The Payment Processor Reserve Dispute Service That Gets Withheld Funds Released.
If your payment processor put a reserve on your account or paused your payouts, your cash flow stops while the processor decides. A reserve is the processor’s guess about future refunds and disputes, and often a bank you never deal with is behind it. We find what set it off, find who actually holds the money and ask for a release based on what your own data shows. Start with a free assessment and know where you stand before you pay.
Pick what your processor is showing you. The board shows how that hold usually lands across a stack of processors, and the panel shows how we would work it.
The Payment Processors and Gateways We Handle
Thirty processors and gateways, each with its own portal, terms, reserve rules and release path. Find your processor to see how a case works there.
Not listed. Submit the case and we will tell you if we take it.
Get Your Processing Back and Your Withheld Funds Released
Reserves roll forward, disputes keep adding risk, and a termination can follow you to the next processor through MATCH. We work all of it at once.
What changesProcessing back on the processors that matter, with every open review item answered once and the trigger behind the hold explained.
What changesEvery held amount tied to a reason and a date, and the balance above real exposure requested back in writing.
What changesMerchant IDs cleared one by one and no fraud listing following the business to the next processor.
Who at Your Payment Processor Decides a Reserve or Hold
Processors publish their policies, never their org charts. The same seven teams exist at nearly every one under different names. Our people have sat on the other side of these reviews. Tap a team, then turn the ring to see what yours calls it.
Every processor runs the same seven functions under different names. Tap a team, then turn the ring to see what that team is called at the processor holding your money.
What Your Reserve or Payout Hold Notice Means
Every processor words its notices its own way. The notice tells you what was flagged. It rarely tells you why. Pick the notice that matches yours and see what sets it off, what the processor can prove and what it’s only assuming.
Rolling reserve
Reviewed by Risk and underwriting
Typical grade: DifficultWhat sets it off
- Longer delivery windows
- Refunds or disputes above category norm
- A category the processor rates high risk
What they can prove
- Delivery timelines and refund history
- The dispute ratio by month
What they infer
- That future liability is as large as the reserve
Our pathway
- 1Model exposure from order data
- 2Show the gap between reserve and exposure
- 3Request a smaller rate or shorter period
- 4Get the schedule in writing
A reserve is a forecast. We replace the forecast with your real numbers.
Payouts paused
Reviewed by Transaction monitoring and fraud
Typical grade: ModerateWhat sets it off
- A volume spike
- A new product line or price point
- A first batch on a new account
What they can prove
- Which payouts are paused
- The pattern that changed
What they infer
- That the new sales may not be fulfilled
Our pathway
- 1Tie the spike to a campaign or season
- 2Attach orders, tracking, and supplier records
- 3Answer the review once, complete
- 4Follow up on open items only
Paused payouts lift on orders and tracking, not on a letter about your reputation.
Chargeback ratio
Reviewed by Disputes and chargebacks
Typical grade: DifficultWhat sets it off
- Disputes above the level the acquirer reports
- One reason code dominating
- Low representment win rate
What they can prove
- Every dispute and outcome
- The reason code mix
What they infer
- That the business will keep generating disputes
Our pathway
- 1Group disputes by reason and product
- 2Fix the source
- 3Represent only winnable cases
- 4Show the ratio falling month over month
Ratios fall when the source is fixed. Arguing never moves one.
Compliance review
Reviewed by Compliance, KYC, and AML
Typical grade: ModerateWhat sets it off
- Owner or entity details that do not match
- Inbound money from unexplained sources
- A screening match
What they can prove
- The documents on file
- Which fields do not match
What they infer
- That the account holder or funds are not fully identified
Our pathway
- 1Audit every document for mismatches
- 2Trace each inflow to a customer or contract
- 3Verify every owner
- 4Upload once, complete
Compliance holds clear on consistency. One mismatched name restarts the clock.
Termination
Reviewed by Risk and underwriting
Typical grade: Hell 1 to 2What sets it off
- A ratio or risk read past tolerance
- A category review
- A failed reverification
What they can prove
- The balance and termination date
- Open disputes at closure
What they infer
- That the full balance is still needed for liability
Our pathway
- 1Read the agreement terms on reserves
- 2Reconcile open liability against the balance
- 3Request release of undisputed funds
- 4Escalate a complete record if held without reason
After a termination the fight is the balance. We show where no liability is left.
