Payment Integrity & Anti-Bribery

1 Why this policy exists

An identity and verification system is only as strong as its integrity. The moment verification can be bought through bribes, off-channel payments, private favours, or insider promises, the entire X-PEN ID record loses meaning for every contributor on the platform.

This policy explains what XRC will and will not do around money, the only places where XRC accepts payment, what verified contributors must never request, what to do if someone asks for money, and the consequences for anyone who tries to corrupt the verification system.

2 The core promise

Money on X-PEN ID buys only published services: speed through fast verification, and, where applicable, organizational integrations, membership services, or API access. Money does not buy verified status, trust, credibility, profile ranking, a badge, a level, a stone, or protection from review.

3 Official payment channels

XRC accepts payment through official channels only. Any other channel is unofficial. Payment sent through an unofficial route is not received by XRC, does not create any valid verification result, and cannot be treated as an XRC payment.

Channel 1 — In-platform payment system

• Available inside the X-PEN ID web platform when paying for fast verification or any other published XRC service
• Triggered from the contributor's logged-in account
• Receipt is recorded against the contributor's X-PEN ID account
• This is the recommended channel for all contributors wherever available

Channel 2 — Direct bank transfer to XRC

• Available for contributors or organizations who cannot use the in-platform system
• Account details are provided by XRC in writing, only through an official X-PEN ID/XRC communication channel
• The contributor must reference their X-PEN ID code, invoice number, or service reference in the transfer description
• XRC matches the payment to the contributor's account or organizational record after receipt

4 What XRC will never do

XRC team members will never:

• Ask a contributor for money beyond a published X-PEN ID/XRC fee
• Ask for payment to "release", "approve", "guarantee", or "speed up" a verification result outside official channels
• Ask for payment to a personal bank account, mobile wallet, private number, or non-official channel
• Offer a higher level, stone, badge, score, profile visibility, or favourable review in exchange for payment
• Offer to remove a report, restriction, revocation, or Public Integrity Register entry in exchange for payment
• Demand payment to dismiss a complaint or ignore evidence against a contributor
• Contact a contributor through personal phone, WhatsApp, social media, or unofficial accounts to request payment

If anyone claiming to be from XRC does any of the above, they are not acting through an official XRC process. Treat the contact as suspicious and report it.

5 What verified contributors will never do

Verified contributors may help the X-PEN ID ecosystem by reporting concerns, submitting trust signals, offering correction recommendations, or confirming familiarity where they have real knowledge. These actions are support inputs only. They do not replace XRC review and they must never be sold.

A verified contributor must never:

• Ask another contributor for money to submit a support signal, attestation, report, or recommendation
• Accept money, gifts, favours, or any benefit in exchange for supporting, rejecting, delaying, or influencing a verification claim
• Offer to provide a trust signal for a person, credential, institution, publication, or contribution they do not genuinely know
• Claim that their signal alone can guarantee verification, badge approval, level progression, stone recognition, or profile protection
• Sell, trade, transfer, or misuse their verified status, level, stone, or ecosystem privileges
• Coordinate fake support signals, revenge reports, or paid attestations

6 If someone demands money

If anyone — claiming to be from XRC, claiming to be a verified contributor, claiming to be able to influence X-PEN ID, or operating outside the platform — asks for money to deliver, speed up, guarantee, protect, or manipulate verification, take the following steps.

1. Do not pay. Sending money outside official channels does not produce real verification, and the funds are not recoverable through XRC.
2. Preserve evidence. Save messages, emails, screenshots, transaction records, account numbers, wallet details, phone numbers, profile links, and any other proof.
3. Report immediately. Email verify@xpenid.com with the evidence. If the request came through an X-PEN ID profile, also use the in-platform report option.
4. Do not continue negotiation. Avoid further payment discussion unless XRC asks you to preserve additional evidence safely.
5. Cooperate with review. XRC may request additional context. The reporter's identity is handled with confidentiality.

Genuine reports of bribery attempts are taken seriously and prioritised. They protect the contributor, the verification system, and the public trust record.

7 Consequences

Bribery, paid support signals, and side-channel payment for verification are among the most serious violations on X-PEN ID. Confirmed cases lead to strict consequences.

For the person demanding money

• Immediate restriction or suspension pending review
• Removal of support-signal privileges, where applicable
• Review, reduction, or removal of verified status, level, stone, badge, or ecosystem standing
• Revocation of any verification outcome obtained through bribery or manipulation
• Termination of the account where the violation is serious or confirmed
• Permanent retirement of the X-PEN ID code where account termination applies
• Entry on the Public Integrity Register where applicable
• Where laws permit or require, referral to relevant authorities

For a contributor who knowingly pays a bribe

• Review of the contributor's verification status and related claims
• Revocation of any verification, badge, level, stone, or outcome obtained through the bribe
• Account-level action under XRC-initiated termination
• Entry on the Public Integrity Register where the violation is serious and confirmed
• Where the contributor refuses payment, reports the attempt, and provides evidence, that cooperation is treated in their favour

For impersonators and outside agents

• Profile removal or blocking where the person has an X-PEN ID account
• Public warning or integrity notice where necessary to protect contributors
• Referral to relevant authorities where laws permit or require
• No recognition of any payment, promise, verification, badge, or result offered by that person

8 Liability — money outside official channels

Contributors are responsible for the money they send. XRC and X-PEN ID are not liable for any loss a contributor incurs by paying outside the official payment channels described in this policy.

• If a contributor pays a personal account claiming to be XRC, XRC has not received the funds and cannot recover them
• If a contributor pays a verified user directly for a signal, report, recommendation, or verification-related promise, XRC has no record of the payment and cannot reimburse it
• If a contributor pays a third-party agent promising verification, that agent does not represent X-PEN ID and the payment is between the contributor and the agent only
• If a contributor pays through gift cards, private wallets, cryptocurrency, personal bank accounts, or cash handovers, the payment is outside XRC's official records

This disclaimer is not an excuse for fraud. XRC investigates and acts against anyone who solicits off-channel payments. It simply states the limit of XRC's financial liability when official channels are bypassed.

9 Evidence & reporting

Reports of bribery, paid support signals, or off-channel payment requests are most useful when they include clear evidence. Helpful items include:

• The X-PEN ID code, profile link, name, email, phone number, or claimed identity of the person demanding money
• Screenshots of messages, chats, emails, in-platform conversations, or social media contact
• The bank account, wallet, payment link, QR code, mobile number, or contact route to which payment was requested
• The amount requested and the reason given
• The date, time, and channel of the contact
• Any promise made, such as guaranteed verification, faster approval, badge approval, level progression, stone recognition, report dismissal, or profile protection
• Any prior context — how the contact started and what the contributor was originally trying to do

Reports go to verify@xpenid.com and, where the source is an X-PEN ID profile, also through the in-platform report option. The reporter's identity is handled with confidentiality by the XRC team.

10 Contact

• Reporting bribery, paid support signals, or off-channel payment requests — verify@xpenid.com
• Confirming official payment details — verify@xpenid.com
• Verification, levels, stones, and integrity questions — verify@xpenid.com
• Legal & compliance — legal@xpenid.com
• General questions — Contact form