Restricted Products, Services and Methods of Selling
| Restricted Verticals | Definition |
|---|---|
| “As Seen on TV” | Company who sells convenience products and markets/advertises to targeted consumer segments to sell items at scale |
| Auctions/Auction Services and Websites (8999) | Auction services means arranging, managing, and sponsoring property and selling to the highest bidder. Merchants engaged in traditional professions that offer highly specialized services, and often require employees to obtain advanced or specialized education or training to provide the services. This MCC should be used only if the merchant's business is not described by another, more specific MCC. Examples of such merchants include mortgage brokers, research firms, financial planners, graphic designers, guest speakers and lecturers, court stenographers, real estate appraisers, research firms, and auction houses. |
| Bail Bond Services (9223) | Companies that post bail to the court system as security for the appearance of the arraigned individual |
| Blockchain - Crypto (Secondary) | Cryptocurrency exists as a secondary option to buy or pay within the Platform or makes up 10%** or less of the Platform's total revenue. Example: The Platform is a neo bank with a debit card program as their primary product and added functionality of cryptocurrency investing as a secondary offering. |
| Blockchain - Ledgering | The blockchain is a digital ledger where a distributed system shares, records and validates data by a network of computers around the world. Example: The Platform uses the blockchain as a ledger. |
| Broker Dealers | A broker-dealer (B-D) is a person or firm in the business of buying and selling securities for its own account or on behalf of its customers |
| Casino/Gaming/Chips/Betting Activities (7994, 7800, 7801, 7802) | With or without monetary prizes. Requires management approval via a Pilot Program. |
| CBD Hemp (5499) | Merchants will be hemp wholesale distributors and/or sellers of hemp derived products. Merchants can be retail card present store front and/or CNP MOTO or e-Commerce. No THC of any kind greater than 0.3% (including D9, D8, D10, THC-A, THC-P, HHC, etc.) |
| Check Cashing Institutions (4829) | A transaction in which funds are delivered or made available to a person(s) initiating a money transfer to another person/location. These transactions include non- face-to-face transactions such as those facilitated through the Internet. Any fee charged and included in the total transaction amount must be clearly disclosed to the cardholder before completing the transaction. The acquirer must include the identity and location of the money transfer agent that accepts the card and effects the transaction in the card acceptor descriptor record as the site where the transaction was affected. |
| Coaching | Services offering self-help programs/services or mentoring services |
| Collection Agencies (8999) | Merchants engaged in traditional professions that offer highly specialized services, and often require employees to obtain advanced or specialized education or training to provide the services. This MCC should be used only if the merchant's business is not described by another, more specific MCC. Examples of such merchants include mortgage brokers, research firms, financial planners, graphic designers, guest speakers and lecturers, court stenographers, real estate appraisers, research firms, and auction houses. |
| Computer Network/Information Systems/Technical Support (4816) | This MCC includes all merchants that provide computer network and information services and internet service providers. |
| Consumers and Commercial Lending (all types) | Company who allows borrowers to apply for services, cash and/or products and then pay funds back over a scheduled period of time, in exchange for financing fees/ interest |
| Credit Restoration/Debt Relief Services (7277) | Merchants that provide a variety of counseling services such as debt and financial counseling, marriage counseling, family counseling, alcohol and drug abuse counseling, and other personal counseling |
| Cryptocurrency (6051) | Any Digital Assets or Cryptocurrency. This MCC must be used to identify transactions involving the purchase of cryptocurrency. |
| Digital Goods - Applications (excluding games) (5817) | Digital Goods - Software Downloads (not produced/distributed by merchant) Merchants classified with this MCC sell applications or software (excludes games) that are delivered in electronic format. |
| Digital Goods Media - Books, Movies, Music (5815) | Digital Goods - Books, Movies, Music - all card not present transactions with less than 6 months history |
| Direct Marketing Catalog Merchant, mail order, telephone orders (5964) | Merchants that initiate direct contact with consumers and are often described as mail-order houses or as the mail-order industry. Such merchants offer their merchandise via catalogs, and accept merchandise orders exclusively via mail, phone, fax, electronic commerce, or other non-face-to-face methods. A paper catalog is a multi-page document that is sent (mailed, faxed, or otherwise delivered) directly to a consumer. An electronic catalog displays merchandise via cable TV or as videotext on an Internet site. Catalogs display and describe merchandise and include a mail-order form, phone number, or Internet site address for placing orders. Flyers and brochures are not considered catalogs. A manufacturer with a pricing catalog is not considered a direct marketing catalog merchant. |
