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, or insider favours — to anyone, by anyone — the entire X-PEN ID record loses its meaning for every contributor on the platform.

This policy is short and direct. It sets out exactly what XRC will and will not do around money, the only places XRC accepts payment, what to do if approached for a bribe, and the strict consequences for anyone — contributor, verifier, or impersonator — who tries to corrupt the system.

2 The core promise

Money on X-PEN ID buys exactly two things: speed (through the published fast-verification fee) and, in future, organizational integrations and API access. Money does not buy a verified status, a badge, a level, a stone, or a favourable review.

3 Official payment channels

XRC accepts payment through two channels only. Any other channel is unofficial — payment sent there is not received by XRC, and any verification "result" delivered through that route is not real.

Channel 1 — In-platform payment system

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

Channel 2 — Direct bank transfer to XRC (Pakistan)

• Available for contributors who cannot use the in-platform system
• Account details are provided by XRC in writing, only from an official xpenid.com email, after the contributor requests them
• The contributor must reference their X-PEN ID code in the bank transfer description
• XRC matches the payment to the contributor's account on receipt

4 What XRC will never do

XRC team members will never:

• Ask a contributor for money beyond the published fast-verification fee
• Ask for payment to "release", "approve", or "speed up" a verification result
• Ask for payment to a personal bank account, mobile wallet, or any non-official channel
• Offer a higher level, stone, or any badge in exchange for payment
• Offer to remove a Public Integrity Register entry in exchange for payment
• Demand payment to dismiss a report against a contributor
• Contact a contributor by phone, WhatsApp, or social media to request payment

If anyone claiming to be from XRC does any of the above, they are not acting for XRC. Treat the contact as fraudulent and report it.

5 What Level 3 verifiers will never do

Level 3 contributor verifiers carry significant trust on the platform. They are bound by the same anti-bribery rule as XRC.

A Level 3 verifier will never:

• Ask another contributor for money to verify them
• Accept money, gifts, or any payment in exchange for issuing or refusing a verification
• Offer to vouch for a credential they have no real knowledge of, regardless of payment
• Sell, trade, or transfer their verifier role to another person

A Level 3 verifier who breaks any of these rules loses their Level 3 standing, faces account-level consequences under XRC-initiated termination, and is recorded on the Public Integrity Register where the violation is confirmed.

6 If someone demands money

If anyone — claiming to be from XRC, claiming to be a Level 3 verifier, or operating outside the platform — asks a contributor for money to deliver, speed up, or guarantee 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, phone numbers, profile links — anything that documents the request.
3. Report. Email verify@xpenid.com with the evidence. If the request came through an X-PEN ID profile, also use the in-platform "Report this profile" button.
4. Cooperate with the review. XRC may follow up for additional context. The reporter's identity is held in confidence.

Genuine reports of bribery attempts are taken seriously and prioritised. They protect every other contributor on the platform.

7 Consequences

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

For the person demanding money

• Immediate suspension pending review
• Loss of Level 3 (or higher) verifier role, where applicable
• Termination of the account on confirmation
• Permanent retirement of the X-PEN ID code
• Entry on the Public Integrity Register under fraud
• Where laws permit, referral to relevant authorities

For a contributor who knowingly pays a bribe

• Review of the contributor's verification status
• Revocation of any verifications obtained through the bribe
• Account-level action under XRC-initiated termination
• Where the contributor proactively reports the attempt and provides evidence, the report itself is treated as good-faith cooperation and weighed in their favour

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 section 3.

• 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 Level 3 or other verifier directly — 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

This disclaimer is not an excuse for fraud. XRC actively 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 or off-channel payment requests are most useful when they include clear evidence. Helpful items:

• The X-PEN ID code (or claimed name) of the person demanding money
• Screenshots of messages, chats, emails, or in-platform conversations
• The bank account, wallet, or contact number to which payment was requested
• The amount requested and the reason given
• The date and channel of the contact (email, phone, WhatsApp, in-platform message, etc.)
• Any prior context — how the contact started, 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 this profile" button. The reporter's identity is held in confidence by the XRC team.

10 Contact

• Reporting bribery or off-channel payment requests — verify@xpenid.com
• Confirming official XRC bank details — verify@xpenid.com (always replies from an xpenid.com address)
• Legal & compliance — legal@xpenid.com
• General questions — Contact form