DODGING A BULLET: Visa, Mastercard Reverse Course on Gun Tracking, Avoid Privacy Showdown

Welcome to the Precious Metals Bug Forums

Welcome to the PMBug forums - a watering hole for folks interested in gold, silver, precious metals, sound money, investing, market and economic news, central bank monetary policies, politics and more.

Why not register an account and join the discussions? When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including no Google ads, market data/charts, access to trade/barter with the community and much more. Registering an account is free - you have nothing to lose!

Goldhedge

GIM2 Refugee
Moderator
Messages
16,420
Reaction score
10,332
Points
288

DODGING A BULLET: Visa, Mastercard Reverse Course on Gun Tracking, Avoid Privacy Showdown​

posted by Hannity Staff -
3.09.23

Visa and Mastercard are backing down.

According to a report from The Daily Wire, credit card companies Visa and Mastercard have decided not to track gun purchases with special retailer tags after facing blowback from Congress.

From The Daily Wire:


The payment processors announced last year that they would adopt the International Organization for Standardization’s new merchant category code that could be used to better track gun and ammunition purchases from gun stores. The move riled gun rights supporters and provoked Republican lawmakers and attorneys general to take action against the payment processors.

Visa, the world’s largest payment processor, and Mastercard are now pausing adoption of the new code after the stiff opposition and in the face of several states moving forward with legislation that would block such tracking, according to Bloomberg.

“There are bills advancing in several states related to the use of this new code. If passed, the result will be an inconsistency in how this ISO standard could be applied by merchants, issuers, acquirers and networks,” a spokesman for Visa told Bloomberg. “It’s for that reason that we have decided to pause work on the implementation of the firearms-specific MCC.”

“Well done, it’s about time. US companies should not be taking orders from international NGOs to target legal industries,” said Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN). “This politicization of our financial sector must stop.”



more
 
I didn't see mention of Discover card in there. IIRC, they were going to implement this nonsense before VISA/Mastercard.
 
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah. (March 19, 2024) – Last week, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill that prohibits financial institutions operating in the state from using a credit card merchant code that would enable the tracking of firearm and ammunition purchases.

Rep. Cory Maloy introduced House Bill 406 (HB406) on Jan. 26. Sen Chris Wilson sponsored the bill in the Senate. The new law prohibits a “financial entity” operating in the state such as a credit card network from assigning a “firearms code” to a firearms retailer or requiring it to use one. “Firearms code” is defined as the “merchant category code 5723, approved in September 2022 by the International Organization for Standardization, for firearms retailers.”

The law also bars a firearms retailer in Utah from providing a firearms code to a financial entity for the purpose of selling a firearm, a firearm accessory or component, ammunition, or reloading supplies.

The legislation includes provisions empowering the state attorney general to enforce the law and impose civil penalties for violations.

 
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Mar. 26, 2024) – Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has signed a bill into law that prohibits a financial institution operating in the state from requiring the use of a merchant category code (MCC) that distinguishes firearms businesses from other retail businesses.

 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 25, 2024) – Last week, Tennessee Senate passed a bill that would prohibit financial institutions operating in the state from using a credit card merchant code that would enable the tracking of firearm and ammunition purchases.

 

Firearm Financial Privacy: Nullification Status Report​

Streamed live 63 minutes ago Path to Liberty

Originally implemented by the IRS - gun-control advocates want to use “Merchant Category Codes” to track purchases of firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition. But the state-level 2nd Amendment Financial Privacy Act has shut those plans down - at least for now.


15:32

Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TenthAmendmentCenter
 
DES MOINES, Iowa (April 16, 2024) – Today, the Iowa House gave final approval to a bill that would prohibit financial institutions operating in the state from requiring a credit card merchant code to track the purchases of firearms and ammunition.

The House Commerce Committee introduced House File 2464 (HF2464) on Feb. 20. The bill would prohibit a financial institution operating in Iowa from requiring or assigning a firearms code that distinguishes a firearms dealer from any other retailer. “Firearms code” is defined as “a merchant category code approved by the international organization for standardization specifically for firearm dealers.” It would also be illegal to based solely on the acquirer’s assignment of a firearms code to the firearms retailer.

On April 11, the Senate passed HF2464 by a 45-0 vote. The House previously passed the measure 68-27. The bill was amended before passing in the Senate to remove the legal definition for “customer.” Today, the House concurred by a vote of 73-24, sending it to the Governor’s desk next.

 
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (May 7, 2024) – Yesterday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act into law. It prohibits financial institutions operating in the state from using a credit card merchant code to enable the tracking of firearm and ammunition purchases.

Sen. Tim Melson introduced Senate Bill 281 (SB281). The new law will “prohibit a financial institution from requiring merchants to use a merchant category code (MCC) to distinguish a firearms retailer from a general merchandise retailer or a sporting goods retailer during a firearms transaction amounting to financial surveillance and from disclosing financial information regarding the transaction.”
 
I'm not sure what the big deal is. The government now has the right to spy on everyone in the US without a warrant. No blowback on that when they passed that law. The government already knows about every gun you have bought from a gun store anyway.
 
Not long ago BoA would not let me use their credit card to buy ammo online.
 
Last edited:
Not long ago BoA would not let me use their credit card to buy ammo online.
I wouldn't touch BoA with your wallet.

And anyway, living in Montucky, we have the advantage - there's five full-service retailers within a ten mile radius, along with three ranges and two gunsmiths working out of holes in walls. I may pay more (of course I am) but I can buy with CA$H. I don't need to be putting chits in my Social Credit Account even before TPTB announce plans.
 
Back
Top Bottom