Category offboarding
Reviewed by Compliance, KYC, and AML
Typical grade: Hell 1 to 2What sets it off
- Products on a restricted list
- Site claims that read as regulated
- A category needing preapproval
What they can prove
- The products and site content reviewed
What they infer
- That the business is outside policy
Our pathway
- 1Describe the model precisely
- 2Separate allowed products from restricted ones
- 3Remove or document regulated claims
- 4Request review or preapproval
We document what the business actually sells, and never soften it.
MATCH listing
Reviewed by Acquiring and sponsor banks
Typical grade: Hell 3 to 5What sets it off
- A termination by an acquirer
- Ratios or events the acquirer matched to a code
What they can prove
- The termination
- The ratios for the period
What they infer
- That the reason code describes the merchant
Our pathway
- 1Get the reason code
- 2Test the facts against its criteria
- 3Build the correction file
- 4Submit to the listing acquirer
Only the acquirer that listed you can correct it. We build the file it can act on.
Merchant of record hold
Reviewed by Payouts and settlement
Typical grade: DifficultWhat sets it off
- Refund or dispute spikes on a product
- A seller account review
- Content or product review
What they can prove
- Refunds, disputes, and payouts by product
What they infer
- That the reseller carries more exposure than revenue
Our pathway
- 1Reconcile statements by product
- 2Model exposure the reseller carries
- 3Answer the seller review
- 4Request the payout release
A merchant of record treats your disputes as its own. We answer that exposure directly.
Why One Processor’s Termination Follows You to the Next
Processors watch each other’s outcomes. A termination at your main acquirer can bring a reserve at your backup and a MATCH review, even when the second processor’s own data is clean. We separate what each one can actually prove.
An eight-figure supplement brand on two processors is terminated by its primary acquirer after a renewal dispute spike, its backup processor adds a reserve, and a MATCH listing is pending. Illustrative case pattern. Lines and dates are illustrative.
Who Actually Holds Your Money and Where to Send Your Case
The company you pay isn’t always the company holding your money. Gateways sit in front of acquirers, merchants of record carry your disputes and e-money providers run compliance first. Pick your processor to see who decides and where your case goes first.
- Who holds the money
- Team that decides
- Send it through
- Send first
- Ceiling, if it stalls
Pick the processor and what happened. The router shows who actually holds the money, which team decides, and the channel to use first.
How Processors Decide Whether to Release Your Funds
A processor doesn’t read your request on its own. It reads it against your whole merchant record: your dispute ratio, your volume changes, your category, the processors you use and every response you’ve sent before. We write yours to answer what the risk team is actually weighing.
Potentially how it looks. A fictitious reconstruction built from our research and quantified only from cases we have handled. It is not a processor screen or tool. Names, IDs, and records are invented or redacted.
Merchant summary
Exposure and dispute signals
Reserves, disputes and listings sit with different teams, and sometimes different companies. Clearing one leaves the others open.
Identity
Standing
Funds
Showing 8 of 19 related records. Holds spread across processors through shared owners, banks, and descriptors, so we map every hit and prove what is separate.
Illustrative. The line marks the level the acquirer reports against for this account, not a published network threshold.
Every flag above is something a reviewer weighs before they read a word of your appeal. Tap one to see what it means and what we do with it.
How to Get Processor Reserves and Withheld Funds Released
The same order works on every processor, from PayPal to Worldpay. Below is how we work your case, start to finish.
Every processor file travels the same five stations in the same order. Tap a station or send the capsule on to see what happens there.
- 01
We read everything the processor sent
Hold and reserve notices, review requests, the merchant agreement, statements, dispute reports and payout history from every processor you use. Nothing gets written until we see the full picture.
Hold or termination noticeMerchant agreementStatements and payout historyDispute report by reason code - 02
We find what moved the risk record
We check volume, disputes, category, verification and linked accounts until the real cause is clear, and we find out which party actually holds your funds.
