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What is an MCC code and why is it needed? Is it possible to find out the mss code of a store by check? How to find out the mss code of the store before buying? We will answer these and other questions in our material.
In order to make money on bank cards, you need to know what the mcc code is and how to use it. Also, the ability to identify mcc codes will help you avoid commissions and interest on credit cards. In this article, we will analyze what an MCC code is and why you need it, how to find the store's mss code before purchasing.
MCC stands for Merchant Category Code, which means "Merchant Category Code". This is a 4-digit number that is assigned to each sales and service point and by which it is possible to identify the type of the seller's activity.
Contents
Magnet, Auchan, Pyaterochka, Lenta, Perekrestok and even ordinary grocery stores on the corner will have this MCC code. And this means that a huge number of goods, not only food, but also household chemicals, goods for the garden and vegetable garden, car oils and lubricants, clothes - everything that is sold in these stores will have this mcc code 5411.
5541: Gas stations (with or without support services)
This means that not only the filling stations themselves will fall under this mcc, but also any related products sold on their territory and united by one brand - drinks, hot dogs and burgers, coffee, oils and lubricants, car washes, service stations, etc. etc. Such MCC will be at the filling stations of Gazpromneft, Rosneft, Lukoil and many others, including small and little-known ones. But also keep in mind that if there is a service station next to the gas station, then it will not always have the same MCC code. If this is another legal entity, then it will have its own code. So, for example, for service stations mcc 7538 is more common: Car services.
5812: Places of public catering, restaurants and 5814: Fast food
Almost all cafes, restaurants, eateries are suitable for these two mcc. It doesn't matter whether it's an expensive restaurant in the center of Moscow, McDonald's or a cheburek restaurant in the wholesale market.
This is how it is done in Bank.
The left screenshot describes in general terms the categories and the amount of cashback. If you click on the question mark, then (on the right screenshot) we will see more detailed information on the mcc codes that refer to them.
Sometimes it happens that you are planning to make a purchase, but you do not know which category this or that store will belong to. In this case, bank cards help, which show the mcc code for each transaction in the payment history.
It is enough to have an active card in hand, but with a zero balance. Then the first step will be to make a payment with such a card. Naturally, it will not work. But we don't need it. Even a declined payment will still be recorded in history. We go into the application and check the mcc-code, after which we make a purchase with a suitable card. Let's take a closer look.
This function has, for example:
1) Megafon bank card
2) Home Credit
3) SKB Bank
And many other cards ...
But in the mobile application of Promsvyazbank, the mcc code cannot be seen. But if you order a statement of transactions by mail, then there the necessary information will be:
The extract came almost instantly.
We place an order, add the product to the cart and enter the card details. The balance on the card must be less than the purchase amount. Also, there should be no connected overdraft (a kind of loan, when the bank gives you the missing amount). If you are not sure whether your overdraft is connected or not, check with the support service of your bank:
So, I try to make a payment and get a response from the store:
Refused payment, but that's what I need
Then I go to the bank application and check the MCC code.
We see the required MCC - 5722.
Now I need to determine which card I have available, and I have a lot of them - will give me the maximum cashback.
To do this, I go to the site mcc-codes.ru and enter the found MCC into the field:
Below we see a description of this code. But I need the "Cards with cashback" tab:
Clicking on this tab will open a page with bank cards and the percentage of cashback for each of them:
The cards are sorted as the value of the cashback decreases. We see that the maximum cashback of 10% can be given by the Maximum card from UBRD.
Of the cards presented, I now have the Benefit of Home Credit in my hands, but in the KB column we see a strange inscription 1/5%. The fact is that every month in the bank's application I choose 3 categories that give the maximum cashback of 5%. You need to check if there are 5722 among the selected categories. If not, then the cashback will be 1%. If there is, then 5%.
You will also need to check if I have reached the cashback limit in this month. The fact is that bonus programs of banks often impose a limit on the accrual of points, for example, no more than 3000 (this information is indicated in the tariffs). If you spend $ 1000 on the card. with a cashback of 5%, you get just 3000 points. That is, there is no point in spending more money on the card, since the bonus limit will already be selected.
