Payment Rules and Regulations

We are unable to process some or all payments to payee’s in the following categories.  Please review this list and ensure your payments align with our policies.

Credit Card Scheme Rules

Under credit card issuer regulations, a credit card cannot be used to satisfy an outstanding debt e.g. credit card statements, loan repayments etc.

Prohibited or Restricted Industries

Prohibited or Restricted Industries definitions

Bail/bond Bail

A sum of money paid by a criminal defendant to be released from jail under the condition that they appear for court appearances. 

Bankruptcy services: 

A company or agency that is in the business of recovering money owed on delinquent accounts or supporting the bankruptcy process. 

Branded and non-branded car rental agencies: 

Services providing rental cars, including both branded and non-branded agencies. 

Branded and non-branded lodging establishments: 

Lodging services encompassing both branded and non-branded hotels, motels, and resorts. 

Car rental agencies: 

Services offering the rental of vehicles for a specified period. 

Cash at Point of Sale: 

A cash advance from financial and non-financial institutions. 

Check cashing/guarantee: 

A business that provides customers with a way to turn a check into cash without relying on a bank account. 

Child pornography: 

An individual or entity involved in the visual depiction of a minor engaged in obscene or sexually explicit conduct, made or produced by various means. 

Condo (real estate) down payments: 

Down payments for the purchase of a condominium property. 

Credit restoration: 

A service aimed at improving credit ratings by disputing errors and outdated claims with credit bureaus. 

Dating services and escort services: 

A business, agency, or person who, for a fee, provides or offers to provide escort or dating services. 

Debt collection: 

The process of pursuing payments of debts owed by individuals and/or businesses. 

Digital file hosting (Cyberlockers): 

Online data hosting services providing remote storage space within a secure storage architecture, accessible globally over the Internet. 

Door-to-door sales: 

Unsolicited individuals selling goods and/or services with immediate payment expected, often going from door to door. 

Foreign exchanges: 

Businesses or financial institutions with the legal right to exchange one currency for another. 

Gambling: 

The wagering of money or something of value on an event with an uncertain outcome, with the primary intent of winning money or material goods. 

Investment on futures: 

A legal agreement to buy or sell something at a predetermined price at a specified time in the future, between parties not known to each other. 

Licensed insolvency practitioners: 

Professional intermediaries in insolvency procedures. 

Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts (including “branded” Central Reservation Services) 

Branded and non-branded lodging establishments, including hotels, motels, and resorts. 

Marijuana-related businesses 

Individuals or entities involved in manufacturing, processing, distributing, or dispensing marijuana or its by-products, for recreational or medicinal purposes, subject to governmental licensing. 

Multi-level marketing / pyramid selling (also referred to as Direct Marketing – Inbound/Outbound Telemarketing) 

A sales system involving practices like participants paying for the right to receive compensation for recruiting new participants or buying specific quantities of products. 

Online adult entertainment 

Businesses primarily selling adult digital content via Internet electronic delivery. 

Payment Aggregator / Aggregator / Master Merchant / Payment Facilitator / Third Party Service Provider (“TPSP”) 

Entities submitting transactions for payment to a payment card network on behalf of other merchants with or without direct relationships with merchant acquirers.  

Payday lending: 

Companies lending customers money at high-interest rates with the agreement that the loan will be repaid when the borrower receives their next paycheck. 

Payroll 

AMEX has specific regulations disallowing payroll payments. 

Political party donations 

Contributions, funds, goods, or services raised to promote the interests of a national, state, or local political party, candidate, or campaign. 

Prescription drugs: 

Pharmacies (card not present) selling prescription drugs and products online. 

Prostitution 

Individuals or businesses providing sexual services in return for payment. 

Related Entities 

Individuals or entities associated with the cardholder, including parents, subsidiaries, and other substantial ownership interests. 

Steamships & cruise lines 

Merchants involved in steamship and cruise line services, including onboard cruise shops. 

Telemarketing – travel-related 

Businesses engaging in telemarketing of travel-related products, services, or other travel arrangements. 

Timeshares 

Selling partial ownership of a property for use as a holiday home, allowing someone to buy the rights to use the property for the same fixed period annually. 

Tobacco and smokeless tobacco retailers (card not present) 

Businesses selling tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes online. 

Top-up wallet 

Functionality providing a Stored Value Digital Facility (SVDF), allowing funds to be loaded into a digital wallet for subsequent payments. 

Travel agencies and tour operators 

Businesses providing travel information and booking services. 

Unregistered Charities 

Unregistered non-profit, non-political organisations collecting donations, including fundraising. 

Unregulated Massage parlours 

Massage parlors not registered with a governing body.  

Virtual currency/cryptocurrency 

Digital money not authorised or adopted by a government, issued and controlled by developers, and used among members of a specific virtual community. 

Wire transfers in-person (not online) 

Businesses specialising in the transfer of money from one location to another through in-person transactions. 

If you’re unsure if a payment you have planned falls within one of our prohibited industries or payments please don’t hesitate to contact support for a timely response.

We reserve the right to refuse or postpone any Payment Instruction for any reason and at any stage of the transaction process, in our absolute discretion. This is outlined in our Terms and Conditions – Payment of Invoice Amounts via the Platform.