| Direct Marketing Subscription, continuity/ subscription merchant (5968) | Merchants that sell subscription products or services via direct mail. Such merchants may offer a series of products (such as one book a month for one year) or the annual renewal of a single product. The cardholder's card account is billed for the service on a continuing or periodic basis (such as once a month or twice a year), and the service continues until the subscription or series ends or the cardholder or merchant terminates the agreement. This MCC includes direct mail book clubs, magazine and newspaper subscriptions, audio clubs selling records, tapes, and compact discs (CD), video tape and DVD clubs, collectible series subscriptions (for example, series of stamps, coins, books, plates, china figures, or plates), magazine subscriptions, and credit card registration service companies. |
| Door to Door (5963) | Merchants that sell merchandise by means of house-to-house canvass, or from trucks or wagons or other temporary locations. Products sold door-to-door may include cosmetics, household items, bakery goods, dairy products, and magazine subscriptions. |
| Employment Agencies | Temporary help services |
| Escort Services or Encounter Groups (7273) | A business organization that provides romantic partners for paying clients. Merchants SHOULD NOT advertise or depict sexual or adult related content. |
| Fantasy Sports, including online games of chance, online games of skill and lotteries* (5816) | Merchants that develop video or electronic games for play on smartphones, feature phones, personal computers, tablets, consoles, or other devices with networking capability. Such games may provide platforms to make “in-application” purchases of electronic or virtual items for use during play, including but not limited to game pieces, tokens, points, or other forms of game-specific value. |
| Flea Markets | Marketplaces that allow multiple sellers to provide consumable and/or homemade products |
| Firearms/Ammunition Sales (5999) |
The Bank's procedure for both card-present and card-not-present firearms merchant related activity is as follows:
*The following merchant types selling firearms are not acceptable at this time:
|
| Free or Discounted Trial Offers / NOB | Services incorporating purchase/subscription billing after initial free or discounted trial period. Merchants that utilize Negative option billing model. |
| Government Grants | Government entities that provide funding for start-ups and/or projects initiated for federal/state programs |
| Government Owned Lottery (7800, 7801, 7802, 9406) |
Government bodies that operate or administer lotteries and engage in the sale of lottery tickets or shares on the Internet or in a physical place of business either directly or through designated agents. Use of this MCC is restricted to merchants located in the U.S. region and properly registered. |
| Government Services, state lottery requires registration (9399) | Merchants that provide general support services to the government such as personnel, auditing, procurement, and building management services, and are not described by another, more specific MCC. Examples include civil rights and civil service commissions, general government accounting offices, general services offices, government supply agencies, police, fire, and motor vehicle departments, and national, state, and city parks. This MCC may also be used to identify U.S. state lottery ticket sales by merchants properly registered with Mastercard as set forth in section 9.4.5 of the Security Rules and Procedures manual. |
| High Risk Security Merchants (6211) | Security Brokers/Dealers (excluding Forex trades, binary trades, etc.) |
| Home Based Charities (8398) | Charitable (non-political) organizations that solicit contributions, social service organizations that provide social welfare services, advocacy groups, community organizations, and health agencies. |
| Investment Advisor | Company who offers investment advice as a service |
| Lifetime Guarantees/ Extended Warranty Companies | A lifetime warranty is a guarantee that a manufacturer will repair or replace any defective parts for their products and comes at no additional cost |
| Membership clubs (7997) | Sports, Recreation, Athletic, Country Clubs, and Private Golf Courses |
| Merchant Cash Advance | Merchants who allow users to withdraw cash |
| Motor Home and Recreational Vehicle Rentals | Merchants classified with this MCC rent motor homes, RVs, campers, tent trailers, and other recreational vehicles on a daily, short-term, or extended-term basis. |
| Neighborhood Party Sales | An organized group who sells products or services for themselves or a third party through parties or other group events. |
