Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#1

Post by pureyang » Sun, Jun 07, 2026, 5:33 AM UTC

we have a real product (thanks claude) and dozen users signedup still using up their free credits. setup payments because it was so easy, then decided to use their atlas product to incorporate and take a single 6 figure pre-seed funding thru stripe invoice (yes stupid, but we are early). Rest of payments are all free coupon payments for testing purposes. Stripe accepted the pre-seed payment, 3 days ago connected to mercury to send it there and just now closed my account and holding funds for 120 days (oct 5th). Got rejected 2x with an automated message after they asked for clarification.

1 invoice payment 0 real transactions 0 refunds 0 chargebacks

stripe gets to collect 500-800$ of interest on my account in the meantime

FML

Re: Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#2

Post by ThePowerOfFuet » Sun, Jun 07, 2026, 9:16 AM UTC

So you take a six figure sum as your first transaction and wonder why this happens?

Who puts that sort of thing on a credit card instead of wiring it to you? Why would you want to give up Stripe's cut?

None of this makes any sense.

Re: Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#3

Post by metalman » Sun, Jun 07, 2026, 9:28 AM UTC

certified cheque or bank transfer puts everything in the hands of adult profesionals working with established procedures, rules, and laws. It is amazingly relaxing knowing the simple formalities are as good a guarantee of success as anything in existance. ie: this works everytime, unless something realy realy horrible of fluky happens, and then THEY FIX IT, and all you have to do is nod your head and say your please and thank you's

Re: Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#4

Post by Normal_gaussian » Sun, Jun 07, 2026, 9:55 AM UTC

Whoever is giving a six figure pre-seed to a tech startup and doesn't know this is a bad idea is probably quite out of their depth with the investment.

This does smell of an attempt to avoid AML checks.

Re: Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#5

Post by cavacavacava » Sun, Jun 07, 2026, 10:12 AM UTC

ThePowerOfFuet wrote: post #2

So you take a six figure sum as your first transaction and wonder why this happens? Who puts that sort of thing on a credit card instead of wiring it to you? Why would you want to give up Stripe's cut? None of this makes any sense.

I am asking myself the same question. Why didn’t they send it directly to Mercury?

Re: Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#6

Post by Scaled » Sun, Jun 07, 2026, 10:15 AM UTC

Transaction fee is going to be what... $3,000+? Instead of a $30~$50 wire fee.

That said, I'm sorry you lost the account. As a heads up they often hold the money six months so if you're in a cash crunch you might want them to chargeback and pay via wire.

Re: Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#7

Post by kotaKat » Sun, Jun 07, 2026, 11:33 AM UTC

There's even easier ways to get a Stripe account closed.

https://help.ko-fi.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007522474-Connec...

I did this and was immediately closed for "crowdfunding" by Stripe :)

Lovely company. Paypal dumped me with no explanation, and Stripe tells me to just straight fuck off and now I'm disconnected from accepting most payments. Glad it wasn't my livelihood or anything :)

Re: Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#8

Post by pureyang » Sun, Jun 07, 2026, 2:36 PM UTC

cavacavacava wrote: post #5

ThePowerOfFuet wrote: post #2

So you take a six figure sum as your first transaction and wonder why this happens? Who puts that sort of thing on a credit card instead of wiring it to you? Why would you want to give up Stripe's cut? None of this makes any sense.

I am asking myself the same question. Why didn’t they send it directly to Mercury?

Mercury was setup 2 days later. Yeah was in a rush. Now i known its sus. Live and learn.

Re: Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#9

Post by pureyang » Sun, Jun 07, 2026, 2:38 PM UTC

metalman wrote: post #3

certified cheque or bank transfer puts everything in the hands of adult profesionals working with established procedures, rules, and laws. It is amazingly relaxing knowing the simple formalities are as good a guarantee of success as anything in existance. ie: this works everytime, unless something realy realy horrible of fluky happens, and then THEY FIX IT, and all you have to do is nod your head and say your please…

Please clarify?

Re: Learn from my lesson, don't take your pre seed through stripe = Account Closure

#10

Post by ThePowerOfFuet » Mon, Jun 08, 2026, 12:50 PM UTC

pureyang wrote: post #8

cavacavacava wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am asking myself the same question. Why didn’t they send it directly to Mercury?

Mercury was setup 2 days later. Yeah was in a rush. Now i known its sus. Live and learn.

lmao