Receiving a compliance inquiry from your payment processor, especially one that references Adyen is one of the more stressful things that can happen to a high-risk merchant. The language is formal. The stakes feel high. And because most merchants have never seen one before, it’s not obvious what’s being asked or how urgent the response window really is.
This guide explains what Adyen compliance inquiries are, what triggers them, what the inquiry format contains, and most importantly, how to respond in a way that protects your account.
What a Compliance Inquiry Is
Adyen operates as the underlying acquirer for processors like ConvesioPay. When Adyen’s compliance or risk team identifies something about a sub-merchant that requires clarification, they escalate it to the processor. The processor relays the inquiry to the merchant and is responsible for gathering and returning the requested documentation.
An inquiry is a request for clarification, not a verdict. The outcome depends significantly on how you respond.
What Triggers a Compliance Inquiry
Business model ambiguity. When the public-facing description of a business creates questions about what is actually being sold or how the service works, Adyen may ask for clarification.
Checkout flow concerns. If your website appears to allow customers to purchase regulated products without a visible gate, a consultation step, age verification, required attestation — Adyen may flag the flow even if your actual process is fully compliant.
LegitScript flags. When LegitScript flags a site for potential compliance issues, that flag can generate an Adyen inquiry requiring documentation that the flagged issue has been addressed.
Transaction pattern anomalies. Unusual transaction patterns, sudden volume spikes, geographic anomalies, unusual card type concentrations, can trigger a risk review inquiry.
Address and business verification concerns. Mass-registration addresses and missing contact information are documented triggers for compliance inquiries.
What the Inquiry Actually Looks Like
Adyen compliance inquiries follow a specific format containing:
- Account Holder reference — unique identifier for your merchant account
- URL — the specific website under review
- Issue category — e.g., ‘Prescription Drugs,’ ‘Verified Bad Addresses,’ ‘Telehealth Services’
- Context — what was observed and why it raises a concern (read this section carefully)
- Ask — what Adyen is requesting from the processor and from you
Understanding the specific context section is the key to knowing what documentation will resolve the inquiry.
A Real-World Example: The Telehealth Checkout Problem
Consider a telehealth merchant with a fully compliant process — a licensed provider reviews each case after checkout, with the entire process documented by LegitScript. The problem: from Adyen’s perspective, shoppers can navigate directly to the product page and check out prescription items without any visible consultation gate.
Adyen’s inquiry reads: ‘The sub-merchant claims to offer telehealth services. However, shoppers may directly check out prescription drugs on the website. Please clarify what specifically is being processed.’
The correct response provides: LegitScript documentation of the post-checkout consultation process, screenshots of the consultation workflow, the timeline from purchase to fulfillment showing no prescription is dispensed without provider approval, and licensing documentation for the prescribing providers.
How to Respond: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Read the context section carefully before doing anything else. Your response should directly address that specific observation.
Step 2: Identify the documentation category. Checkout flow concerns → consultation workflow documentation. Address concerns → business registration, lease agreement. Transaction anomalies → business explanation of volume.
Step 3: Prepare a written summary with attachments — one or two paragraphs directly addressing the concern raised, followed by a list of supporting documents.
Step 4: Respond through your processor promptly — within 24–48 hours if possible. Speed signals that you take compliance seriously.
Step 5: Address the underlying issue, not just the inquiry. If a genuine gap was identified, fix it as part of your response.
What Not to Do
- Don’t ignore the inquiry — an unanswered inquiry escalates
- Don’t respond defensively — the inquiry is not an accusation
- Don’t provide generic documentation — respond specifically to the context Adyen provided
- Don’t assume the inquiry will resolve itself — follow up if you haven’t heard back
The Bottom Line
A compliance inquiry from Adyen is a manageable situation for merchants who respond promptly with targeted documentation. The merchants who lose accounts over compliance inquiries are almost always the ones who don’t respond, respond generically, or respond defensively.
If you receive an inquiry through ConvesioPay, reach out to our team immediately. We sit between you and Adyen in this process and can help you understand exactly what’s being asked and review your response before it goes to Adyen.