Legal

MCC

MCC Title or Line of Business

Line of Business Description

n/a

Adult: Entertainment

gentleman's clubs, topless bars, strip clubs, sexually oriented massage parlors, saunas, escort agencies or any sexually related services.

n/a

Adult: Pornography

pornography and other obscene materials.

n/a

Brand or Reputation damaging activities (potential or otherwise)

activities or content which have the potential to cause reputational damage to the Payment Facilitator and/or Checkout.com

n/a

Circumvention Devices

circumvention devices/black boxes which enable a person to bypass technology designed to prevent access to copyrighted material. Such devices include, but are not limited to, devices that unscramble cable channels or circumvent paid television, cable, and streaming services via pre-installed applications.

n/a

Circumvention Applications

mobile phone applications for activities such as circumventing gambling rules, the purchase and downloading of intellectual property infringing content, the purchase of pharmaceuticals or illegal drugs, or other illegal or brand-damaging activity.

n/a

Copyright Infringement

infringe any duly registered copyrights/trademarks or other violation of intellectual property rights. The marketing and/or sale of any good or service that involves the unauthorized use of a celebrity’s name, image, likeness, or other aspect of identity, either through an affiliate marketer or directly from the merchant.

n/a

Counterfeit Medical or Dental devices

medical and dental devices that are counterfeit, not approved by regulatory entities, or are expired.

n/a

Cryptocurrency

any cryptocurrency related services, including non-fungible-tokens (NFTs).

n/a

Cryptocurrency - Cloud Mining Services

any cryptocurrency related services involving cloud mining.

n/a

Cryptocurrency - Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs)

any cryptocurrency related services involving initial coin offerings

n/a

Cryptocurrency - Mining Equipment

cryptocurrency mining equipment tends to be tied to pre-orders. If a reputable company and selling out of inventory then the risk is lower.

n/a

Data Pass Merchants

when a merchant offers a third party product or service to a consumer before the transaction is complete. Many consumers don't know the offer is from a different retailer and end up signing up for an outside product, which often comes with unexpected monthly membership fees or recurring charges.

n/a

Deceptive Marketing

transactions involving fraudulent or deceptive marketing practices (such as bait-and-switch, bogus claims and endorsements, false claims of scientific support or endorsement by scientific or medical authorities, statements about quality or origin that cannot be substantiated, misleading information regarding a product's price, misleading illustrations or photographs, poorly disclosed negative billing options, refund and/or cancellation avoidance).

n/a

Drugs/Illicit Substances

drugs/illicit substances, steroids and certain controlled substances or other products that present a risk to consumer safety.

n/a

Drug paraphernalia

illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, illegal substances designed to mimic illegal drugs, and/or other psychoactive products and illegal synthetic stimulants (e.g. K2, salvia divinorum, nitrate inhalers, bath salts, etc.).

n/a

DVD Decryption Devices

high-definition DVD and Blu-ray disc decryption devices. These softwares are used to decrypt the advanced access content system (AACS) on DVDs and Blu-ray discs. The AACS is a standard for content distribution intended to restrict access to and copying of the “next generation” of optical discs and DVDs. These products are primarily designed to strip discs of this protection.

n/a

Essay Mills/Paper Mills

ghostwriting services that sell essays, term papers, etc. with intent that Cardholders will submit documents as their own.

n/a

Evade Card Brands

Sub-merchants utilizing tactics to evade card brand excessive chargeback monitoring programs.

n/a

Fireworks, flammable or radioactive materials

involve the sale of fireworks, flammable or radioactive materials

n/a

Fraudulent Products/Services

involve the sale of products or services identified by government agencies to have a high likelihood of being fraudulent.

n/a

Get Rich Quick Schemes

involve offering or receiving payments for the purpose of bribery or corruption of any form of high yield financial investments .

n/a

Hazardous Goods

hazardous materials (B2C), including but not limited to:

