Ineligible Merchant Categories/Activities/Businesses

900 Phone Numbers

Establishments which provide services via a premium rate telephone number, e.g., which bill calling customers for the telephone calls made to the establishment.

Adult entertainment

Internet adult digital content sites.

Auction Sales – Internet or Onsite

Establishments engaged in providing auction services (facilitating the process of buying and selling things by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder).

Check cashing/guarantee and Bureau de Change Merchants

Card Member cashes a check using the Card as a check guarantee.

Child pornography

Any written or visual depiction of a minor engaged in obscene or sexually explicit conduct.

Detective agencies

Establishments engaged in providing detective or investigative services, such as detective agencies and private investigators.

Goods/services with future deliverable or maturity date

Merchants that are engaged in soliciting or accepting orders for goods/services for future delivery (greater than four months for delivery) with an intention of gaining return on investment (e.g., stock market, wines futures, or timber investment).

Illegal drug and paraphernalia

Medical marijuana dispensaries

Seller of marijuana used for medicinal purposes.

Multi-level pyramid sales

Multi-level marketing system using one or moreof the following practices:

· Participants pay for the right to receive compensation for recruiting new participants.

· Participants are required to buy a specific quantity of products, other than at cost, for the purpose of advertising before participants are allowed to join the plan or advance within the plan.

· Participants are sold unreasonable quantities of the product or products (also known as inventory loading).

· Participants are not allowed to return products on reasonable commercial terms.

Non-Agent ticket retailers

Ticket retailers who are not a member of a Travel Industry Bonding Organization, or not an authorized Airline Ticket Agent (e.g. ARC/IATA/ABTA).

Precious Metals

Establishments engaged in the sale of precious metals (e.g., gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion and/or bars). Collectable coins and jewelry are not prohibited.

Prostitution

Payment for sexual services.

Real Estate Property Lessors (NEC)

Establishments which lease real estate property.

Real Estate Property Rentals and Purchases

Establishments which sell or rent real estate property, such as real estate agencies.