If you’re comfortable sharing a bit more about your setup, folks here might be able to give you a clearer sense of what might have triggered it. I know it feels unfair, but it’s usually tied to risk algorithms or policy enforcement.  We are not employees of square, we just come from a place of experience over the years and are happy to share.

[blesdbuds]

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Usually the original review email will include a phrase like “violation of the Terms of Service” or “prohibited business activity.” I’d recommend checking that email again closely. They don’t always give detailed explanations, especially if their risk team believes the account poses a potential liability to the payment ecosystem.

• What kind of products or services do you sell?

• How long were you using Square before this happened?

• Did you process any transactions before the ban, and if so, was it a large amount?

• Did you recently change anything on your website, pricing, or product list?

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The email only says "section 3 General Terms" "section 3 Payment Terms". If I broke one of those rules it should be easy to say what it is, no? Nobody can. This is my site: https://blesdbuds.com Let me know what general term I broke and what payment term I broke, please. They won't say.

I sell legal cannabis. I'm in the CBD program. They knew what I was going to sell before I started selling it and how I operate my business.

I just opened an account the 21st(?). Accepted into CBD program on the 23rd. Started using Square about 9 PM on the 26th. Received deactivation letter the morning of the 31st. 

I processed four transactions over a couple of days. Me, my friend, and my dad twice. Had to test the system and learn what I'm doing. The largest amount being $110. None of this broke any of the terms set forth before me. 

I'm still new to this and it's my first website that I'm making. I've been making small changes here and there as I find issues (titles, link not working, image not loading, making sure the checkout blocks anyone outside of my service area, etc.) Products and pricing are how they are when my site went live; nothing in the terms about pricing. I added inventory as it got low? That wasn't against the terms.

Like I said. I don't know what rule I broke. They won't say. When I brought it up that I didn't break any of those rules, they changed and used section 12 "We may terminate these General Terms or any Additional Terms, or suspend or terminate your Square Account or your access to any Service, at any time for any reason." Seems real fishy to me. I jumped through all the hoops, followed the rules as they were presented to me, and yet, deactivating my account because of "reasons". 

Say what you want, but that's just way too sketchy for me to be able to actually trust what it is they have to say from here on out. They made the claim that I broke a rule. When questioned, they changed tactics on how to get rid of me. Talk "risk mitigation" all you want, but why accept my business if they were just going to deactivate my account for doing business? 

If it's not the rules, not the product, not the business, and nothing else, the only logical conclusion I can see from my forest, is that they are banning me. I can't open up a coffee shop or a t-shirt company and use Square for any business, ever again, because of this. I'm very frustrated, to say the least. 

"All decisions are final."

[Donnie-M]

@blesdbuds Ok, let me give you just my opinion, as I don't know specifics on accounts at all.  But from the website, I can't tell if you are selling weed or CBD products.  

I understand your frustration with not getting clear answers from Square. Looking at your situation and your website, I think I can help clarify what likely happened here.

The issue isn't that you broke any CBD program rules - it's that your business appears to fall outside of what Square's CBD program actually covers.

Looking at your website (blesdbuds.com), you're selling cannabis flower strains like Gush Mintz, White Truffle, White Runtz, etc. These appear to be THC-containing cannabis products for delivery, not the hemp-derived CBD products that Square's CBD program is designed for.

Here's the key distinction Square makes:

• CBD Program: Only covers hemp-derived products with ≤0.3% THC (oils, topicals, etc.)
• Cannabis/Marijuana: Completely prohibited under Section 3 of their Payment Terms

Section 3 specifically states that you cannot use Square if you're "connected in any way to any other business that conducts illegal activities, sells illegal goods, or facilitates the sale of illegal goods, for example, cannabis, even if you do not use the Payment Services in relation to that specific business."

Section 12 is the catch all that basically says, yea we can use section 3 to terminate your account. 

It sounds like there may have been some confusion during your application process about whether you were selling CBD products (which can be legal under their program) versus cannabis flower (which is federally illegal and completely prohibited). Even though cannabis may be legal in your state, it remains federally illegal, which puts it in Square's prohibited category.

The reason they can't give you specifics might be because this falls under their broader risk management policies around federally controlled substances, and they may have legal restrictions on how much detail they can provide.

I know this is incredibly frustrating, especially when you felt you were following all the rules as presented to you. It seems like there was a miscommunication about what the CBD program actually covers versus what your business sells.

This isn't about your religion or disability - it's about the fundamental difference between hemp-derived CBD products and THC cannabis flower, which Square treats very differently under their policies.

[blesdbuds]

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The issue isn't that you broke any CBD program rules - it's that your business appears to fall outside of what Square's CBD program actually covers.

Looking at your website (blesdbuds.com), you're selling cannabis flower strains like Gush Mintz, White Truffle, White Runtz, etc. These appear to be THC-containing cannabis products for delivery, not the hemp-derived CBD products that Square's CBD program is designed for.

Here's the key distinction Square makes:

• CBD Program: Only covers hemp-derived products with ≤0.3% THC (oils, topicals, etc.)
• Cannabis/Marijuana: Completely prohibited under Section 3 of their Payment Terms

Section 3 specifically states that you cannot use Square if you're "connected in any way to any other business that conducts illegal activities, sells illegal goods, or facilitates the sale of illegal goods, for example, cannabis, even if you do not use the Payment Services in relation to that specific business."

Section 12 is the catch all that basically says, yea we can use section 3 to terminate your account. 

It sounds like there may have been some confusion during your application process about whether you were selling CBD products (which can be legal under their program) versus cannabis flower (which is federally illegal and completely prohibited). Even though cannabis may be legal in your state, it remains federally illegal, which puts it in Square's prohibited category.

No. There is no confusion. I showed them the paperwork on my product. Its federally legal cannabis aka hemp. It is under .3%. They saw the paperwork. The paperwork is on my site as the law states that I need it there. As I said, they knew exactly what I was going to sell before selling it. My product is allowed in their program.

"If you sell CBD products, including oil, flower, seeds, lotions, topicals, wax, etc., your business is required to be in the CBD program. These products must be produced and sold in compliance with applicable law, including, but not limited to, the 2018 Farm Bill, and relevant state laws. Hemp flower is permitted only if you provide lab certification confirming the THC level and ingredients."

I sell hemp flower with THC less than .3% as my paperwork shows. They saw the paperwork. It is legal cannabis. All cannabis has THC in it. Even legal cannabis aka hemp. Hemp = cannabis. What about my product is illegal?

If my business falls outside of the CBD program, then why did they let my business in the CBD program? My product is allowed, they saw the paperwork. My product is legal. 

If they had a problem with the product, under the terms, they should have notified me and given me time to fix it. It says it in the terms that they will tell me and let me fix it. So, it isn't the product.

There is nothing that I can find that I did wrong.

Why can they lie and say I broke terms of section 3 of general and payment terms if I haven't done anything wrong?

Why say section 12, any reason, if the reason is based on a lie of me breaking terms?

I'm so frustrated and confused. I can't find anything that I have done wrong.

Why is it they can cite entire sections, but can't point to a single term that I actually broke? Did I break all of section 3 of general and payment terms? 

What did I do wrong? Why are they banning me?