- hydrofluoric acid

- products containing cyanide

- prohibited ozone-depleting substances (ODS)

- nitric acid

- peptides, research chemicals

-bacteria cultures or other products containing e-coli or escherichia coli

n/a

High Risk File Hosting/Sharing

high risk cyber lockers,cloud storage and file sharing services.

n/a

Illegal Activity

encourage, promote, facilitate or instruct others to engage in illegal activity.

n/a

Illegal Drug Creation

products/services specifically offered or intended to be used to create drugs or grow ingredients for drugs.

n/a

Inappropriate Content

are inappropriate content, goods or services that promote, cause or further hate, violence, racisim, religious persecution, terrorism or abuse.

n/a

Independent Financial Advisers

independent financial advisers (IFA), payday loans and unsecured loan/lines originating from non Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)  insured banks (US) or country equivalent.

n/a

Intravenous therapy

intravenous therapy including: intravenous drip bar, vitamin infusions, hang over cures;

n/a

Jammers

jammers or devices that are designed to block, jam or interfere with communication devices or signals.

n/a

Lay-away systems

this is a system where the Cardholder makes incremental advance payments towards goods or services which will only be provided once the full amount has been paid.

n/a

Mail order spouse or international match making services

services offering international romantic match making or offering to procure prospective spouses.

n/a

Malware scams

malware scams (including computer viruses, ransomware, worms, trojan horses, rootkits, keyloggers, dialers, spyware, adware, malicious browser helper objects, rogue security software, and others.

n/a

Merchants or principals listed on MATCH or VMSS

Sub-Merchants or principals which have been flagged on the MATCH (Mastercard) or VMSS (Visa) services, as being terminated by previous payment providers.

n/a

Mobile (cellular phone) repeaters

mobile (cellular phone) repeaters that are sold without the proper license (where applicable).

n/a

Modification Chips

modification chips used to modify or disable built-in restrictions and limitations on computers, specifically video game consoles.

n/a

Money laundering or the financing of terrorist activities

businesses or principals suspected to be involved in money laundering or terrorism financing.

n/a

Mushrooms

psilocybin mushrooms and spores (i.e. hallucinogenic mushrooms).

n/a

Payment Service Companies

including but not limited to peer to peer, bill payments, commissary account.

n/a

Penny and Reserve Auctions

auctions where players pay fees to place small bids on items they want.

n/a

Possible Rule Violation(s)

violate any law, statue, ordinance or regulation.

n/a

Prostitution, Escort Services

prostitution, escort services, sexual services, adult entertainment (such as pornography) and other obscene content or any sexual behaviour.

n/a

Psychoactive Herbal Products

psychoactive herbal product (e.g. fly amanita/agaric, kava kava, kratom), amyl nitrite inhalants (i.e. poppers) and illegal peptides.

n/a

Pyramid or Ponzi Schemes

pyramid or ponzi schemes.

n/a

Rebate/Refund Schemes

businesses that impersonate government agencies or legitimate businesses, offering a rebate/refund with a small fee tied to claiming the funds.

n/a

Shell banks

a bank that has no physical presence in the country in which it is incorporated and licensed, and which is unaffiliated with a regulated financial group that is subject to effective consolidated supervision.

n/a

Social Media "Click Farms"

a click farm is a Sub-merchant that is involved in the provision of services aimed at artificially inflating statistics of online traffic or engagement.

n/a

Stolen Items

stolen goods (including physical,  digital and virtual goods).

n/a

Tech Support - Outbound Telemarketing

PC and/or Tech Support support sold via outbound telemarketing.

n/a

Third Party Agents / Intermediaries

ISO, payment facilitators, bill payment providers and wallet operators including open-loop vouchers, aggregators such as merchant of records and crowdfunding merchants.

n/a

Timeshare and Timeshare Maintenance

businesses involved in the sale of timeshares, sale of timeshare points, maintenance of timeshares or any other services related to the timeshare industry.

n/a

UseNet Merchants

usenet merchants, internet forums, bulletin board systems and other content sharing platforms with illegal or brand-damaging content.

n/a

Weapons, firearms and ammunitions

businesses involved in the sale of weapons firearms and ammunitions, including accessories.

n/a

Prop Trading

a company that provides its traders with access to capital, in return for a percentage of the profits generated. This may include processing for trader evaluation fees/course

4411

Cruise Lines

cruise lines.

