Debit Card MCC codes?

gt94sss2

I was just wondering if anyone knew of any internet banking platform or app which shows the Merchant Category Codes (MCC) that a retailer is using if you use make a debit card transaction?

dr_adidas01

gt94sss2 said:

I was just wondering if anyone knew of any internet banking platform or app which shows the Merchant Category Codes (MCC) that a retailer is using if you use make a debit card transaction?

None that I’m aware of, though I’m also not sure why you would need to know this. Unless you want to game the system. 

The_Urbanite

gt94sss2 said:

I was just wondering if anyone knew of any internet banking platform or app which shows the Merchant Category Codes (MCC) that a retailer is using if you use make a debit card transaction?

K&H bank through their mobile app - based in Hungary however.

UK based debit cards that offer this are few and far between. My belief is the banks consider it to be too technical to warrant making that information available. Quite a few fintechs such as Curve, Monzo and Yonda do hint at what it might be through the caterorisation of transactions.

Barclaycard make this information apparent, but they only offer credit cards.

You can also ring the bank to find out if you're making the transaction anyway.

The_Urbanite

dr_adidas01 said:

gt94sss2 said:

I was just wondering if anyone knew of any internet banking platform or app which shows the Merchant Category Codes (MCC) that a retailer is using if you use make a debit card transaction?

None that I’m aware of, though I’m also not sure why you would need to know this. Unless you want to game the system. 

I agree it is useful information for gamers and I'd guess those serious about it would have the MCC subject sussed to some degree. But MCCs are referenced to general consumers, usually in the terms and conditions of rewards programmes attached to certain credit and prepaid cards. There should be some transparency with this so that people can work out whether or not their transaction will qualify for rewards.

Over in the USA the information is more freely available!

gt94sss2

dr_adidas01 said:

gt94sss2 said:

I was just wondering if anyone knew of any internet banking platform or app which shows the Merchant Category Codes (MCC) that a retailer is using if you use make a debit card transaction?

None that I’m aware of, though I’m also not sure why you would need to know this. Unless you want to game the system. 

As the @The_Urbanite says it's as various T&C quote these codes in their T&C and it's freely available in other countries.
I believe the openbopen API's in the UK also pass this information along.
I'm not sure how you would use this information to game the system

surreysaver

dr_adidas01 said:

None that I’m aware of, though I’m also not sure why you would need to know this. Unless you want to game the system. 

What's wrong with 'gaming' the system?  Is that not what this forum is about?  As long as people are acting within T&Cs, and not doing anything illegal, then there's nothing wrong.

born_again

Can't see how knowing what MCC a retailer uses is gaming the system. As banks that offer these rewards will know the retailers and their codes. So only offer on these categories.
Any retailer that tries to get a MCC that is not correct is going to get it changed by their merchant bank.

The_Urbanite

MCCs are used as a crude way to categorise transactions. With the right knowledge of them people can benefit financially.

It's not only consumers who can benefit from the bluntness of them as a measure - you may find that buying a meal with a credit card at the bingo hall will get you charged exorbitant fees.

Worth reading up on them if you're so minded otherwise best dismissed as technical jargon!