Geo control
Geo control lets you set location-based spending restrictions for card transactions at physical points of sale (POS), also known as “card present” payments. If you need to block spending in a specific country or region, you can apply these rules in the card rules section. For step-by-step instructions, see the suggested reading below.
Suggested reading:
- Set card rules
- How to set up spending limits and other rules on multiple cards in bulk?
Can Geo control be used on all card types?
You can apply Geo control rules for "card present" payments on the following cards:
- Plastic cards.
- Virtual cards.
Geo control rules can't be applied to:
- Subscription cards.
- Online ads cards.
- Temporary virtual cards for pre-approved spend.
What is a "card present" payment?
As the name suggests, a card present payment is when the card or device is physically presented to make the payment.
The following are considered as card present payments:
- A plastic card used for a contactless payment.
- A plastic card connected to Apple Pay or Google Pay where the device is presented for a contactless payment.
- A plastic card used to make a Chip & PIN payment.
- A plastic card used to make a cash withdrawal from an ATM.
- A virtual card connected to Apple Pay or Google Pay where the device is presented for a contactless payment.
The following are considered as a card not present payment:
- Online payments.
- Payments made via telephone or mail.
- Manual Key Entry - payments where card details are manually entered in the terminal.
- Offline payments - in-person transactions where a physical card or device is used, but the merchant is not connected to the Mastercard network in real-time. This can occur in scenarios like in-flight purchases, toll booths, and some public transportation.
Important: Geo control does not apply to card not present payments. If you have set Geo control for any of your cards, it will only apply to card transactions at physical points of sale (POS).