Dispute Resolution

Marketplace Disputes

The Syqnal marketplace is a peer-to-peer platform. Transactions occur directly between verified community members. While Syqnal is not a party to any transaction, we may review marketplace reports, moderate abusive behavior, and restrict accounts that misuse the platform. We are not an escrow provider, shipping carrier, inspection service, or guarantor of payment or item quality.

Who can raise a dispute

Either party — buyer or seller — may submit a marketplace report. Reports should be filed as soon as possible after the issue occurs. After 30 days, Syqnal may still review fraud or abuse reports, but we may be unable to meaningfully investigate ordinary transaction disagreements.

Valid grounds for dispute

• Item not received — buyer has not received the item within the agreed or reasonable timeframe
• Significantly not as described — item materially differs from the listing (condition, specifications, quantity)
• Item arrived damaged — damage occurred in transit that was not disclosed
• Suspected counterfeit — item believed to be fraudulent, non-genuine, or misrepresented
• Buyer non-payment — buyer agreed to the deal but did not complete the agreed payment method
• Unsafe or abusive conduct — threats, harassment, scam behavior, or unsafe meetup conduct

The dispute process

Seller Tier impact

Disputes that are resolved in the buyer's favour are recorded against the seller's account. Repeated disputes can result in demotion from TRUSTED or VERIFIED_RESELLER tier, temporary listing suspension, or permanent removal from the marketplace.

Direct deals and optional checkout

Most marketplace deals on Syqnal happen directly between members through meetup, bank transfer, cash, or self-arranged shipping. In some cases, optional third-party checkout may be available. If you use a third-party payment provider, any refund, chargeback, or payment dispute remains subject to that provider's own policies and procedures. Syqnal may provide limited factual evidence if available, but does not guarantee intervention or recovery of funds.

Billing & Payment Disputes

For disputes about subscription charges, platform fees, or incorrect billing, contact us via the Billing & Payments category on the Contact form. Include your invoice or transaction ID.

• Subscription overcharges — we will investigate and issue a credit or refund within 5 business days
• Duplicate charges — will be refunded within 2 business days once confirmed
• Disputed marketplace platform fee — fees tied to optional processed checkout are disclosed at checkout and are generally non-refundable unless charged in error
• Refund policy — subscriptions cancelled within 48 hours of renewal are eligible for a pro-rata refund. Subscriptions cancelled after 48 hours are not refunded but remain active until the period ends

Verification Appeals

Verification badges are issued by teachers, professors, and mentors — not by Syqnal directly. If your verification request was rejected, or a badge was revoked, the following applies:

Instructor / lecturer badge rejection

Teachers and professors have full discretion to reject verification requests. If you believe a rejection was in error, you may: (1) resubmit with additional evidence; (2) request a second review from a different verified instructor in your institution; or (3) contact Syqnal if you believe the rejection was improper, discriminatory, or in breach of platform policy.

Badge revocation

Badges may be revoked by the issuer if they determine the project was misrepresented, or by Syqnal admin following a fraud investigation. Revocations are logged with a reason. You may appeal a Syqnal-initiated revocation by submitting evidence that the project content is genuine.

Ghost Tier classification disputes

If your Ghost Tier level was changed or removed and you believe this exposes protected NDA content, contact us immediately via the Verification Appeal form. We treat NDA disputes with urgency and will review within 1 business day.

Endorsement Disputes

Mentor endorsements and annotations are the professional opinion of the mentor. Students cannot request the removal of a legitimate endorsement or annotation, even if the content is negative. Mentors have discretion over the endorsements they issue.

Endorsements can be disputed and removed if they:

• Contain personally identifiable information beyond what the student consented to share
• Are harassment, threats, or discriminatory content
• Were issued in bad faith as part of a coordinated reputation attack
• Were issued by a mentor account that was subsequently found to be fraudulent or impersonating a real professional

To dispute an endorsement on these grounds, use the Verification Appeal category and select "Mentor endorsement was removed" or include the endorsement details in your message.

Mentor disputes about students

If a mentor believes a student has misrepresented their work in a way that invalidates a previously issued endorsement, the mentor may request revocation through their dashboard or by contacting support. The student will be notified and given the opportunity to respond before any badge is removed.

Account Suspension Appeals

Accounts may be suspended for violations of the Terms of Service, including but not limited to: fake verification, harassment, platform abuse, marketplace fraud, or impersonation. Suspended accounts are redirected to the /suspended page with a reference code.

To appeal a suspension:

• Submit via the Account Suspension Appeal category on the Contact form
• Include your username and the reference code shown on the suspension page
• Clearly state why you believe the suspension was applied in error
• Each user is entitled to one appeal per suspension
• Appeals are reviewed within 3–5 business days
• If upheld, the account is reinstated with a final warning
• Decisions on second or subsequent violations are final and not appealable

Content & Abuse Reports

Any user may report content or behaviour that violates Syqnal's policies. Reports can be submitted via the "Report" button on any post, comment, or profile, or via the Report Abuse category on the Contact form.

Reports are handled as follows:

• Illegal content — reviewed and actioned within 24 hours
• Harassment or threats — reviewed within 24 hours
• Fake verification / credentials fraud — reviewed within 48 hours; reported to relevant institution if applicable
• DMCA / copyright notices — acknowledged within 10 business days; counter-notices accepted
• Spam / bot activity — actioned within 72 hours
• Other policy violations — reviewed within 5 business days

Reporters are not notified of outcomes by default to protect all parties' privacy, but may request an update on significant reports after 10 business days.

Resolution Timelines

Times are best-effort targets, not guarantees. Complex cases involving multiple parties, legal considerations, or significant evidence review may take longer. We will communicate proactively if timelines extend.

Escalation & Arbitration

If a dispute cannot be resolved through Syqnal's internal process, the following escalation path applies in accordance with our Terms of Service:

• Good faith negotiation — parties are expected to attempt direct resolution before involving Syqnal or any external body
• Syqnal mediation — our internal process described above
• Binding arbitration — unresolved disputes are subject to binding individual arbitration under the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Consumer Arbitration Rules, conducted in English
• Class action waiver — all disputes must be brought on an individual basis; class actions are not permitted
• Governing law — all disputes are governed by the laws of the United States; venue is the user's jurisdiction for consumer disputes

For marketplace transactions, Stripe's dispute resolution and chargeback processes apply in parallel. Syqnal's decision in a platform dispute does not preclude a party from pursuing a chargeback through their card issuer, but we will provide evidence to Stripe as appropriate.