Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act

This bill stops credit and debit card companies, banks, and other payment partners from using special merchant codes to single out gun stores. Instead, gun shops must be treated like general merchandise or sporting goods stores for coding purposes. The goal is to protect buyer privacy and keep card networks from tracking firearm-related purchases by category .

The Attorney General must set up a complaint system within 90 days of the law taking effect and investigate complaints. If a company breaks the rule, they get written notice and 30 days to fix it; if they don’t, the government can ask a court to order them to stop. States and cities can’t make different rules on these merchant codes. People can’t sue under this law themselves. The Attorney General must also report to Congress every year on investigations and how well the law is working .

• Who is affected: payment card networks, banks and processors (“covered entities”), firearms retailers, and their customers .
• What changes: no merchant category code can be used that sets firearms retailers apart from general or sporting goods stores; federal oversight and enforcement apply nationwide .
• When: complaint process within 90 days of enactment; 30-day window to fix violations after notice; annual reports begin one year after enactment .