4511

Airlines and Air Carriers

airlines and air carriers not elsewhere classified.

4829

Money Transfer

electronic funds transfers, wire transfers, money remittance, and peer-to-peer payments.

5122

Drugs, Drug Proprietors, and Druggists Sundries (includes guidance on cannabis & marijuana)

Business-to-business or wholesale distributors of prescription/proprietary drugs, vitamins, druggists’ sundries, toiletries, antiseptics, bandages, pharmaceuticals, biological/related products, and cosmetics typically offered in drug stores.

5499

Miscellaneous Food Stores - Convenience Stores and Specialty Markets (Includes Nutraceuticals & Psuedo-Pharmaceuticals)

Specialty food stores and providers not elsewhere classified. Includes delicatessens; convenience stores; gourmet, health food, fruit, mini, produce, and vegetable markets; poultry shops; vitamin stores; and meal preparation kits. Includes dietary supplements and nutraceuticals.

5962

Direct Marketing - Travel Related Arrangement Services

travel-related arrangement services (including discount travel clubs or newsletters) via outbound telemarketing calls, mailings, magazine or television ads, or other direct marketing methods that include either a toll-free telephone number or an address to which prospective customers may respond.

5966

Direct Marketing - Outbound Telemarketing Merchants

direct marketing – outbound telemarketing where contact with prospective buyers is initiated via telephone or mailing (other than a catalog) that instructs the cardholder to contact the Sub-Merchant. Does not include charitable organizations conducting outbound telemarketing.

5967

Direct Marketing - Inbound Telemarketing Merchants

inbound teleservices merchant, information or content services (or goods sold through the service) that customers access via telephone or fax or over the internet. Includes audiotext, videotext merchant, digital content, and adult content.

5968

Direct Marketing - Continuity/Subscription Merchants

Direct marketing – continuity/subscription merchant. Includes the sale of subscription products or services (such as book clubs, collectible series programs, and magazine/newspaper subscriptions) via direct mail.

Any product or services sold through negative option marketing (i.e free trials or discounted introductory offered as part of a subscription service)

7012

Timeshares

sell, lease, rent timeshares or arranged timeshare condominium exchanges.

CKO23

CBD Products

products that contain CBD

MCC

MCC Title or Line of Business

Line of Business Description

n/a

Adult Retail Items

sex toys, strictly without pornographic content.

n/a

Ancestry Research

involves services carrying out research on an individual’s family ancestry.

n/a

Bankruptcy lawyers

lawyers involved in the provision of bankruptcy advice.

n/a

Cloud storage and VPN services

restricted to legitimate providers of cloud storage or virtual private network (VPN) service.

n/a

Collection Agencies

including but not limited those engaged in the collection of :

- mortgage reduction services, mortgage, loan modification;

- recovering, collecting past due debts;

- debt consolidation, interest consolidation or reduction services;

- payment of last resort where prior method of payment has been difficult to collect or has been uncollectable as defined by the card Brands or deemed uncollectible by another merchant;

- Payment for a dishonored check;

n/a

Digital Game Resellers

sellers of video games online, including gaming virtual currencies, boosting/power leveling, etc.

n/a

Financial Businesses: Bearer share entities

a bearer share is equity security wholly owned by the person or entity that holds the physical stock certificate. Because the share is not registered to any authority, transferring the ownership of the stock involves only delivering the physical document.

n/a

Fines or penalty collections of any kind

such government entities are the only types of Sub-merchant for consideration.

n/a

Government ID's or documents

government entities or officially appointed third parties are the only types of merchant for consideration.

n/a

Live Streaming Services

live stream services without in-app currency, with in-app currency, and with in-app donations.

n/a

Mail order or telephone order companies

involves providing Sub-merchants with the ability to take payments over the telephone or by keying card details onto a terminal on behalf of the cardholder

n/a

Medical Devices

medical, dental, ophthalmic and hospital equipment and supplies.

n/a

Proxy Avoidance

services that are used to bypass content and filtering policies.

n/a

Sales leads/lead generation

companies that offer services related to creating sales leads.

