TMF stands for Terminated Merchant File. MATCH stands for Merchant Alert To Control High Risk. These terms actually refer to the same thing, a Mastercard-maintained database of merchants that have lost their credit card processing privileges. MATCH list is the accurate name; the TMF was the old database and was not as detailed.
When underwriting a merchant account application, a bank’s underwriters review the MATCH list. If you’re on the list, getting approved for a merchant account is much more challenging. Normally the bank issuing the merchant account has put the merchant on MATCH based on these 14 “Reason Codes.” A bank must use at least one of these to add a merchant to the list.
- Account Data Compromise
- Common Point of Purchase
- Laundering
- Excessive Chargebacks
- Excessive Fraud
- Currently Unused
- Fraud Conviction
- Mastercard Questionable Merchant Audit Program
- Bankruptcy, Liquidation, Insolvency
- Violation of Standards
- Merchant Collusion
- PCI-DSS Noncompliance
- Illegal Transactions
- Identity Theft
Obviously, a quick scan of this list reveals that the violations that lead to being placed on the MATCH list are quite serious and, in many cases, criminal. In some cases, however, merchants have been placed on the list unfairly, a situation that unfortunately can be very difficult to resolve. Over the years, Mastercard has tightened up the rules for adding merchants to the list, making unreasonable additions to the list less frequent. On the other hand, if a bank finds that a merchant has been terminated for one of the Reason Codes, the bank is obligated to add that merchant to the list.
Getting off the MATCH list is possible.
- After 5 years, the incident that triggered your addition to the list ages off. This sounds reasonable enough, but in reality a business may be hard-pressed to stay in business without the ability to process credit card transactions for such a long period of time.
- If you were added to the list in error, the decision can be reversed. You will need to work with the bank that put you on the list and present your case. As specialists in high risk payment processing, we frequently help our clients communicate with the acquiring bank and former processor to get this kind of problem resolved as quickly as possible.
- If you were added to the list because of PCI-DSS noncompliance and are now compliant, you can be removed from the list. This is another area where we will assist you, helping to present your case to the acquiring bank, processor and Mastercard directly.
If you are on the MATCH list and unable to get off for one of these three reasons, you still may have a chance to get a merchant account for credit card processing. We have longstanding relationships with the industry’s leading high risk payment processors, and some of them, given the right circumstances, are willing to work with MATCH list merchants. Even so, the fees will be quite high and the account terms and conditions will be very tight. Nevertheless, for some merchants, having the ability to accept credit cards is worth the cost.
We have found that MATCH list merchants can maintain or even increase sales by setting up a merchant account for ACH and eCheck payments. While perhaps not having the universal appeal of credit cards, ACH and eCheck are very secure forms of payment, familiar to most U.S. consumers, relatively easy to set up, and settle quickly. For some types of transactions, including subscriptions and high-dollar purchases, the case can be made that ACH and eCheck are preferable to credit card, for both the customer and also the merchant. Detailed information about ACH and eCheck can be found elsewhere in the FAQ section and also on the Services section of our website.
Contact us now to get started on a payment processing solution that fits your MATCH list status and keeps your company moving forward.