Dispute Resolution Policy

1. Dispute Resolution Philosophy

Paytali provides an automated and fair mediation framework to resolve transaction disputes between currency buyers and merchant brokers. Because Paytali holds 100% merchant cash collateral in its recourse escrow vault, our dispute team possesses the legal and technical authority to enforce binding resolutions and make victims whole in the event of default or non-performance.

2. Permissible Grounds for Opening a Dispute

A user or merchant may escalate an order to DISPUTED status strictly under the following legitimate circumstances:

• Buyer Paid, Merchant Did Not Disburse: The buyer transferred the full agreed settlement amount within the countdown window and uploaded valid proof, but the merchant failed to release the counterparty payout within the specified timeframe;
• Merchant Disbursed, Buyer Denies Receipt: The merchant executed the counterparty transfer and provided an official bank transfer receipt, but the buyer claims the funds have not arrived in their account;
• Partial or Incorrect Amount Transferred: The inbound payment received by either party is less than or greater than the exact order amount established at rate lock;
• Third-Party Payment Violation: The funds were sent from a bank account, wallet, or name different from the buyer's verified platform identity;
• Fraudulent or Falsified Payment Proof: The counterparty submitted altered, forged, or recycled payment screenshots or fake SMS notifications.

3. Dispute Window & Initiation Procedure

A dispute must be raised within twelve (12) hours of the payment window closing or payout confirmation. To open a dispute:

1. Navigate to the disputed order in your Order History;
2. Click "Open Dispute" and select the specific reason for escalation;
3. Provide a concise factual narrative of the issue;
4. Attach mandatory documentary evidence as detailed in Section 4 below.

Upon dispute initiation, the merchant's collateral exposure for that order is frozen, preventing any withdrawal or capacity reuse until the matter is resolved.

4. Mandatory Evidentiary Standards

Paytali applies strict evidentiary standards. Mediators will only accept verifiable, unaltered evidence. Acceptable forms of proof include:

• Official Banking Statements (PDF): Certified account statements generated directly from your commercial bank or mobile money provider covering the transaction date;
• InstaPay / NIP Reference Number: The unique central network reference code (e.g., InstaPay IPN Reference, NIBSS Session ID) showing the exact timestamp, beneficiary name, and debit status;
• Screen Recording of Banking App: In complex cases, mediators may request a continuous, unedited video screen recording demonstrating the user logging into their official mobile banking app and showing the account transaction history and current ledger balance.

Static screenshots that show signs of photo manipulation, blurred timestamps, or cropped headers will be immediately rejected and may result in an adverse finding.

5. Mediation Process & Timelines

Dispute investigations proceed according to the following phased schedule:

• Phase 1: Evidence Submission (0 – 12 Hours): Both parties are notified in-app and given 12 hours to submit all required banking statements and transaction references;
• Phase 2: Independent Rail Verification (12 – 36 Hours): Paytali compliance officers verify the transaction directly via banking partners, payment rail aggregators, or InstaPay network logs;
• Phase 3: Binding Determination (Within 48 – 72 Hours): Mediators issue a final, binding determination. If the merchant defaulted, recourse is executed immediately against their collateral deposit to refund the buyer. If the buyer made a false claim, the order is completed and the buyer is permanently barred.

6. Penalties for Frivolous Disputes & Forgery

Submitting fabricated receipts, false dispute claims, or attempting to extort counterparties is treated as criminal fraud. Any party found guilty of evidence forgery faces immediate account termination, forfeiture of security deposits, and formal referral to law enforcement agencies (including the Egyptian Cyber Crime Police and the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC]).