4457

Boat Rentals and Leasing

Boat rentals and leasing, including jet skis, powerboats, yachts, and sailboats.

4468

Marinas, Marine Service/Supplies

Including harbors, yacht harbors, and marinas.

4582

Airports, Airport Terminals, Flying Fields

Airports, flying fields, and airport terminals, including aircraft cleaning, storage, and hangar rental.

4722

Travel Agencies and Tour Operators

Travel agencies, tour operators, package tour operators (excluding Germany), travel packages, travel wholesalers, charter buses, and tour buses.

4723

Package tour operators - Germany Only

Germany only and Visa only

4814

Telecommunication Services including but not limited to prepaid phone services and recurring phone services

Local and long distance telecommunication services, including cellular telephone service, prepaid calling cards, faxing services, periodic billing of telephone calls, and calls through magnetic stripe-reading telephones.

4816

Computer Network/Information Services (includes File Sharing & Hosting)

Computer network, information services, internet service provider, electronic bulletin board access, and website management/maintenance.

5021

Office and Commercial Furniture

business-to-business or wholesale manufacturers/distributors of office and commercial furniture.

5094

Precious Stones and Metals, Watches and Jewellery

business-to-business or wholesale distributors of gemstones, precious stones, metals, watches, and jewellery.

5099

Durable Goods - Not Elsewhere Classified (includes firearms, ammunition, & fireworks)

Business-to-business or wholesale distributors of durable goods not elsewhere classified. Includes fire extinguishers, firearms, ammunition, gas, lighting fixtures, durable grave stones, luggage, monuments, musical instruments, rough timber products, signs, fireworks and flammable/radioactive materials.

5200

Home Supply Warehouse Stores

Warehouse stores – home supply, including wallpaper, paint, lumber, garden supplies, electrical equipment, home deco, sinks, cabinets, doors, and DIY kits.

5262

Online marketplaces selling a range of goods/services

Online marketplaces that accept Cards and sell a range of goods or services. Marketplaces with a single line of goods or services must select their corresponding line of business.

5271

Mobile Home Dealers

New and used mobile homes and related parts, accessories, and equipment.

5599

Miscellaneous Automotive, Aircraft, and Farm Equipment Dealers - Not Elsewhere Classified

New and used aircraft and/or automotive, farm and recreational vehicles, as well as parts, equipment and supplies not elsewhere classified. Includes all-terrain vehicle dealers, plane dealers, and golf cart dealers.

5813

Bars, Cocktail Lounges, Discotheques, Nightclubs, and Taverns - Drinking Place (Alcoholic Beverages)

Drinking establishments (alcoholic beverages), such as breweries, bars, taverns, nightclubs, cocktail lounges, discotheques, beer parlors, comedy clubs, microbreweries, pubs, saloons, and taprooms.

5712

Equipment, Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores (except Appliances)

Home furnishings stores, typically offering finished furniture and accessories (excluding appliances), such as bedding and mattresses, dining and living room furniture, porch and patio furnishings, baby furnishings, lamps, area rugs, and draperies.

5713

Floor Covering Stores

Floor coverings such as carpet, area rugs, floor tiles, linoleum, stone, wood, and brick. May include installation services.

5714

Drapery, Upholstery, and Window Coverings Stores

Curtain, upholstery materials, and window coverings, such as draperies, venetian blinds, and window shades.