Volume and dispute timelineParty holding the fundsReviewing teamOther processors exposed - 03
We grade the case before you pay
You’ll know how hard your case is, how much is withheld, the likely path and any MATCH risk. If we can’t help, we tell you before you pay.
Case gradeFunds at riskDocuments still neededWorking timeline range - 04
We write to the request and the exposure
A complete document response and a reserve or release request built on your own order data. A second specialist reviews it before it goes out.
Response letterExposure modelExhibit indexQuality review - 05
We keep the money moving
Every reply tells us what’s still missing. Stalled cases go to senior risk or the acquiring bank, and attorney letters only come in when the record supports it. We never resend the same request.
Submission logReply analysisEscalation routeRelease tracker
If the first response is declined
Review channel response
The complete answer through the channel the processor set, like the PayPal Resolution Center, the Shopify admin or a risk review email. Most holds are decided here when the first response is complete.
Reserve reduction request
A written request with your real risk numbers and a proposed release schedule. Reserves move on data.
Undisputed funds release
A documented request for balances that no longer carry refund or chargeback risk, including after termination. Opened on day one and kept separate from reinstatement.
Senior, acquirer, or complaint escalation
Senior risk, the acquiring or sponsor bank, or a formal complaint with an ombudsman or regulator where the provider is regulated for it. Only after every in-channel step is done.
Attorney pre-escalation notice
When a case is stuck and the facts are on your side, an attorney-reviewed letter under the merchant agreement puts the dispute on record before its dispute resolution step. We only use it when the case calls for it.
Struggling to get it back on your own?
Book a call and we’ll map out your next move. Or submit your case and we’ll look at the hold notice first, free.
Check Where Your Processor Hold Case Stands
Answer four quick questions and see how hard your case looks and what’s still missing. Nothing is sent until you hit submit.
- 1What did you receive
- 2Where does it stand
- 3What applies
- 4What you have
What notice did you receive
Where does the case stand today
Tick everything that applies
Which of these can you get
- Team that reviews it
- What they check
- Our route
- Still missing
A first look from four answers. The real grade comes after we read the notice and your file.
processor case, draft
We are the ones merchants come to when every other agency and law firm has already failed.
Most merchants find us after their processor said no and another agency already tried. Every response stays on your merchant record, so the next one has to be built differently. Our team has worked inside platform risk teams and knows what each review is measuring. That’s how we’ve resolved more than 10,000 cases.
Know How Hard Your Processor Case Is Before You Pay
Toggle what’s true for your account and watch the grade change. The more damage on the account, the more work it takes, and your price follows. If there’s no real path, we tell you before you pay.
- What the team sees
- How we work it
Moderate
A clean account with one growth or verification trigger. A complete response with orders, tracking and matching documents.
Difficult
A reserve or review that needs data the processor doesn’t have yet. The real cause and your actual risk, worked out from your order data.
Hell 1
A past response on file that fell short. A rebuilt document set with every mismatch fixed and the gap answered.
Hell 2
A dispute pattern driving reserves and limits. Reason code analysis, representment and fixes at the source.
Hell 3
Ratios near network levels or a hold spreading across processors. A risk map across every processor and a plan to bring disputes down.
Hell 4
A closed relationship with money still inside it. Agreement review, matching what’s really owed and release of undisputed funds.
Hell 5
A listing that follows the business to the next processor. The reason code checked against the record and a correction file for the acquirer that listed you.
Hell 6
No real path to a human reviewer left. We tell you before you pay.
Hell 7
No real option left. We tell you before you pay.
What’s Included in Your Processor Reserve Dispute
Everything the risk team needs to release funds, every reply that comes back and a plan to keep the next processor from seeing the same problem.
Each deliverable is one check in the book, made out to your business. Tap a stub to tear the next one out and read what is on it.
Processor response file
Every requested document with a short cover note on each, written to the channel that asked.
Exposure model
Your real refund and dispute risk, worked out from your own orders, by month and by processor.
Release schedule request
The written request for a smaller reserve or the undisputed balance, with a date for every withheld amount.
MATCH and ratio review
The reason code checked against the record, plus the dispute and fraud ratios the acquirer reports against.
