Free MATCH list escape timeline tool

(function(){ var codeInfo = { "01":{name:"Account Data Compromise", removable:"remediation-dependent", note:"Prove breach remediation + PCI reassessment passed"}, "02":{name:"Common Point of Purchase", removable:"remediation-dependent", note:"Document source of compromise + controls added"}, "03":{name:"Laundering", removable:"rare", note:"Near-permanent; requires processor error proof"}, "04":{name:"Excessive Chargebacks", removable:"time-based", note:"Document clean processing elsewhere + ratio = 12){ removalPath = "ELIGIBLE for early removal request. Document clean processing elsewhere + present to Mastercard via acquirer."; removalColor = "#52c41a"; } else if (info.removable === "time-based" && clean >= 6){ removalPath = "Approaching eligibility. Continue clean processing for another " + (12-clean) + " months before filing."; removalColor = "#ffa940"; } else if (info.removable === "documentation"){ removalPath = "Documentation-based removal possible immediately with proof. File via acquirer with all supporting docs."; removalColor = "#52c41a"; } else if (info.removable === "audit-dependent" || info.removable === "remediation-dependent" || info.removable === "remediation"){ removalPath = "Removal requires completed remediation + acquirer attestation. Expect 6-12 month process."; removalColor = "#ffa940"; } else { removalPath = "Early removal unlikely. Plan for full 5-year expiry."; removalColor = "#ff5a5a"; } var html = ''; html += ''; html += ''; document.getElementById("ml-result").innerHTML = html; } document.getElementById("ml-calc").addEventListener("click", calc); calc(); })();

What the MATCH list actually is

MATCH stands for Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants. It's a Mastercard-operated database of terminated merchants. When a merchant account is closed for cause (excessive chargebacks, fraud, PCI violation, etc.), the terminating acquirer is required to report the merchant to MATCH within days, with a reason code explaining why. Other acquirers check MATCH before underwriting new merchants. If your principals show up on MATCH, most processors will decline your application — or accept it under punitive terms (higher rate, larger reserve, more scrutiny).

MATCH records sit for 5 years from the placement date. Automatic expiry at year 5. Some reason codes support early removal with specific documentation; most do not.

Why the reason code matters more than the placement

Code 04 (Excessive Chargebacks) is the most common and the most negotiable. If you demonstrate clean processing elsewhere for 12+ months with a chargeback ratio below 1%, you have grounds to file for early removal via a new acquirer. Mastercard reviews case-by-case; most legitimate 12+ month clean cases result in removal.

Code 05 (Excessive Fraud) follows similar rules but requires stronger fraud-control documentation — 3DS adoption, device fingerprinting, velocity rules, and documented false-positive management.

Code 03 (Laundering), Code 07 (Fraud Conviction), Code 11 (Collusion), and Code 13 (Illegal Transactions) are near-permanent. Mastercard treats these as terminal determinations and rarely entertains early removal, even with documentation.

Code 12 (PCI Noncompliance) can be removed by passing a new PCI assessment and having the acquirer formally attest compliance to Mastercard.

Code 14 (Identity Theft, meaning the merchant themselves were victim of identity theft and the account was opened fraudulently in their name) is removable with a police report and affidavit.

What this tool calculates

Three inputs: placement date, reason code, months-of-clean-processing-since. The tool returns: days until automatic 5-year expiry, whether the code supports early removal, and what the removal path looks like. For time-based codes (04, 05), it tells you how close you are to eligibility.

Interim processing options while on MATCH

High-risk merchant accounts

Specialized acquirers (NMI, Authorize.Net with high-risk sponsor banks, Payment Cloud, eMerchantBroker, Durango) will underwrite MATCH-listed merchants if the reason code and circumstances are documentable. Expect: 4-6% effective rate, 10-20% reserve for 6+ months, tight daily caps, and heightened scrutiny. Not cheap, but functional.

Offshore acquirers

European and Caribbean high-risk acquirers (Paybilla, WebPays, CorePay) underwrite MATCH merchants with less US-specific scrutiny. Cross-border fees add 100-150 bps but the accounts are stable. Useful as a bridge while pursuing removal.

Aggregator/PSP workarounds

Some aggregators (Square, Stripe) onboard without a MATCH check at the merchant-principal level, relying instead on their own risk models. These accounts are fragile — when Stripe's risk review eventually catches up, the account terminates and the operator ends up with a second MATCH placement, which stacks. Not recommended.

Sub-merchant under a parent merchant account

The multiflow model: the parent merchant account is underwritten on its own principal's credentials and MATCH history. Sub-brands operate under the parent's MID, so an individual brand's operator being MATCH-listed is less relevant to underwriting than it would be for a standalone account. Payment rails keep running while the MATCH clock counts down.

How to file for early removal

1. Identify a sponsoring acquirer. Mastercard will not accept removal requests directly from merchants. The request must come from an acquirer willing to sponsor it.
2. Document clean processing. Bank statements, processing statements from the clean period, chargeback ratio reports. 12+ months continuous, with ratios below 1%.
3. Remediation evidence. What changed. New fraud rules, new refund policy, new customer service SLA, new product category, new principals. Mastercard wants proof the original problem is structurally fixed.
4. Principal affidavit. Statement from the listed principal describing the events and the corrective actions.
5. Acquirer submission. The sponsoring acquirer files via Mastercard's member portal with all supporting documentation.
6. Review period. 30-90 days. Mastercard may request additional documentation. Decision is final at the review; declined requests may not be refiled for 6 months.

What to avoid

Opening accounts under nominee names. Stacking Corp A, Corp B, Corp C with a hidden common principal is how people end up with additional MATCH entries under newer codes (10, 11) that are much harder to remove. The networks are sophisticated about beneficial-owner matching.

Rotating through aggregators. Square → Stripe → PayPal → Shopify Payments creates a documented pattern of sequential account closures that makes every subsequent underwriter nervous. Each closure may generate a new MATCH placement.

Ignoring the clock. 5 years feels far away, but it comes. Operators who plan for the 5-year exit — build a side business on a specialized high-risk account, keep clean processing records, stay visible to their acquirer — emerge clean.

FAQ

Does MATCH affect personal credit?

No. MATCH is a merchant-only database. Personal credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) do not receive MATCH data.

Can I see my own MATCH record?

Yes. Request via any acquirer with MATCH access. Some charge a fee ($25-100). The record shows placement date, acquirer who placed, and reason code.

Do all acquirers check MATCH?

Visa and Mastercard acquirers do. Amex, Discover, and private-label acquirers do not have MATCH access. Aggregators (Square, Stripe, PayPal) do not check MATCH per-merchant but do their own risk screening.

What if I was placed wrongly?

File a dispute via the placing acquirer within 60 days. After 60 days, removal requires the full early-removal process above.

Does MATCH affect ACH/bank processing?

No. MATCH is a card-network program only. ACH and bank processing have their own exclusion lists (NACHA MERC list, OFAC) that operate separately.