Common Point of Purchase (CPP) Investigations

MasterCard may identify merchant locations at which MasterCard account data may have been compromised and subsequently used to effect fraudulent transactions at other points of sale. MasterCard will designate each such merchant location as a common point of purchase (CPP).

Card issuers may request that MasterCard initiate an investigation of a merchant for possible CPP activity at any time. Acquiring banks have five business days to acknowledge a request from MasterCard for a CPP investigation and 30 calendar days to complete the investigation. Failure to respond may result in fines or assessments.

Only MasterCard, not a member bank, may designate a merchant location as a CPP and request that an acquiring bank conduct a CPP investigation in accordance with the CPP program requirements. MasterCard will identify a merchant location as a CPP from one or more of the following sources:

• Information received from law enforcement and investigative authorities.
  
• Card issuers in accordance with the established criteria.
  
• MasterCard systems, databases, and any other source deemed to be reliable.