MCC 7277

Counseling Services

MCC 7277 covers debt, credit, marriage and personal counseling. Card networks list it as “Counseling Services – Debt, Marriage, and Personal”.

This category carries elevated fraud or chargeback exposure, for example because of future delivery, high ticket sizes or recurring billing. Expect closer underwriting and possibly a rolling reserve.

Related categories include MCC 6012 for financial services and debt repayment.

MCC Guides and Insights

#Fraud prevention, #Chargeback

Friendly Fraud vs. Malicious Fraud: The Two Faces of Chargeback Abuse

Both end with a disputed charge, but the perpetrator, intent, and fix are completely different ...

05/10/2024

7 minutes

#Payments, #Product

Merchant Category Code Explained

A four-digit code quietly shapes your card rewards, processing fees, and expense reports ...

25/10/2024

6 minutes

#Chargeback prevention, #Payments

What Are Chargeback Prevention Alerts?

A phone call from a shopper to their bank can throw a wrench in a sale ...

10/05/2025

7 minutes

#Chargeback, #Strategy

Chargeback Trends in 2026: What's Driving Disputes Now

In 2026, chargeback pressure is rising as digital payments grow and fraud tactics get smarter ....

15/04/2025

8 minutes

#Payments, #Product

How to Set Up a Merchant Account in 2026 Without Delays

In 2026, setup feels stricter because providers look closely at risk and chargeback history ...

20/03/2025

6 minutes

#Chargeback, #Compliance

Visa Chargeback Monitoring Program (VCMP) Explained for Merchants

VCMP is Visa's way of flagging merchants with too many chargebacks and added fees ...

05/03/2025

5 minutes

#Payments, #Product

High-Risk Merchant Processing: Approval, Fees, and Fit

Some legal, well-run businesses still get flagged as risky by banks and payment processors ...

18/02/2025

7 minutes

#Compliance, #Payments

How to Become PCI Compliant for Free in 2026

Navigating PCI compliance can be daunting. For small businesses, the complexities and costs ...

10/01/2025

6 minutes

#Fraud prevention, #Strategy

State of Fraud in Payments: A 2026 Report

Fraud in payments keeps rising in 2026, even though detection tools are better than before ...

25/12/2024

8 minutes

#Chargeback, #Compliance

VAMP: Visa's New Fraud & Chargeback Monitoring Program

VAMP monitors fraud and dispute levels across merchants, flagging those who exceed Visa's thres...

10/11/2024

5 minutes

#Fraud prevention, #Chargeback

Friendly Fraud vs. Malicious Fraud: The Two Faces of Chargeback Abuse

Both end with a disputed charge, but the perpetrator, intent, and fix are completely different ...

05/10/2024

7 minutes

#Payments, #Product

Merchant Category Code Explained

A four-digit code quietly shapes your card rewards, processing fees, and expense reports ...

25/10/2024

6 minutes