Terms of Service

Safepay is a WhatsApp-native escrow service operated by Hidenor and Hedge Financial Services Limited ("Hidenor and Hedge", "we", "us", or "our"), a company registered in Nigeria under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

Safepay allows buyers and sellers to complete trades safely on WhatsApp by holding payment in escrow until delivery is confirmed by both parties. By messaging the Safepay bot or using any Safepay service you agree to these Terms of Service.

To use Safepay you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have a valid WhatsApp account
• Have a valid Nigerian bank account (sellers only)
• Not be prohibited from using financial services under Nigerian law
• Use Safepay only for lawful purposes

By using Safepay you represent and warrant that you meet all of the eligibility requirements above.

The Safepay escrow process works as follows:

• The buyer describes the deal in a WhatsApp conversation with the Safepay bot
• The bot extracts the deal terms: item, price, deadline, and deliverables
• Both the buyer and seller confirm the deal by typing #safepay
• The deal summary confirmed at that moment becomes the binding contract between the parties
• The buyer pays via a secure payment link sent by Safepay
• Funds are held in escrow by Safepay until delivery is confirmed
• The seller delivers and marks delivery with #delivered
• The buyer releases funds with #release or funds are released automatically after the applicable window

Safepay is currently free to use during our beta period. No escrow fees are charged to buyers or sellers.

We reserve the right to introduce fees in the future. We will provide at least 30 days written notice via WhatsApp to active users before any fees take effect.

Payments are processed by our licensed payment partners. Funds paid by buyers are held in escrow under the name of Hidenor and Hedge Financial Services Limited until the deal is completed or resolved.

Safepay will release funds to the seller when:

• The buyer types #release confirming satisfactory delivery
• The automatic release window expires without a dispute being raised
• A dispute is resolved in the seller's favour

Safepay will refund funds to the buyer when:

• The deal is cancelled after payment has been received but before the seller marks delivery, provided both parties agree or Safepay determines a refund is appropriate
• A dispute is resolved in the buyer's favour

If a deal is cancelled before payment is made no funds are held and no refund is necessary. Either party may cancel before payment by typing #nodeal with no financial consequences.

We are not responsible for delays caused by banking infrastructure, third-party payment processors, or circumstances outside our control.

Either party may raise a dispute by typing #dispute after payment has been confirmed. Disputes must be raised within 48 hours of the seller marking delivery.

When a dispute is raised:

• Both parties will be asked to submit their account of the situation
• Safepay's team will review the deal summary, conversation history, photos, and statements from both parties
• Safepay will make a decision based on the confirmed deal terms
• The losing party may appeal within 24 hours by typing #appeal
• One appeal is allowed per dispute
• Safepay's decision after appeal is final

Safepay acts as a neutral escrow agent. Our dispute decisions are based solely on the evidence available and the confirmed deal terms. We are not a court and our decisions do not constitute legal judgments.

You must not use Safepay to:

• Buy or sell illegal goods or services
• Engage in fraud, deception, or misrepresentation
• Sell counterfeit, stolen, or prohibited items
• Launder money or finance illegal activities
• Deliberately raise false disputes to obtain refunds
• Impersonate another person or business
• Use automated tools to interact with the bot without our consent
• Attempt to manipulate or circumvent our escrow or dispute process
• Harass, threaten, or abuse other Safepay users

Violation of these prohibitions may result in immediate suspension of your access to Safepay, freezing of any funds held in escrow pending investigation, and reporting to relevant Nigerian authorities where required by law.

Safepay maintains a Trust Score for each user based on their transaction history, including completed deals, on-time delivery rate, and dispute outcomes. Your Trust Score is visible to other users when they interact with you on Safepay.

Trust Scores are calculated algorithmically based solely on activity within the Safepay platform, including deal completions, on-time delivery, and dispute outcomes. No external reputation, social media presence, or activity outside Safepay is considered. Trust Scores are intended as a guide only and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any trading decision.

To the maximum extent permitted by Nigerian law, Hidenor and Hedge Financial Services Limited shall not be liable for:

• Any loss arising from a seller failing to deliver as agreed
• Any loss arising from a buyer acting in bad faith
• Delays in payment processing caused by third-party payment processors
• Losses caused by Force Majeure events including but not limited to natural disasters, government actions, power failures, or telecommunications outages
• Indirect, incidental, or consequential losses of any kind

Our total liability to you in connection with any single deal shall not exceed the value of the funds held in escrow for that deal.

These Terms of Service are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Nigeria.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to Safepay at any time if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms, are engaged in fraudulent activity, or pose a risk to other users or the integrity of the platform.

If your account is suspended with funds in escrow we will hold those funds pending investigation and release them in accordance with our dispute resolution process or applicable law.

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. When we make material changes we will notify active users via WhatsApp at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

Continued use of Safepay after the effective date of any updated terms constitutes your acceptance of those terms.

For any questions about these Terms of Service:

• Email: contact@safepay.services
• Website: safepay.services
• Operator: Hidenor and Hedge Financial Services Limited
• Jurisdiction: Federal Republic of Nigeria

See also our Privacy Policy.