How to identify the Acquirer behind a Mastercard transaction
If your bank/card issuer refuses to tell you who the acquirer is, there is another route worth trying.
Step 1 – Get the transaction data from your bank/card issuer
Ask specifically for the full Mastercard transaction/authorization data, not just a normal account statement.
Ask for:
• Acquirer ID / ICA
• Merchant ID
• ARN (Acquirer Reference Number)
• Merchant name / Card Acceptor Name
• Merchant URL
• Merchant city & country
• MCC
• Transaction date and amount
You can write:
"I need the complete Mastercard transaction data for the disputed transactions, including the Acquirer ID/ICA, Merchant ID and ARN. Please provide the data exactly as received from Mastercard."
If they say they cannot provide the legal name of the acquirer, ask them to at least provide the Acquirer ID/ICA.
Step 2 – Contact Mastercard API Support and Contact Mastercard Privacy & Data Protection
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Explain that you have the Acquirer ID/ICA but need to identify the acquiring institution behind it.
Mention Mastercard's MATCH Pro – Acquirer Contact Request / contact-details functionality.
Explain that your card issuer has provided the Acquirer ID but cannot identify the legal acquiring entity.
Ask Mastercard to route your request to the appropriate department or authorized Mastercard participant who can perform the lookup.
Step 3 – Provide the transaction details
For example:
Acquirer ID: 026494
Merchant ID: 6105583797
Merchant: NTBOST
Merchant URL: nutriboostersonline.com
Merchant location: London, GBR
ARN: [insert ARN]
Step 4 – Ask for the legal acquirer
The key question is:
"Which legal acquiring entity is associated with Acquirer ID XXXX?"
Do not confuse the merchant/card acceptor with the acquirer. They are not necessarily the same company.
The objective is to get Mastercard to identify the correct authorized route or entity that can perform the Acquirer ID/ICA lookup.