The MATCH list is one of the most serious things that can happen to a merchant account. Once your business is on it, most acquirers will turn down a new application, and the listing stays for five years.
This guide explains what the Mastercard MATCH list is, how merchants end up on it, what the reason codes mean, how to find out whether you are listed, and how to stay off it.
Key takeaways
- MATCH stands for Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants. It is a database run by Mastercard and was previously called the Terminated Merchant File (TMF).
- Acquirers, not Mastercard, add merchants to MATCH when they close an account for specific reasons, such as excessive chargebacks, fraud or PCI DSS non-compliance.
- Every listing has a reason code. The code decides how future acquirers read your application and whether early removal is possible.
- A listing stays for five years and is then removed automatically.
- There is no public lookup. Merchants usually find out when a new application is declined.
What is the MATCH list?
MATCH (Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants) is a database that Mastercard runs for acquirers. When an acquirer terminates a merchant account for certain reasons, Mastercard’s rules require it to add the merchant to MATCH. When a business applies for a new merchant account, acquirers check MATCH as part of underwriting.
Because acquirers usually process both Mastercard and Visa, a MATCH listing affects your ability to get card processing in general, not only for Mastercard payments. Visa runs its own, separate database for terminated merchants. Our guide to MATCH vs TMF explains the names and how Visa’s system compares.
How MATCH works
- An acquirer closes a merchant account for a reason covered by Mastercard’s rules.
- The acquirer adds the merchant to MATCH with a reason code. The listing records the business and its principal owners: names, addresses, website, tax ID and similar details.
- Other acquirers check MATCH when a business applies. A match on the business or its owners shows the listing and its reason code.
- The listing stays for five years, unless the acquirer that added it removes it earlier.
Because the listing covers principal owners as well as the company, opening a new company with the same people behind it usually doesn’t get around it.
MATCH reason codes
| Code | Reason |
|---|---|
| 01 | Account data compromise |
| 02 | Common point of purchase |
| 03 | Laundering |
| 04 | Excessive chargebacks |
| 05 | Excessive fraud |
| 07 | Fraud conviction |
| 08 | Mastercard Questionable Merchant Audit Program |
| 09 | Bankruptcy, liquidation or insolvency |
| 10 | Violation of standards |
| 11 | Merchant collusion |
| 12 | PCI Data Security Standard non-compliance |
| 13 | Illegal transactions |
| 14 | Identity theft |
Code 06 is not in use. The most common reasons for high-risk merchants are excessive chargebacks (04), excessive fraud (05) and violation of standards (10), which covers things like selling something other than what you told the acquirer, or using the wrong merchant category code.
Mastercard publishes the codes and their formats in its MATCH documentation.
How to check if you are on the MATCH list
You can’t search MATCH yourself. Only acquirers and registered service providers can query it. In practice, merchants find out in one of these ways:
- A termination letter from the acquirer that closed the account, which may mention the listing and reason code.
- A declined application, where the new provider tells you a MATCH listing was the reason.
- Asking your former acquirer in writing whether you were listed, with which reason code and on what date.
If you’re on the MATCH list and don’t know why, we always suggest getting in touch with the acquirer who put you on the MATCH list. Once we know why and what, we can figure out what to do from there and what your options are, whether that’s a simple appeal because it was a mistake or another more complex plan of action.
Dennis E.R. Pedersen, CEO and Founder of FastoPayments
How long do you stay on the MATCH list?
Five years. A listing is removed automatically after that, unless the acquirer that added it removes it sooner. Early removal is limited to narrow cases, mainly a listing filed in error or PCI DSS non-compliance (code 12) that has since been fixed. The process is explained in our guide to getting off the MATCH list.
You can also be listed again after a listing expires, if the same problems come back with a new acquirer.
What a MATCH listing means for your business
- Most mainstream processors will decline your application.
- Specialist high-risk acquirers may review you case by case, depending on the reason code, how long ago it happened and what has changed.
- If you are approved, expect stricter terms: a higher rolling reserve, volume limits, closer monitoring and higher fees.
- Non-card payment methods, such as bank transfers and some local payment methods, may still be available through your payment provider.
If you want to apply again, read our guide to getting approved after a MATCH listing.
How to stay off the MATCH list
- Keep chargebacks low. Use a billing descriptor customers recognise, make refunds and cancellations easy, and use pre-dispute tools. See our guide to preventing chargebacks.
- Control fraud. Use 3D Secure and fraud screening, and watch card scheme thresholds such as those in Visa VAMP.
- Stay PCI DSS compliant, and complete your annual validation on time.
- Be accurate with your acquirer. Sell what you said you would sell, and tell your acquirer before you add new products or markets.
- Never process for another business or let anyone else use your merchant account.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Mastercard MATCH list?
MATCH (Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants) is a Mastercard database of merchants whose accounts were closed by an acquirer for specific reasons, such as excessive chargebacks, fraud or PCI DSS non-compliance. Acquirers check it when a business applies for a merchant account.
Is the MATCH list the same as the TMF?
Yes. TMF (Terminated Merchant File) is the older name for the same Mastercard database. People in payments still use both names.
Who adds merchants to the MATCH list?
The acquirer that closed the merchant account adds the listing, with a reason code. Mastercard runs the database but doesn’t add merchants itself.
How can I check if I am on the MATCH list?
There is no public lookup. Ask the acquirer that closed your account in writing whether it listed you, with which reason code and on what date. A provider that declines your application may also tell you.
How long does a MATCH listing last?
Five years. After that the listing is removed automatically, unless the acquirer that added it removed it earlier.
Does the MATCH list affect Visa payments?
MATCH is Mastercard’s database, but acquirers usually process both Mastercard and Visa, so a listing makes it hard to get card processing generally. Visa has its own separate database for terminated merchants.
Can I get a merchant account if I am on the MATCH list?
It is difficult but not always impossible. Some specialist high-risk acquirers review listed merchants case by case, usually with stricter terms. Nobody can honestly guarantee approval.
Next step
If you are worried about your chargeback or fraud levels, the time to act is before an account is closed. Fasto works with adult, subscription, nutraceutical, gaming, dating and hospitality merchants. Approval typically takes two to three weeks.
Get a free quote, or read more about our high-risk merchant accounts.
