Restricted Businesses

The following categories of businesses and business practices are restricted from using the ANYNET Service (“Restricted Businesses”). Restricted Business categories may be imposed through Network Rules or the requirements of our Financial Services Providers. In certain cases, businesses listed below may be eligible for processing with explicit prior approval from ANYNET. Note, however, that businesses that offer illegal products or services are never eligible to use the ANYNET Services. The types of businesses listed in the right column are representative, but not exhaustive. If you are uncertain as to whether your business is a Restricted Business, or have questions about how these requirements apply to you, please contact us.

By registering with us, you are confirming that you will not use the Service to accept payments in connection with the following businesses, business activities, or business practices, unless you have received prior written approval from ANYNET. It is prohibited to use the Service for any dealings, engagement, or sale of goods/services linked directly or indirectly with jurisdictions ANYNET has deemed high risk, such as Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Crimea Region, and Syria.

Financial and professional services

Investment & credit servicesSecurities brokers; mortgage consulting or debt reduction services; credit counseling or repair; investment services; real estate opportunities; lending instruments
Money and legal servicesFinancial institutions, money transmitters and money services businesses, check cashing, wire transfers, money orders; currency exchanges or dealers; bill-pay services; crowdfunding; insurance; bail bonds; collections agencies; law firms collecting funds for any purpose other than to pay fees owed to the firm for services provided by the firm (e.g., firms cannot use ANYNET to hold client funds, collection or settlement amounts, disputed funds, etc.)
Virtual currency or stored valueVirtual currency that can be monetized, resold, or converted to physical or digital products and services or otherwise exit the virtual world (e.g., Bitcoin); cryptocurrency mining equipment; initial coin offerings; digital wallets, sale of stored value or credits maintained, accepted and issued by anyone other than the seller

IP Infringement, regulated or illegal products and services

Intellectual property or proprietary rights infringementSales, distribution, or access to counterfeit music, movies, software, or other licensed materials without the appropriate authorization from the rights holder; any product or service that directly infringes or facilitates infringement upon the trademark, patent, copyright, trade secrets, or proprietary or privacy rights of any third party; use of ANYNET intellectual property without prior written consent from ANYNET; use of the ANYNET name or logo including use of ANYNET trade or service marks inconsistent with the ANYNET Marks Usage Agreement, or in a manner that otherwise harms ANYNET or the ANYNET brand; any action that implies an untrue endorsement by or affiliation with ANYNET
Counterfeit or unauthorized goodsCounterfeit goods; unauthorized sale or resale of brand name or designer products or services; sale of goods or services that are illegally imported or exported
GamblingLotteries; bidding fee auctions; sports forecasting or odds making for a monetary or material prize; fantasy sports leagues with cash prizes; internet gaming; contests; sweepstakes; games of chance including legal or illegal forms of gambling, internet gambling, sweepstakes and contests with a buy-in or cash prize; charity sweepstakes and raffles for the explicit purpose of fundraising
Regulated or illegal products or servicesCannabis dispensaries and related businesses; sale of tobacco, e-cigarettes, and e-liquid; online pharmacies; prescription-only products including card-not-present pharmaceuticals; peptides and research chemicals; fake references or ID-providing services; age restricted goods or services; weapons and munitions; gunpowder and other explosives; fireworks and related goods; toxic, flammable, and radioactive materials; products and services with varying legal status on a state-by-state basis; goods or services, the sale of which is illegal under applicable law in the jurisdictions to which your business is targeted or directed
Adult content and servicesPornography and other obscene materials (including literature, imagery and other media) depicting nudity or explicitly sexual acts; sites offering any sexually-related services such as prostitution, escorts, pay-per view, adult live chat features; sexually oriented items (e.g., adult toys); adult video stores and sexually oriented massage parlors; gentleman’s clubs, topless bars, and strip clubs; sexually oriented dating services

Unfair, predatory, or deceptive practices

Get rich quick schemesInvestment opportunities or other services that promise high rewards
Mug shot publication or pay-to-remove sitesPlatforms that facilitate the publication and removal of content (such as mug shots), where the primary purpose of posting such content is to cause or raise concerns of reputational harm
No-value-added servicesSale or resale of a service without added benefit to the buyer; resale of government offerings without authorization or added value; sites that we determine in our sole discretion to be unfair, deceptive, or predatory towards consumers

Products or services that are otherwise restricted by our financial partners

AggregationEngaging in any form of licensed or unlicensed aggregation of funds owed to third parties, factoring, or other activities intended to obfuscate the origin of funds; payment facilitation
Drug paraphernaliaAny equipment designed for making or using drugs, such as bongs, vaporizers, and hookahs
High risk businessesBankruptcy lawyers; remote technical support; psychic services; essay mills; chain letters; door-to-door sales; medical benefit packages; telemedicine and telehealth services; travel reservation services and clubs; airlines; cruises; timeshares; circumvention, jamming and interference devices; prepaid phone cards, phone services; telemarketing, offering substantial rebates or special incentives as an inducement to purchase products or services; telecommunications manipulation equipment; forwarding brokers; negative response marketing; subscriptions over one year; extended warranties; government grants; embassy, foreign consultate, or other foreign governments; charities without proper registration; credit card and identity theft protection; the use of credit to pay for lending services; any businesses that we believe poses elevated financial risk, legal liability, or violates card network or bank policies; any business or organization that a. engages in, encourages, promotes or celebrates unlawful violence or physical harm to persons or property, or b. engages in, encourages, promotes or celebrates unlawful violence toward any group based on race, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other immutable characteristic
Multi-level marketingPyramid schemes and multi-level marketing
Pseudo pharmaceuticalsNutraceuticals, pseudo-pharmaceuticals and other products that make health claims that have not been approved or verified by the applicable local and/or national regulatory body, or make specific claims about weight loss or improved sexual performance
Social media activitySale of Twitter followers, Facebook likes, YouTube views, and other forms of social media activity and online traffic
Substances designed to mimic illegal drugsSale of a legal substance that provides the same effect as an illegal drug (e.g., salvia, kratom)
Video game or virtual world creditsSale of in-game currency or game items, unless the merchant is the operator of the virtual world
Use of ANYNET in a manner inconsistent with its intended use or as expressly prohibited in the ANYNET Services AgreementUse of ANYNET principally as a virtual terminal (e.g., submitting card transactions by manually inputting card information); processing where there is no bona fide good or service sold, or donation accepted; card testing; evasion of card network chargeback monitoring programs; cross-border acquiring; sharing cardholder information with another merchant for payment cross-sell product or service

If you have any questions about supported businesses, don’t hesitate to contact us.