Fintech

What is the MATCH List? How does someone get on it?

Oscar Barillas

Aug 22, 2022 • 2 min read

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MATCH, also known as the MasterCard Alert to Control High-risk Merchants (MATCH), is an alert system for high risk merchants.

Why would someone be on the MATCH list?

A merchant is likely to be on the MATCH list if they had experienced or conducted fraud, illegal activities, or violated the terms of service for MasterCard. You can see the codes below.

MATCH List Codes

A Merchant can be on the MATCH list for a variety of reasons including:

MATCH Code	Detail	Description
01	Account Data Compromise	An occurrence that results, directly or indirectly, in the unauthorized access to or disclosure of Account data.
02	Common Point of Purchase (CPP)	Account data is stolen at the Merchant and then used for fraudulent purchases at other Merchant locations.
03	Laundering	The Merchant was engaged in laundering activity. Laundering means that a Merchant presented to its Acquirer, Transaction records that were not valid Transactions for sales of goods or services between that Merchant and a bona fide Cardholder.
04	Excessive Chargebacks	With respect to a Merchant reported by a Mastercard Acquirer, the number of Mastercard chargebacks in any single month exceeded 1% of the number of Mastercard sales Transactions in that month, and those chargebacks totaled USD 5,000 or more. With respect to a merchant reported by an American Express acquirer (ICA numbers 102 through 125), the merchant exceeded the chargeback thresholds of American Express, as determined by American Express.
05	Excessive Fraud	The Merchant effected fraudulent Transactions of any type (counterfeit or otherwise) meeting or exceeding the following minimum reporting Standard: the Merchant’s fraud-to-sales dollar volume ratio was 8% or greater in a calendar month, and the Merchant effected 10 or more fraudulent Transactions totaling USD 5,000 or more in that calendar month.
06	Reserved for Future Use	N/A
07	Fraud Conviction	There was a criminal fraud conviction of a principal owner or partner of the Merchant.
08	MasterCard Questionable Merchant Audit Program	The Merchant was determined to be a Questionable Merchant as per the criteria set forth in the Mastercard Questionable Merchant Audit Program.
09	Bankruptcy/Liquidation/Insolvency	The Merchant was unable or is likely to become unable to discharge its financial obligations.
10	Violation of Standards	With respect to a Merchant reported by a Mastercard Acquirer, the Merchant was in violation of one or more Standards that describe procedures to be employed by the Merchant in Transactions in which Cards are used, including, by way of example and not limitation, the Standards for honoring all Cards, displaying the Marks, charges to Cardholders, minimum/ maximum Transaction amount restrictions, and prohibited Transactions set forth in Chapter 5 of the Mastercard Rules manual. With respect to a merchant reported by an American Express acquirer (ICA numbers 102 through 125), the merchant was in violation of one or more American Express bylaws, rules, operating regulations, and policies that set forth procedures to be employed by the merchant in transactions in which American Express cards are used.
11	Merchant Collusion	The Merchant participated in fraudulent collusive activity.
12	PCI Data Security Standard Noncompliance	The Merchant failed to comply with Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard requirements.
13	Illegal Transactions	The Merchant was engaged in illegal Transactions.
14	Identity Theft	The Acquirer has reason to believe that the identity of the listed Merchant or its principal owner(s) was unlawfully assumed for the purpose of unlawfully entering into a Merchant Agreement.