If the cards on hand give a small cashback, then it makes sense to consider opening a new card with the maximum cashback. But first you need to carefully study the tariffs to find out:
There are bank cards that entice with a high cashback, but having delved into the terms of the bonus program, you understand that it will be difficult to get them, or there are some pitfalls. Read more about choosing cards in these articles:
As you can see from the screenshot, the user paid for the service of the Lasertag game. But this operation took place as a transfer of funds into gambling, for which a commission is debited at the bank's rates, and the operation itself is classified not as an expenditure at a point of sale, but as a kind of transfer. How did it happen?
Below is the answer of a Post Bank employee, on whose card the commission and interest on the loan were debited:
From the explanation of the Post Bank employee, it becomes clear that the problem was on the side of Sberbank, which issued a POS terminal for servicing customers at a retail outlet. However, it is premature to blame Sberbank. After all, it is not known on what basis the MCC code 7995 was assigned to the outlet (gambling transactions). Perhaps the entrepreneur submitted incorrect data on the activities of the outlet. Perhaps he used to gamble, and then changed the field of activity without changing the MCC code. Or maybe it was a mistake of bank's technical staff, who made a mistake with the code when setting up the equipment.
It is almost impossible to avoid such an incident. You can't run each point beforehand through checking the MCC code. But, if you find suspicious commissions and write-offs in your bank's transaction history, you will now know in which direction to look for the problem. If a discrepancy in the MCC code is found, then you need to contact the merchant where the problem operation was performed with a request to change the code and to the acquiring bank that installed the POS terminal.
In order to make money on bank cards, you need to know what the mcc code is and how to use it. Also, the ability to identify mcc codes will help you avoid commissions and interest on credit cards. In this article, we will analyze what an MCC code is and why you need it, how to find the store's mss code before purchasing.
MCC stands for Merchant Category Code, which means "Merchant Category Code". This is a 4-digit number that is assigned to each sales and service point and by which it is possible to identify the type of the seller's activity.
Contents
- 1 MCC code - what is it in simple words
- 2 Examples
- 3 Where to find the MCC code
- 4 How to determine the MCC code of a particular outlet
- 5 Is it possible to find out the mss code of the store by check
- 6 How to avoid incorrectly charged commissions and % on credit cards
MCC code - what is it in simple words
Whenever you pay with a card (including tied to a phone or smart watch) for a purchase at the checkout of a supermarket, cafe, online store, or any other organization, the MCC code will be recorded in the bank that issued your card. This code is fixed when making a transaction through a payment terminal. In practice, the MCC code is assigned to the payment terminal and in the same store, at different checkouts, the MCC code may differ.Examples of
5411: Grocers, SupermarketsMagnet, Auchan, Pyaterochka, Lenta, Perekrestok and even ordinary grocery stores on the corner will have this MCC code. And this means that a huge number of goods, not only food, but also household chemicals, goods for the garden and vegetable garden, car oils and lubricants, clothes - everything that is sold in these stores will have this mcc code 5411.
5541: Gas stations (with or without support services)
This means that not only the filling stations themselves will fall under this mcc, but also any related products sold on their territory and united by one brand - drinks, hot dogs and burgers, coffee, oils and lubricants, car washes, service stations, etc. etc. Such MCC will be at the filling stations of Gazpromneft, Rosneft, Lukoil and many others, including small and little-known ones. But also keep in mind that if there is a service station next to the gas station, then it will not always have the same MCC code. If this is another legal entity, then it will have its own code. So, for example, for service stations mcc 7538 is more common: Car services.
5812: Places of public catering, restaurants and 5814: Fast food
Almost all cafes, restaurants, eateries are suitable for these two mcc. It doesn't matter whether it's an expensive restaurant in the center of Moscow, McDonald's or a cheburek restaurant in the wholesale market.
Where to find the MCC code
When choosing a bank card with a bonus program, you need to study the tariffs and look for which mcc codes the cashback is credited. For some banks, mcc codes are indicated in your personal account or in the application on your smartphone.This is how it is done in Bank.
The left screenshot describes in general terms the categories and the amount of cashback. If you click on the question mark, then (on the right screenshot) we will see more detailed information on the mcc codes that refer to them.
Sometimes it happens that you are planning to make a purchase, but you do not know which category this or that store will belong to. In this case, bank cards help, which show the mcc code for each transaction in the payment history.
