Fraud & Abuse Policy
Effective 15 August 2026 · Last updated 15 August 2026
The behaviour that is never allowed on Swaptico — scams, manipulation, abuse and evasion — how we detect it, what happens, and how to appeal.
1. What this policy covers
This policy sets out the conduct that is prohibited on Swaptico because it is fraudulent, abusive or manipulative, how we detect and investigate it, the consequences, and your right to appeal. It applies to everyone who uses the platform and to all activity: listings, wants, offers, messages, reviews, rewards, referrals, payments and accounts.
2. Prohibited conduct
The following are never allowed: scams and fraudulent schemes of any kind; fake, phantom or misleading listings (including listings for items that do not exist or that the seller does not own); bait-and-switch (advertising one item and delivering another); item substitution after agreement; fake delivery claims or deliberate non-delivery; collusion between users to manipulate outcomes, reviews or value; duplicate or multi-account abuse; account takeover (using someone else's account or credentials); review and rating manipulation (including paid, coerced or reciprocal reviews); reward farming and referral abuse (creating accounts or activity to game points, levels, boosts or referrals); platform manipulation (gaming search, matching, boosts or moderation); moderation evasion (re-listing removed content, circumventing gates or creating new accounts after a ban); payment abuse (chargebacks, refund fraud, using stolen payment methods); and identity abuse (using false identities or documents, or impersonating others).
3. How we detect it
Swaptico combines automated detection with human review. Automated systems analyse: listings (copied descriptions, price anomalies, suspicious serial numbers, category misuse); messages (spam, phishing, off-platform solicitation and abuse patterns); accounts (device sharing, network clusters, relationships between accounts, login velocity, failed-login patterns); and behaviour (velocity, patterns matching known scams). Our AI screening flags findings with an explanation and confidence level, and repeated findings on the same target are clustered so one incident creates one case rather than many. Risk scores are computed from explainable factors and are advisory — they flag for review, they do not decide.
4. A weak signal is never enough
A single weak or ambiguous signal — one shared device, one failed login, one similar description — never results in a ban or restriction on its own. Automated findings are reviewed by a human moderator, who considers the evidence, the user's history and the context before any action is taken. Where the platform takes a bounded automatic step (such as hiding a listing pending review), it is reversible and reviewable, and the user is told why.
5. Evidence and audit trails
Swaptico maintains audit trails of transactions, messages, moderation decisions and security events. When conduct is investigated, we preserve the relevant evidence — including after an account-deletion request where legally permitted — so that investigations, appeals and, where appropriate, reports to authorities are based on a complete record. Confirmed violations are recorded against the account and inform future risk assessment.
6. Consequences
Depending on the nature and severity of the conduct, consequences may include: removal of listings or content; cancellation of transactions; forfeiture of rewards, boosts or credits obtained through abuse; temporary restrictions (for example limited posting or messaging); account suspension; permanent ban; preservation of evidence; and reporting to relevant authorities — including the police — where legally required or appropriate. We may also take legal action where the conduct causes loss or damage. Consequences are proportionate to the conduct and are applied after review.
7. Your appeal rights
If you believe a decision about your account, listing or transaction was wrong, you can appeal. Appeals can be made by replying to the notice you received, using the appeal option in the app, or emailing legal@swaptico.com with your username and the decision you are appealing. Appeals are reviewed by a person who was not involved in the original decision. You will receive an outcome and, where the decision is upheld, the reason. Repeatedly submitting the same appeal without new information does not change the outcome.
8. Reporting to us
If you believe you have been targeted by a scam, or you see content or behaviour that breaches this policy, report it through the app (on the item, message or profile) or contact us. Do not engage further with a suspected scammer; do not send money or items outside the platform; keep the evidence (screenshots, messages, tracking numbers) and give it to us and, where relevant, to the police.