The MATCH list (Member Alert to Control High-risk Merchants) is a Mastercard database of businesses and their principals whose merchant accounts were terminated by an acquirer for specific reasons. It is sometimes called the Terminated Merchant File.
Why merchants end up on MATCH
An acquirer adds a merchant to MATCH when it terminates the account for one of a set of reason codes, which include:
- Excessive chargebacks or fraud
- Laundering or other illegal activity
- Violating card scheme rules
- Identity or application fraud
- Bankruptcy or failure to pay
What a MATCH listing means
Acquirers check MATCH when they underwrite a new merchant. A listing typically stays for five years, and during that time most acquirers will decline the business or its principals. Some acquirers do board merchants on MATCH, depending on the reason code and how the issue was resolved, usually with a reserve and closer monitoring.
How to avoid MATCH
The most common route onto MATCH is a dispute or fraud ratio that stays too high for too long. Keeping disputes low, responding to acquirer warnings quickly and never relying on a single merchant account are the best protection.
Orchestrapay's Acquirer Network checks MATCH status when matching an application to acquirers, and VAMP and MATCH management covers how to stay off the list.