The Terminated Merchant File (TMF), which is now officially known as the Member Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants (MATCH) list, is a highly restrictive database created and maintained by Mastercard. It functions as a global blacklist of merchants and their principal owners whose acquiring banks have terminated their accounts "for cause."
Why Merchants Get Added to MATCH
Acquiring banks are required to add a merchant to the MATCH list if their account is closed due to severe violations, including:
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Excessive Chargebacks: Consistently breaching card network chargeback thresholds.
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Fraud Conviction: Documented evidence of fraudulent activity.
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Money Laundering: Involvement in transaction laundering or illegal funding.
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PCI Non-Compliance: Severe data breaches or refusal to secure cardholder data.
The Consequences of MATCH
Once a business or its Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) is placed on the MATCH list, it is nearly impossible for them to secure a merchant account with any other legitimate payment processor for up to five years. Checking the MATCH list is a mandatory step in the underwriting process.
Automated MATCH Screening with Onlayer
Manually checking legacy blacklists slows down onboarding. Onlayer automatically detects external blacklists and scam tags during the KYM process. By catching merchants with prior bans or scam reports definitively before finalizing the approval process, Onlayer protects your portfolio from known bad actors.
