{"podcast":{"title":"Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis","slug":"click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413","podcast_index_feed_id":1375413,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/maria-sparagis/","website_url":"https://directpaynet.com","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/0bfda54a-9b87-4d2d-8065-e279d8530fce/pod-cover-1.png","author":"Maria Sparagis","episode_count":200,"summary":"Maria Sparagis has spent 20+ years helping online businesses find the revenue they didn't know they were losing. As president of DirectPayNet and a payment solutions expert, she knows that the difference between a good business and a great one often comes down to how you handle payments and conversions. On Click & Convert, Maria shares the strategies, tools, and insider knowledge that ecommerce founders and online entrepreneurs need to scale to 6 and 8 figures — from optimizing your checkout flow to maximizing what hits your bottom line. Featured in American Banker, Vice, Coindesk, and Yahoo. Connect at mariasparagis.com or directpaynet.com.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-17T20:18:52.125688+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413"},"episode":{"title":"#221 The Hidden Reason You Can’t Get a Merchant Account","slug":"221-the-hidden-reason-you-can-t-get-a-merchant-account","published_at":"2026-02-05T21:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413/221-the-hidden-reason-you-can-t-get-a-merchant-account","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413","url":"https://directpaynet.com","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/61d84102-ec20-4693-a418-ef2c83aa98b4.mp3","summary":"Merchant account applications denied over and over? You might be on the MATCH / TMF blacklist . MATCH / TMF list is the payment processing blacklist that can silently block individuals from opening merchant accounts. In this video, Maria breaks down what the MATCH list is, why people get placed on it, and how it impacts your ability to process credit card payments. She explains how to find out if you’re listed, what steps you can take to get removed, and what to do if there’s no way off the list. From understanding processor risk to navigating account approvals, this video gives you the insights you need to protect your business and avoid repeated rejections. ____________________________________________ 🎯 Key Concepts Covered 🟩 MATCH / TMF List Mastercard (MATCH) and Visa (TMF) maintain these lists of individuals with high-risk or terminated merchant accounts. All payment processors can access them, and being listed can block new merchant account approvals. 🟩 High-Risk Flags Individuals can be placed on the MATCH/TMF list for reasons such as excessive chargebacks, suspected fraud, identity theft, or mishandling customer data (including accidental breaches). These flags signal processors that an applicant may carry elevated risk for payment processing. 🟩 Individual Liability Listings apply to the individual, not just the business. Every merchant account application under that person’s name will be affected, even for a different business. 🟩 Merchant Account Denials Being on the MATCH/TMF list can result in automatic denials from acquiring banks and payment processors, stricter documentation requirements, delayed approvals, or limited access to high-volume or high-risk processing options. 🟩 Removal & Time-Based Restrictions Some MATCH/TMF listings can be disputed, cle…","meta_description":"Merchant account applications denied over and over? You might be on the MATCH / TMF blacklist . MATCH / TMF list is the payment processing blacklist that…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1224,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413/episodes/221-the-hidden-reason-you-can-t-get-a-merchant-account/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/click-convert-with-maria-sparagis-1375413/221-the-hidden-reason-you-can-t-get-a-merchant-account.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}