A MATCH listed merchant account is essential for companies that may have been put in the penalty box of payment processing. Not to worry, there are solutions for your business and resources for you to obtain the payment processing you need.

MATCH stands for - Member Alert to Control High-Risk. It’s also referred to as the Terminated Merchant File (TMF).

Being listed on MATCH can hinder your ability to accept certain types of payments from customers, nonetheless, we’re here to share the details on the concept of MATCH listed merchant accounts, the reasons for placement, and most importantly how to find a resolution.

How To Get A Merchant Account After Being MATCH Listed

High risk merchant account providers like Zen Payments are the way to go. We provide solutions you need to run your business and give you the best options for your situation. For example, if you have bad credit history, or your previous business has bad chargebacks, we create a custom solution for your new endeavor.

What is a MATCH Listed Merchant Account?

A MATCH listed merchant account is one that has been flagged and included in the MATCH database. It’s maintained by Mastercard and all major credit card processing companies have access to it.

How did you get there? We’ll dig deeper into this later, but in general, merchants are placed on this list when they engage in activities that raise concerns related to fraud, excessive chargebacks, or violations of credit card processing rules.

Getting Off the MATCH List

If your business finds itself on the MATCH list, here are steps you can take to get your merchant account reputation back into good standing.

1. Review the Reason for Listing: Understand why your business was placed on the MATCH list. Review your transaction records and identify areas where improvements can be made.

2. Resolve Outstanding Issues: Address any unresolved chargebacks, disputes, or financial obligations to your previous payment processor.

3. Create a Mitigation Plan: Develop a plan to reduce chargebacks and fraud. This may involve improving customer service, enhancing fraud prevention measures, and adhering to credit card processing rules.

4. Seek a High-Risk Merchant Account: Consider working with payment processors that specialize in high-risk merchant accounts. While the terms may be less favorable, they can help you rebuild your merchant reputation.

5. Maintain Compliance: Stay vigilant in adhering to credit card processing regulations and best practices to prevent future issues.

Reasons Your File Was Terminated (TMF)

1. Excessive Chargebacks: One of the most common reasons for being listed on MATCH is a high number of chargebacks. Chargebacks occur when customers dispute credit card transactions, often due to unauthorized or fraudulent charges or dissatisfaction with the product or service.

2. Fraudulent Activity: Merchants who engage in fraudulent activities, such as processing unauthorized transactions, may also find themselves on the MATCH list. This can include identity theft or card-not-present (CNP) fraud.

3. Violations of Processing Rules: Failure to comply with the rules and regulations set by credit card associations and payment processors can lead to MATCH listing. This may include processing transactions without proper authorization or failing to provide refunds when required.

4. Unfulfilled Obligations: If a merchant fails to fulfill contractual obligations with their payment processor, such as not paying processing fees or fines, they can be placed on the MATCH list.

What To Expect With A MATCH Listed Merchant Account

You may have already guessed it, but high risk accounts come with a slight premium. Nonetheless, higher processing fees give you the chance to start again and get back into the payments game.

Underwriting teams may also be more careful when looking at your file so be certain to share all the information you have and be fully transparent. The more info you divulge, the faster the process and more likely you’ll be approved.

You can also contact a MATCH listing attorney to ensure compliance and a path forward for your business from a legal sense. In any case, contact Zen Payments and we’ll review your business to help you decide on next steps.