You’ve just been turned down for a merchant account, and the provider mentions the MATCH list or the TMF. Now what?
Being listed on Mastercard’s MATCH system makes it much harder to get card processing, but it doesn’t always end your options. This guide explains what a MATCH listing means for a new application, how to find out why you were listed, when removal is realistic, and what you can do to improve your chances of being approved again.
Key takeaways
- MATCH (Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants), formerly called the Terminated Merchant File (TMF), is Mastercard’s database of merchants whose accounts were closed by an acquirer for specific reasons.
- A listing stays on the system for five years unless the acquirer that added it removes it earlier.
- Only the acquirer that listed you can normally remove the listing, and usually only if it was made in error or the reason has been fixed.
- Many acquirers won’t accept a listed merchant at all. Some will, case by case, depending on the reason code, how long ago it happened and what has changed since.
- Nobody can honestly guarantee approval for a MATCH-listed business. Be wary of anyone who does.
What is the MATCH list?
MATCH is a database run by Mastercard. When an acquirer closes a merchant account for certain reasons, Mastercard’s rules require it to add the merchant to MATCH. Acquirers check MATCH when a business applies for a new account, so a listing affects your card processing applications generally, not only for Mastercard payments.
For a fuller explanation, including how MATCH and the TMF relate, read our guides to the MATCH list and MATCH vs TMF. This article focuses on what to do next if you want to be approved again.
Why were you listed? Start with the reason code
Every listing has a reason code, and it decides almost everything about your options. Mastercard’s codes are:
| 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 noncompliance |
| 13 | Illegal transactions |
| 14 | Identity theft |
Code 06 is not in use. Merchants are often not told when they are listed and only find out when a new application is declined. Ask your former acquirer in writing for the reason code and the date of the listing.
In practice, the codes fall into three groups when it comes to getting approved again:
- Fixable compliance problems, such as PCI noncompliance (12) or a data compromise (01, 02) that has since been remediated and validated.
- Performance problems, such as excessive chargebacks (04) or fraud (05), where acquirers want to see what caused it and what has changed.
- Integrity problems, such as laundering (03), fraud conviction (07), collusion (11), illegal transactions (13) or identity theft (14). These are the hardest to overcome, and most acquirers will decline.
Can you get off the MATCH list?
Sometimes. A listing is removed automatically after five years. Before that, removal normally has to be requested by the acquirer that added you, and it generally only does so when:
- the listing was a mistake, for example the wrong business or the wrong reason code; or
- the problem has been fixed in a way Mastercard’s rules recognise, for example PCI compliance validated after a listing for noncompliance.
Paying off what you owe the acquirer or resolving old chargebacks doesn’t automatically lead to removal, but it helps any request and any new application.
How to ask for a review
- Get the reason code, the listing date and the name of the acquirer that listed you.
- Collect evidence: settled balances, chargeback records, PCI validation, corrected company documents, or proof of mistaken identity.
- Write to the acquirer, explain why the listing is wrong or no longer justified, and ask it to remove or correct it.
- If the acquirer doesn’t respond, or you believe the listing breaks the rules or data protection law, consider a lawyer who specialises in payments.
Getting placed on the MATCH list doesn’t mean your business is over, it means you need to be strategic. With the right approach, you can still process payments and rebuild your credibility.
Dennis E.R. Pedersen, CEO and Founder of FastoPayments
Getting approved again while you’re listed
If removal isn’t realistic, the question becomes whether any acquirer will accept you with the listing. Some specialist acquirers review MATCH-listed applicants case by case. What they look for:
1. Full disclosure
Tell the provider about the listing up front, with the reason code and date. It will find out anyway, and hiding it ends the application.
2. A clear explanation of what went wrong
A short, honest account of why the account was closed: the products, the marketing, the chargeback causes or the security failure.
3. Evidence that it has changed
New refund and cancellation terms, clearer billing descriptors, fraud screening and 3D Secure, PCI compliance, new management or a changed product range. Where possible, show results, such as lower dispute rates on other payment methods.
4. Clean paperwork
Settled debts with the previous acquirer, up-to-date company documents and accurate information about ownership. Inconsistencies are a fast route to a decline.
5. Realistic terms
Expect stricter conditions if you are approved: a higher rolling reserve, volume limits, closer monitoring and higher fees, at least to begin with.
What not to do
- Don’t apply under a new company to hide the listing. MATCH records principal owners as well as businesses, and misrepresenting ownership can itself lead to a listing for identity or fraud reasons.
- Don’t split volume across several accounts to keep chargeback ratios down. Card schemes treat this as a serious breach.
- Don’t pay for guaranteed removal or guaranteed approval. Only the listing acquirer can remove a listing, and only an acquirer can approve you.
How to avoid being listed again
Most listings for excessive chargebacks or fraud are preventable. Keep disputes low with clear descriptors, easy refunds and renewal reminders, use pre-dispute tools, and watch card scheme thresholds such as those in Visa VAMP. Our guides to chargebacks and preventing chargebacks cover the details.
Frequently asked questions
What is the TMF or MATCH list?
MATCH is Mastercard’s database of merchants whose accounts were closed by an acquirer for specific reasons, such as excessive chargebacks, fraud or PCI noncompliance. It was previously called the Terminated Merchant File (TMF). Acquirers check it when a business applies for a merchant account.
How long do you stay on the MATCH list?
A listing stays on the system for five years and is then removed automatically, unless the acquirer that added it removes it earlier.
How do I get off the MATCH list?
Ask the acquirer that listed you for the reason code, then request removal with evidence that the listing was a mistake or that the problem has been fixed in a way Mastercard’s rules recognise. Only that acquirer can normally request removal.
How can I check if I’m on the MATCH list?
There is no public lookup. Merchants usually find out when an application is declined. Ask your former acquirer, or the provider that declined you, whether a MATCH listing was the reason.
Can I get a merchant account if I’m on the MATCH list?
Possibly, but not easily. Many acquirers decline all listed merchants. Some review applications case by case, depending on the reason code, how long ago it happened and what has changed. Expect stricter terms if you are approved.
Can someone guarantee MATCH list removal?
No. Only the acquirer that added the listing can normally request removal, and only in specific circumstances. Be cautious of services that promise guaranteed removal or approval.
Next step
If you’ve been declined because of a MATCH listing, talk to us honestly about what happened and what has changed. Fasto works with adult, subscription, nutraceutical, gaming, dating and hospitality merchants. Where an application is accepted, approval typically takes two to three weeks.
Get in touch for a free assessment.
Source: Mastercard MATCH documentation.
