In the wake of numerous mass shooting in 2022, major credit card companies were pressured to create a new "merchant category code" for gun dealers in the United States to track ammunition and firearm purchases. The hope was this would assist in locating "suspicious transactions".
In March of 2023 this category code creation was halted.
Credit card companies track all purchases made by the user of the card. Category codes are already widely and commonly used in this industry to track purchases.
Many privacy concerned individuals are purchasing things with cash. When shopping online, individuals are attempting to make purchases utilizing pre-paid cards.
So the next time you are going to swipe, insert, or tap, keep this in the back of your mind!
Source: LINK from ABC