Processing controls playbook
Descriptor, refund, dispute and verification habits to keep running on every processor.
What Goes Into a Strong Reserve Release Request
Processors want to see your real risk, the fix and the proof behind both. Tap a document to see an example.
To: Risk and underwriting
Re: Rolling reserve
1. Root cause
Whether the percentage and hold period match your real refund and chargeback exposure. Common at PayPal, Shopify Payments, BlueSnap, 2Checkout, and Mollie.
2. Corrective actions taken
You’ll know how hard your case is, how much is withheld, the likely path and any MATCH risk. If we can’t help, we tell you before you pay.
3. Preventive measures
Every requested document with a short cover note on each, written to the channel that asked.
Exhibits A to F attached
To: Risk and underwriting
Re: Rolling reserve
1. Root cause
Whether the percentage and hold period match your real refund and chargeback exposure. Common at PayPal, Shopify Payments, BlueSnap, 2Checkout, and Mollie.
2. Corrective actions taken
You’ll know how hard your case is, how much is withheld, the likely path and any MATCH risk. If we can’t help, we tell you before you pay.
3. Preventive measures
Your real refund and dispute risk, worked out from your own orders, by month and by processor.
Exhibits A to F attached
To: Risk and underwriting
Re: Rolling reserve
1. Root cause
Whether the percentage and hold period match your real refund and chargeback exposure. Common at PayPal, Shopify Payments, BlueSnap, 2Checkout, and Mollie.
2. Corrective actions taken
You’ll know how hard your case is, how much is withheld, the likely path and any MATCH risk. If we can’t help, we tell you before you pay.
3. Preventive measures
The reason code checked against the record, plus the dispute and fraud ratios the acquirer reports against.
Exhibits A to F attached
Processor Holds and Who Reviews Them
Pick a category, then open any case to see who reviews it, what sets it off and what we send.
Who reviews processor cases
RRisk and underwriting
Sets the reserve, the payout schedule, and the processing limits from expected refund and chargeback exposure. At PayPal this is merchant underwriting and reserves, at Braintree underwriting, at Worldpay merchant risk and credit.
Fulfillment, refund, and dispute data showing the exposure is smaller than the reserve assumes.
TTransaction monitoring and fraud
Scores live transactions and pauses payouts on spikes, card testing, and patterns that do not match the business on file. BlueSnap, 2Checkout, and Worldpay run fraud prevention teams, and Authorize.net exposes its filters in the Fraud Detection Suite.
An explanation of the pattern with the orders behind it and the screening that now stops it.
DDisputes and chargebacks
Handles card chargebacks and buyer claims, and watches the ratios the card networks monitor. PayPal runs claims through the Resolution Center, Klarna through its disputes tools, Shopify Payments through the admin.
Evidence that answers each reason code on time and a falling ratio that proves the source is fixed.
CCompliance, KYC, and AML
Verifies identity, beneficial owners, source of funds, and whether the business sits in a restricted category. Wise, Revolut, Skrill, and Checkout.com run these as financial crime and AML reviews.
Current, matching documents for every person and entity, and a business model described exactly as it runs.
PPayouts and settlement
Releases balances on the schedule the agreement sets and executes holds and reserve releases. 2Checkout routes payout changes through 2Checkout Finance, FastSpring and Mollie run payouts and finance teams, Klarna nets settlements in the Merchant Portal.
A reconciled balance with every held amount tied to a reason and a date.
AAcquiring and sponsor banks
The bank behind the processor that carries the card risk. Paysafe, PaySimple, and Durango work with sponsor or acquiring banks, Authorize.net sits in front of one, and the acquirer is the party that reports terminations to MATCH.
A record showing the exposure is covered and, for a listing, that the reason code does not fit the facts.
EEscalations, complaints, and Legal
Senior escalation, formal complaints, and the legal department. For regulated e-money and payment providers such as Wise, Revolut, and Mollie, a formal complaint can lead to an ombudsman or regulator where it applies.
A documented file showing the merchant answered everything asked and funds remain held without a stated reason.
Reserves and holds
processor noticeRolling reserveRolling reserve
We model real exposure and request a smaller percentage or shorter period, with a written schedule.