5718

Fireplace, Fireplace Screens and Accessories Stores

Pre-made fireplaces, wood stoves, and fireplace parts and accessories.

5719

Miscellaneous House Furnishing Specialty Shops

Miscellaneous home furnishings, such as houseware, cutlery, bedding/linen, lamps and shades, mirrors, pictures, pottery and other ceramic items, bathware, cookware, and kitchenware.

5722

Household Appliance Stores

Household appliances, such as gas/electric ranges and stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, water heaters, washers/dryers, garbage disposals, sewing machines, self-contained air conditioning units, vacuum cleaners. May conduct repair work.

5815

Digital Goods - Audiovisual Media Including Books, Movies, and Music

Books, movies, music, or NFT delivered in electronic format.

5816

Digital Goods - Games

Games (except games of chance) delivered in electronic format Includes skill games (Visa only) and daily fantasy sports

5912

Drug Stores and Pharmacies

sale of prescription drugs, non-prescription (over-the-counter) medicines, vitamins, cannabis. May also include cosmetics, toiletries, tobacco, heating pads, and back supports.

5933

Pawn Shops

money lending in exchange for personal property left with the merchant as security.

5937

Antique Reproduction Stores

antique reproductions or facsimiles of clothing, furniture, rugs, art works, mirrors, glassware, jewelry, and others. Includes antique photograph reproduction and restoration services.

5944

Clock, Jewelry, Watch, and Silverware Store

Fine jewelry, watches, clocks, sterling silver and silver-plated flatware and accessories. May also repair fine jewelry.

5971

Art Dealers and Galleries

Art dealers and galleries, including sale of paintings, photographs, and sculptures.

5972

Stamp and Coin Stores - Philatelic and Numismatic Supplies

postage stamps and coins, and related accessories for the purpose of stamp/coin collecting or investment.

5993

Cigar Stores and Stands

tobacco, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokers’ supplies.

6010

Manual Cash Disbursements - Customer Financial Institution

financial institutions – manual/face-to-face cash disbursements. Includes banks, credit unions, savings and loans, travelers cheques, etc.

6011

Automated Cash Disbursements - Customer Financial Institution

identifies cash disbursement transactions occurring at automated teller machines (ATMs) owned, leased, controlled, or sponsored by a Sub-merchant

6012

Merchandise and Services - Customer Financial Institution

financial institutions – merchandise, services, and debt repayment. Includes the purchase of merchandise or services from or the repayment of debts to banks, savings and loans, thrifts, and credit unions, account funding, the purchase or reload of a stored value card, the purchase of foreign currency, non-fiat currency (such as cryptocurrency), money orders (not money transfer), travelers cheques, and loan fees or financial counseling service fees.

6050

Quasi Cash - Customer Financial Institution

identifies the purchase of travelers cheques, foreign currency, money orders, precious metals, or savings bonds

6051

Quasi Cash - Merchant

non-financial institutions offering foreign currency, non-fiat currency (like cryptocurrency), money orders (not money transfer), account funding (not stored value load), travelers cheques, and debt repayment.

6211

Securities - Brokers/Dealers

Sub-Merchant licensed, in all jurisdictions where they operate, to sell and broker securities, stocks, bonds, commodities, and mutual funds.Includes securities brokers and investments (e.g. precious metals investment, purchase of securities, currencies, derivatives, commodities, shares, binary options trades, foreign exchange and other financial instruments).

6300

Insurance Sales, Underwriting, and Premiums

personal or business insurance policies such as automobile, life, health, hospital, medical, and dental insurance, homeowners’ and renters’ insurance, real estate title insurance, pet health insurance and flood, fire, or earthquake insurance.

6513

Real Estate Agents and Managers - Rentals

Real estate agents and managers. Includes payment of management fees, rental commissions, and other payments relating to the rental and management of residential and commercial properties. Also includes payments of deposits for real estate purchases. Does not include short-term rentals (less than one month) and mortgage loan payments and real estate purchases.

