To ensure compliance with financial regulations and security policies, Chipper Ghana USD cards cannot be used at certain merchant categories. Transactions to these types of merchants will be declined automatically.
1. What Are Merchant Category Codes (MCCs)?
Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) are four-digit codes assigned by card networks (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) to categorize businesses based on the type of goods or services they provide. Certain MCCs are restricted on Chipper cards for regulatory and operational reasons.
2. Restricted Merchant Categories
Transactions will be declined for the following merchant types:
Security Brokers/Dealers - Licensed to buy, sell, and broker securities, stocks, bonds, commodities, and mutual funds
Non-Financial Institutions - Stored Value Card Purchase/Load - Used by Merchants whose primary business is the sale and/or reload of any subsequent reloads of stored value cards/accounts
Money Transfer - Allow customers to transfer funds via an electronic funds transfer/wire transfer/remittance to a named entity
Drugs, Drug Proprietaries, and Druggist Sundries - B2B or wholesale distributors of prescription drugs, proprietary drugs, druggists' sundries, pharmaceuticals, or biological related products
Guns and Ammunition Shops
Dating and Escort Services - including online services
Financial Institutions - Manual Cash Disbursements - MCC used for face-to-face cash disbursements
Financial Institutions - Automated Cash Disbursements - Only for cash disbursements at ATMs owned, leased, controlled, or sponsored by banks, savings and loans, thrifts, and credit unions
Direct Marketing - Inbound Teleservices Merchant - Sell information or content services that customers access via telephone, fax, or over the internet
Non-Financial Institutions - Foreign Currency, Liquid or Cryptocurrency Assets
Government-Owned Lotteries (US Region only) - Registered with Visa to sell lottery tickets
Government Licensed Online Casinos (Online Gambling) (US Region only) - Registered with Visa to sell virtual gambling chips or offer online gambling
Government-Licensed Horse/Dog Racing (US Region only) - Registered to sell on-or-off-track wagers at horse-or-dog racing facilities
Betting, including Lottery Tickets, Casino Gaming Chips, Off-Track Betting, Wagers at Race Tracks, and games of chance to win prizes of monetary value
Government-Owned Lotteries (Non-U.S. region)
3. Alternative Payment Options
If you need to make payments to any of the above merchants, consider the following options:
Using an alternative payment method such as bank transfers, other debit/credit cards, or digital wallets, where applicable.
Checking with the merchant to see if they accept alternative payment platforms.
4. Need Help?
If you have any questions about a declined transaction, please reach out to Chipper Support for further assistance.
Do you need further assistance?