Risk and underwriting
Delivery times, refund history, and category risk that suggest future liability.
An exposure model from order data and a written reserve reduction request with dates.
processor noticeFixed or upfront reserveFixed or upfront reserve
We show the required balance exceeds actual liability and propose a step down tied to data.
Risk and underwriting
A set amount the processor or bank wants held regardless of volume.
Liability accounting showing the amount exceeds the risk, with a step down proposal.
processor noticePaused payoutsPaused payouts
We tie the flagged pattern to real orders and answer the review once, complete.
Transaction monitoring and fraud
A volume spike, a new product line, or activity that does not match the business on file.
The orders, tracking, and supplier records behind the pattern, answered once and complete.
processor noticePost-termination reservePost-termination reserve
We reconcile held funds against open liability under your agreement and request release of what is undisputed.
Payouts and settlement
A balance kept after termination to cover refunds and disputes still inside their windows.
A reconciliation of open liability against the withheld funds and a request for the undisputed remainder.
processor noticeDelayed settlementDelayed settlement
We document fulfillment and dispute history to move the payout schedule back to standard.
Payouts and settlement
A payout schedule extended past standard after a review.
Fulfillment and dispute history showing the delay no longer matches the exposure.
processor noticeReserve after a migrationReserve after a migration
Moving processors or platforms changed the payment pattern overnight.
Risk and underwriting
A sudden change in volume and ticket mix on a new account.
The migration timeline with prior processor statements showing steady history.
processor noticePreorder holdPreorder hold
Preorders with long ship dates keep payments exposed for weeks.
Risk and underwriting
Charges for goods not shipped inside the usual window.
Ship dates, supplier confirmation, and the preorder terms shown to buyers.
Terminations and closures
processor noticeAccount terminated with balance heldAccount terminated with balance held
We read the agreement first, then pursue the balance on its terms.
Risk and underwriting
A decision to end the agreement with liability still open.
The agreement terms, a liability reconciliation, and a release request built on them.
processor noticeSudden closure without noticeSudden closure without notice
We reconstruct the trigger from your data and request the stated reason and the balance.
Risk and underwriting
An automated or risk driven closure with no reason given.
The trigger reconstructed from your data and a request for the stated reason and the balance.
processor noticeCategory offboardingCategory offboarding
We document the business model precisely and show where it sits relative to the restricted list.
Compliance, KYC, and AML
A product or business model read as restricted or prohibited.
The business model, licensing, and site claims documented exactly as they run.
processor noticeLinked account closureLinked account closure
We map the shared identifier and prove independent ownership and control.
Transaction monitoring and fraud
A shared owner, bank, device, or descriptor with a closed account.
An identifier map and proof of independent ownership and control.
processor noticeClosure after an ownership changeClosure after an ownership change
The business was sold and the new owner kept processing on the old account.
Compliance, KYC, and AML
A new controller on an existing merchant account.
The transfer documents and the new owner verification.
MATCH and network programs
processor noticeMATCH listingMATCH listing
We test the reason code against the record and work the correction through the listing acquirer.
Acquiring and sponsor banks
A termination the acquirer reported to Mastercard under a reason code.
The record tested against the reason code and a correction request to the listing acquirer.
processor noticeWrong MATCH reason codeWrong MATCH reason code
We document why the facts do not meet the code, because a listing added in error is what the acquirer can correct.
Acquiring and sponsor banks
A listing code whose criteria the merchant record does not meet.
Ratios and facts for the period showing the code does not fit, for the acquirer to correct.
processor noticeCard network monitoring programCard network monitoring program
We bring dispute and fraud ratios down with a plan the acquirer can report against.
Disputes and chargebacks
Dispute or fraud ratios at levels the networks monitor.
A reduction plan with weekly ratio data the acquirer can report against.
processor noticeNetwork fines passed throughNetwork fines passed through
We review how the assessment was calculated and whether the agreement allows the deduction.
Payouts and settlement
An assessment from a card network deducted from settlements.
A request for the calculation and the agreement clause, with a reconciliation of the deduction.
processor noticeListing after a data breachListing after a data breach
A compromise led to termination and a listing tied to card data security.