6532

Payment Transaction - Customer Financial Institution

a Payment Transaction allows Mastercard cardholders to transfer funds to a Mastercard account.

6533

Payment Transaction - Merchant

a Payment Transaction allows Mastercard cardholders to transfer funds to a Mastercard account.

6536

MoneySend Intracountry

MoneySend operates on the basis of account-to-account processing with funds transferred from the Originating Institution to any card account held at the Receiving Institution and is based in the same country.

6537

MoneySend Intercountry

MoneySend operates on the basis of account-to-account processing with funds transferred from the Originating Institution to any card account held at the Receiving Institution and is based in a different country.

6538

MoneySend Funding

identifies a MoneySend Funding Transaction in which a cardholder uses a card to fund a MoneySend Payment Transaction.

6540

POI Funding Transaction

initial purchase and/or any subsequent reloads of stored value cards (including prepaid cards) occurring at non-financial institutions.

7011

Lodging - Hotels, Motels, Resorts - Not Elsewhere Classified

bed & breakfast establishments, central reservation services, hotels, inns, lodging establishments, motels, and resorts not elsewhere classified.

7273

Dating Services

dating services, including online services and matchmaking services.

7297

Massage Parlors

Massage parlors. May also provide other personal services such as spa treatments, saunas or hot tub rentals.

7321

Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies

consumer credit reporting services such as credit investigation, credit clearing houses, and other related services.

7641

Furniture - Reupholstery and Repair, Refinishing

furniture reupholstery, repairs, and refinishing.

7800

Government Owned Lotteries (US Region Only)

government-owned lotteries (US only).

7801

Internet Gambling (US Region Only)

government-licensed online casinos/online gambling (US only).

7802

Government Licensed Horse/Dog Racing (US Region Only)

government-licensed horse/dog racing (US only).

7832

Motion Picture Theaters

operate movie theatres and sell tickets and refreshments, or sell movie tickets online.

7841

DVD/Video Tape Rental Stores

DVDs/video tapes rental for personal use. May sell a limited selection of used videos/DVDs and refreshments.

7922

Theatrical Producers (Except Motion Pictures), Ticket Agencies

operate live theatrical productions (such as road companies and summer theatre groups) and services associated with theatrical productions and concerts (such as casting agencies, booking agencies, scenery, and lighting).

7994

Video Game Arcades/Establishments (includes Game of Skill & Fantasy Sports)

Operate Arcades, Amusement machines. Also applicable for Skill games processing with MC in the US region or accepting transactions from US cardholders.

7995

Gambling Transactions

betting, including lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, off-track betting, wagers at race tracks, bingo parlors, raffle tickets. This categorisation also applies to unlicensed binary options and synonymous products, rolling spot forex trading, financial spread betting, and contracts for difference.

8398

Organizations, Charitable and Social Service

non-political fund-raising organizations soliciting charitable donations/contributions on behalf of social welfare organizations. Also includes crowdfunding Sub-merchants that accept donations on behalf of individuals raising money for causes without receiving any financial benefit for doing so.

8651

Organizations, Political

membership organizations that promote the interests of or raise funds for a national, state, or local political party or candidate.

8661

Organizations, Religious

Religious organizations that provide worship services, religious training or study, or religious activities. Includes chapels, churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, convents, monasteries.

9406

Government Owned Lottery (Specific Countries)

government-owned lotteries (Non-US).

CKO14

Warranty Companies and Extended Warranty Companies

CKO21

Subscriptions > 1 year

Card schemes require merchants with subscriptions > 1 year to re engage with customers after 1 year

CKO22

Buy now pay later / Instalment payment methods

Buy now pay later / Instalment payment methods

CKO24

Multi-level/Affiliate Marketing Business (MLM)

Multi-level/Affiliate Marketing Business (MLM)

CKO25

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a form of retail business where the seller accepts customer orders but does not keep goods sold in stock. Orders are fulfilled by a third party