It is enough to have an active card in hand, but with a zero balance. Then the first step will be to make a payment with such a card. Naturally, it will not work. But we don't need it. Even a declined payment will still be recorded in history. We go into the application and check the mcc-code, after which we make a purchase with a suitable card. Let's take a closer look.
How to determine the MCC code of a particular outlet
Here is a case from my life - I want to buy a coffee machine, I chose a store and I want to get the maximum cashback for a large purchase. In order to determine the MCC, not all bank cards are suitable, but only those that show this code in the Internet bank or mobile application.This function has, for example:
1) Megafon bank card
2) Home Credit
3) SKB Bank
And many other cards ...
But in the mobile application of Promsvyazbank, the mcc code cannot be seen. But if you order a statement of transactions by mail, then there the necessary information will be:
The extract came almost instantly.
We place an order, add the product to the cart and enter the card details. The balance on the card must be less than the purchase amount. Also, there should be no connected overdraft (a kind of loan, when the bank gives you the missing amount). If you are not sure whether your overdraft is connected or not, check with the support service of your bank:
So, I try to make a payment and get a response from the store:
Refused payment, but that's what I need
Then I go to the bank application and check the MCC code.
We see the required MCC - 5722.
Now I need to determine which card I have available, and I have a lot of them - will give me the maximum cashback.
To do this, I go to the site mcc-codes.ru and enter the found MCC into the field:
Below we see a description of this code. But I need the "Cards with cashback" tab:
Clicking on this tab will open a page with bank cards and the percentage of cashback for each of them:
The cards are sorted as the value of the cashback decreases. We see that the maximum cashback of 10% can be given by the Maximum card from UBRD.
Of the cards presented, I now have the Benefit of Home Credit in my hands, but in the KB column we see a strange inscription 1/5%. The fact is that every month in the bank's application I choose 3 categories that give the maximum cashback of 5%. You need to check if there are 5722 among the selected categories. If not, then the cashback will be 1%. If there is, then 5%.
You will also need to check if I have reached the cashback limit in this month. The fact is that bonus programs of banks often impose a limit on the accrual of points, for example, no more than 3000 (this information is indicated in the tariffs). If you spend $ 1000 on the card. with a cashback of 5%, you get just 3000 points. That is, there is no point in spending more money on the card, since the bonus limit will already be selected.
If the cards on hand give a small cashback, then it makes sense to consider opening a new card with the maximum cashback. But first you need to carefully study the tariffs to find out:
- Monthly service amount;
- Conditions for receiving cashback;
- Cashback type (real bucks or bonus points);
- And other important information.
There are bank cards that entice with a high cashback, but having delved into the terms of the bonus program, you understand that it will be difficult to get them, or there are some pitfalls. Read more about choosing cards in these articles:
- How to make money on credit and debit bank cards.
- What is cashback in simple words and how it works + the most profitable schemes of use.
Is it possible to find out the mss code of the store by check
This information is not displayed in the check.How to Avoid Incorrectly Accrued Commissions and% on Credit Cards
On the website banki.ru, a credit card user complained that the Post Bank charged him a commission of 300 rubles + interest on the loan for an INCORRECT MCC code.As you can see from the screenshot, the user paid for the service of the Lasertag game. But this operation took place as a transfer of funds into gambling, for which a commission is debited at the bank's rates, and the operation itself is classified not as an expenditure at a point of sale, but as a kind of transfer. How did it happen?
Below is the answer of a Post Bank employee, on whose card the commission and interest on the loan were debited:
From the explanation of the Post Bank employee, it becomes clear that the problem was on the side of Sberbank, which issued a POS terminal for servicing customers at a retail outlet. However, it is premature to blame Sberbank. After all, it is not known on what basis the MCC code 7995 was assigned to the outlet (gambling transactions). Perhaps the entrepreneur submitted incorrect data on the activities of the outlet. Perhaps he used to gamble, and then changed the field of activity without changing the MCC code. Or maybe it was a mistake of bank's technical staff, who made a mistake with the code when setting up the equipment.
It is almost impossible to avoid such an incident. You can't run each point beforehand through checking the MCC code. But, if you find suspicious commissions and write-offs in your bank's transaction history, you will now know in which direction to look for the problem. If a discrepancy in the MCC code is found, then you need to contact the merchant where the problem operation was performed with a request to change the code and to the acquiring bank that installed the POS terminal.