Acquiring and sponsor banks
A termination for an account data compromise.
Forensic findings, the remediation, and current PCI DSS validation.
Chargebacks and disputes
processor noticeExcessive chargeback ratioExcessive chargeback ratio
We fix the source and represent the cases that can be won.
Disputes and chargebacks
Disputes above the level the processor tolerates for the category.
Reason code analysis, representment of winnable cases, and the fix at the source.
processor noticeSubscription renewal disputesSubscription renewal disputes
We fix the descriptor, reminders, and cancellation flow that create not recognized disputes.
Disputes and chargebacks
Not recognized disputes clustered after renewal runs.
The descriptor, reminder, and cancellation fixes with the ratio trend that shows them working.
processor noticeFriendly fraud clusterFriendly fraud cluster
We separate true fraud from buyers disputing real orders and answer each with the right evidence.
Disputes and chargebacks
Buyers disputing orders that were delivered and used.
Delivery, usage, and communication evidence per case, with true fraud separated out.
processor noticeBuyer claim deductionsBuyer claim deductions
We reconcile claims netted from settlements, such as Klarna and PayPal deductions, and appeal the ones that were wrong.
Payouts and settlement
Claims netted from settlements before payout.
A settlement reconciliation and appeals on the deductions the evidence answers.
processor noticeCard testing attackCard testing attack
Bots ran small authorizations through the checkout and disputes followed.
Transaction monitoring and fraud
Bursts of low value attempts and declines on new cards.
The attack window, refunds issued, and the screening now in place.
Compliance and verification
processor noticeKYC and beneficial ownershipKYC and beneficial ownership
We align every document for every owner before upload.
Compliance, KYC, and AML
Owners or entity details that do not match across documents.
Current matching documents for every person and entity, uploaded once.
processor noticeSource of funds reviewSource of funds review
We trace inbound money to real customers and contracts.
Compliance, KYC, and AML
Inbound money the processor cannot tie to customers or contracts.
Contracts, invoices, and bank records tracing each inflow.
processor noticeRestricted or high-risk businessRestricted or high-risk business
We document licensing, product scope, and site claims exactly.
Compliance, KYC, and AML
A category, license question, or site claim under the restricted list.
Licensing, product scope, and site claims documented exactly.
processor noticeSanctions or screening matchSanctions or screening match
We document the identity facts that separate you from the screened party.
Compliance, KYC, and AML
A name or entity that resembles a screened party.
The identity facts that separate the merchant from the screened party.
processor noticeAddress change reviewAddress change review
A new business address does not match documents on file.
Compliance, KYC, and AML
Profile changes that differ from verified records.
Proof of the new address in the business name.
Processor models
processor noticeMerchant of record holdsMerchant of record holds
FastSpring, 2Checkout, and Paddle carry your disputes as their own exposure. We answer that exposure, not a generic risk label.
Payouts and settlement
Refunds and disputes the reseller carries as its own exposure.
Exposure accounting by product and a payout release request to the reseller.
processor noticeGateway versus acquirer holdsGateway versus acquirer holds
On Authorize.net and NMI the gateway rarely holds the money. We find the acquirer or provider that does.
Acquiring and sponsor banks
A hold set by the acquirer or provider behind the gateway.
Identification of the holding party and a response written to that party.
processor noticeE-money wallet holdsE-money wallet holds
Wise, Skrill, Revolut Business, and Payoneer reviews are compliance reviews first. We answer them as such.
Compliance, KYC, and AML
A compliance review of activity, owners, or source of funds.
A complete compliance response, then a balance return or release request.
processor noticeACH return rate reviewsACH return rate reviews
On Dwolla and other bank transfer platforms, return codes drive status. We remediate the rates and the authorization trail.
Transaction monitoring and fraud
Unauthorized or administrative return rates near Nacha levels.
Return remediation, authorization records, and the rate trend after the fix.
processor noticePlatform wind down balancePlatform wind down balance
The software platform moved off its processor and left balances behind, as with WePay.
Payouts and settlement
A merchant whose platform relationship ended with funds still held.
The platform notice, statements, and a release request to the holding party.