| Non-Financial Institution (6051) | Foreign Currency, Money Orders, Travelers Checks |
| Nutraceuticals (5968/5969 - Straight sale) | Food, or parts of food, that are used as a dietary supplement, that provides nutritional or medicinal benefits, including dietary supplements, weight loss, hair loss, etc. |
| Online Dating Services (7273) | Using a particular website or mobile application for the purpose of meeting a potential romantic partner. |
| Online Pharmaceutical Sales (5122/5912) | Entities involved in the sale of licit pharmaceuticals. Drugs, Drug Proprieties, Druggist Sundries. |
| Pain Management/Pain Clinics | Health care facilities that focus on the diagnosis and management of chronic pain. |
| Pawn Shops (5933) | Merchants that lend money in exchange for personal property left with the merchants as security. Pawn shops may, upon default of the loan, sell the property to the public. Property left as security may include items such as jewelry, watches, musical instruments, bicycles, furniture, coins, and camera and photographic equipment. |
| Raffle/Sweepstakes | Lottery or drawing that individuals can enter to win products and/or cash |
| Resort Land Promotions | Service that offers individuals the option to purchase shares of a property/resort for time sharing and/or investment purposes |
| Short term loans with high interest rates | Short term borrowing (typical repayment of 1 to 12 months) that are generally offered to individuals who present credit risk, and charged high interest rates |
| State Licensed Online Gambling | Lotteries sponsored by state/local agencies that allow users to enter drawings for prizes/cash. Prize Giveaways. |
| Student Loan Assistance Companies | Company that allows students to refinance and/or eliminate student loan debt, offering to reduce interest and/or debt forgiveness of all/part of a student loan |
| Surveillance Equipment | Company that sells camera or recording equipment to be used for surveillance purposes |
| Talent Booking Agencies | A business that specializes in finding work for performers that are signed with them for work (e.g., actors, musicians, comedians, etc.) |
| Tattoo Parlors (7299) | Tattoo parlors selling and administering inked body art/tattoos. |
| Telecom Services, Equipment & Sales, and telephone & cable services (4812, 4814) | (4812) Merchants that sell telecommunications equipment such as telephones, fax machines, pagers, cellular phones, and other equipment related to telecommunications. (4814) Providers of telecommunication services such as local and long-distance telephone calls and fax services. Included are merchants that sell prepaid phone services such as calling cards, and merchants that provide periodic (for example, monthly) billing of telephone calls. |
| Travel Telemarketing (5962, 5966) | Merchants that sell travel-related arrangement services via outbound telemarketing methods in which the merchant initiates contact with the consumer through direct mail, advertising, or other direct marketing methods requiring consumer response in an attempt to generate a sale. Also included are discount travel clubs and subscription services or newsletters from which subscribers select prepackaged trips; these often require an annual membership fee that may be billed to the cardholder's account each year until canceled by the cardholder or the merchant. |
| Third Party Hotel Reservation Services | Companies that work contractually with hotels and receive a surcharge for making reservations |
| Tobacco Sales, including Cigar Stores and Stands (5993) | Tobacco Sales (Vape / e-Cig / Cigarette / Cigar / Tobacco / Nicotine Merchants) |
| Travel Agencies & Tour Operators, charters, tours & travel packages (4722) | Travel agencies that primarily provide travel information and booking services. Such merchants act as agents on behalf of travelers in booking and ticketing air, land, or sea transportation or lodging accommodations, including plane flights, bus tours, sea cruises, car rentals, rail transportation, and lodging. Also includes tour operators that arrange and assemble tours for sale through a travel agent or directly to the consumer. A traveler may also book such tour packages and excursions through a hotel concierge or ticket office. Examples include bus charters and tour bus operators. |
| Vehicle Sales (5521) | Merchants that sell used automobiles and trucks only, with no sales of new vehicles. Vehicles for sale may include used pickups, vans, and antique or vintage automobiles |
| Vitamin and Supplement Sales (5499) | Merchants that sell specialty foods not elsewhere classified. This MCC includes specialty food markets, health food and dietary supplement stores, delicatessens, poultry shops, coffee stores, vegetable and fruit markets, ice cream and yogurt shops, vending machines, and convenience stores. |
| Video Tape Rental Stores (7841) | Merchants that rent videotapes, laser discs, DVDs, and video games for consumer use at home. Such merchants may or may not sell a limited selection of used videos, drinks, candy, snacks, and blank tapes |
| Wealth Management/Asset management | Company who offers financial planning as a service |