Stripe Terminated My Account — $28K in Reserve, No Explanation

Looking for advice on this situation. Stripe Terminated My Account - $28K in Reserve, No Explanation Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Details: I'm in a situation where I need to understand my legal options. Has anyone dealt with something similar?

Keep in mind that payment processor disputes are governed by the contract you signed, not consumer protection law (since you're a merchant). Read your merchant agreement carefully for the dispute resolution process.

For anyone in this situation: don't rely on a single payment processor. Always have a backup processor ready to go. Diversification isn't just for investments.

Keep in mind that payment processor disputes are governed by the contract you signed, not consumer protection law (since you're a merchant). Read your merchant agreement carefully for the dispute resolution process.

For anyone in this situation: don't rely on a single payment processor. Always have a backup processor ready to go. Diversification isn't just for investments.

Keep in mind that payment processor disputes are governed by the contract you signed, not consumer protection law (since you're a merchant). Read your merchant agreement carefully for the dispute resolution process.

This happened to me with a different processor. The demand letter approach works — cite their Terms of Service provisions about timely disbursement and threaten arbitration. Most processors settle to avoid the cost.

Update: Thanks everyone for the guidance. I consulted with an attorney and we're moving forward. The advice here helped me understand what questions to ask and what to expect. Will update when there's a resolution.

Stripe terminated my account with a $23K balance and gave me the generic "your business model doesn't align with our acceptable use policies" email. Zero chargebacks, 3 years with them, clean record. They're holding my funds for "up to 120 days pending review."

I've tried: customer support (scripted responses), emailing the CEO (no reply), Twitter/X (got a DM saying to wait for the review). It's been 45 days and my business is bleeding without access to those funds.

This is unfortunately one of the most common questions on this forum. Stripe (and other payment processors) have broad termination rights under their ToS, but their fund-holding practices are increasingly being challenged:

Immediate steps:

1. Send a formal written demand for your funds, citing the specific dates and amounts. Send via email AND certified mail to their legal department.
2. File a complaint with your state's Attorney General — specifically the consumer protection / financial fraud division.
3. File a complaint with the CFPB if applicable (Stripe may argue they're not covered, but file anyway).
4. If you're in California, cite Cal. Fin. Code § 2102 — money transmission licensees have obligations around returning customer funds.

The 120-day hold may be contractually permitted, but holding funds well beyond what's needed to cover potential chargebacks (which you don't have) starts looking like conversion. An attorney demand letter citing specific legal claims often accelerates the release timeline.