Your processor case may not be listed here. We have likely seen it.
We’ve worked far more processor cases than fit on one page, including rare notices and stacked decisions. Send us yours and we’ll work out the path with you.
Payment Processor Hold FAQs
Don’t see your question? Send us your notice and we’ll answer it directly.
Why is my payment processor holding my funds?
A payment processor holds funds when it sees a higher risk of losses from disputes, refunds or fraud. Common triggers include rising chargebacks, higher refund rates, long delivery times, sudden jumps in sales volume and missing documents during a risk review. The processor carries the loss if you cannot cover it, so it holds money back.
What is a reserve on a merchant account?
A reserve on a merchant account is a temporary hold on part or all of your sales for a set period to cover chargebacks and refunds. It can be a fixed amount or a percentage of each sale, such as 10 percent held for 120 days. The processor sends the reserve terms, and each reserve has an expiry date.
How do I get a merchant account reserve released?
You get a merchant account reserve released or reduced by showing the processor your real risk is lower than the reserve assumes. Send delivery proof, your chargeback and refund rates by month and current financial statements. Some processors accept an appeal by replying to the reserve notice within a set time. We fight to get it released.
Should I send the processor documents while my account is under review?
Yes, send exactly what the processor asks for, and send it quickly. Braintree, for example, asks merchants to return periodic review documents within 2 weeks and may put a funding hold on the account if it does not hear back. Answer each request completely and keep every file consistent with the last one.
What is the MATCH list?
The MATCH list is Mastercard’s database of businesses that acquirers terminated for serious rule violations, fraud or excessive chargebacks. Acquirers must screen every applicant against it, and most processors reject listed businesses and their principal owners. Listings stay active for 5 years. Visa runs a similar database called VMSS.
How do I get off the MATCH list?
You can only get off the MATCH list if the acquirer added you in error, or if you were listed for PCI DSS noncompliance and have since become fully compliant. Only the acquirer that placed the listing can remove it. If you do not know which acquirer listed you, you can email Mastercard at matchbusinessowner@mastercard.com.
What chargeback rate gets a merchant placed on MATCH?
A merchant qualifies for MATCH for excessive chargebacks when monthly Mastercard chargebacks exceed 1 percent of monthly Mastercard sales transactions and total 5,000 dollars or more in the same month. Winning those chargebacks later does not change the status. Closing the processing account does not prevent a listing either.
What happens if my chargebacks are too high?
When chargebacks pass card network limits, Visa or Mastercard can place you in a monitoring program with monthly fines until rates drop. Mastercard’s Excessive Chargeback Merchant level starts at 100 chargebacks and a 1.5 percent rate. Mastercard removes you after 3 straight months below the threshold. Refunds and won disputes still count.
Can I just open a new merchant account after a termination?
Opening a new merchant account after a termination is hard when the business or its owners are on MATCH or VMSS, because acquirers must screen every applicant against those lists and most reject listed merchants. Hiding ownership or business details to get approved is deceptive. Fix the cause and resolve the original account first.
Is it worth hiring help to release funds from a payment processor?
Hiring help to release processor funds makes sense when a large amount is locked, the reserve is bigger than your real chargeback exposure or your first request was denied. A good team builds the numbers and documents the processor reviews. Start with a free assessment so you know where you stand before you pay.
How much does a payment processor reserve dispute service cost?
The cost of a reserve dispute depends on the processor and how hard the case is. A single reserve on an open account takes less work than a closed account with locked money and a MATCH concern. We start with a free assessment, then quote a price based on the work your case actually needs.
Can anyone guarantee my funds will be released?
No. The processor and its acquiring bank make the final decision, so no one can promise your funds will be released, and you should be careful with anyone who does. What we commit to is the work: a complete, honest file and steady follow-up until they decide. You also get a straight answer before you pay.
The Operators, Brands and Firms That Trust Us
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Get a Free Assessment of Your Processor Hold
Send us your hold notice. We’ll tell you where you stand before you pay anything. Hold off on uploading anything new to the processor until we’ve looked.
- A specialist reads your notice before the call
- You leave with the route and the grade in writing
- No fee to talk, no obligation after