Trust & Safety

1. Our Commitment to Safety

zayase is built on trust. Every engagement on our platform — from a one-time data entry task to an ongoing operations role — is designed to protect both Clients and Professionals. This page explains the safeguards we have in place and the standards we expect from everyone in our community.

2. Identity Verification

Every user must verify their email address before accessing the platform. Before posting a job or receiving a payout, users complete identity verification through Stripe Connect Express onboarding — Stripe acts as our automated compliance engine, verifying identity, collecting W-9 and tax ID information, and linking a bank account. Stripe handles all sensitive compliance data securely; zayase never sees or stores identity documents, tax IDs, or banking details. Professionals who take on high-risk projects that require bank or software access must also pass a background check through our partner Checkr before they can be hired. We reserve the right to request additional identity documentation at any time.

3. Background Checks

For projects classified as high-risk — those involving financial accounts, sensitive software systems, or confidential business data — Professionals must complete a background check before the engagement begins. Background checks are conducted by Checkr, a Consumer Reporting Agency, and results are reviewed in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

• •Professionals pay a flat $50 fee directly to Checkr to run their background check — there are no platform-subsidized or deferred options.
• •A clear background check grants the 'Background Verified' badge and unlocks access to high-risk projects.
• •Background check results are kept confidential and used solely for eligibility decisions on the platform.

4. Payment Security

Project payments on zayase are processed through Stripe Connect, and subscriptions and other payments through Base44 Payments — both powered by a PCI-DSS compliant payment infrastructure. Your card details are handled entirely by our payment provider — zayase never stores full card numbers on its own servers. All data in transit is encrypted using TLS, and access to sensitive financial information is strictly controlled and audited.

• •PCI-DSS compliant payment processing — your card data never touches our application servers.
• •TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your device and zayase.
• •Payouts to Professionals are released only to identity-verified bank accounts through our payment partner Stripe Connect, which handles identity and bank verification to prevent account-takeover fraud.

5. Escrow Protection

All project payments are held in escrow through Stripe Connect until work is approved — Clients never pay for undelivered work, and Professionals always know funds are committed. Subscriptions and add-ons are processed through Base44 Payments. See our Refund Policy for full details on fund release and refunds.

6. Hourly Protection

For hourly engagements, zayase protects both sides with activity-based time tracking. Professionals log sessions with keyboard and mouse activity measurement; Clients review and approve each time log before payment is released from escrow. Hours submitted but not yet approved are refundable.

• •Every tracked session records an activity percentage and active vs. idle minutes, so Clients only pay for real work.
• •Clients approve time logs before funds are released — unapproved hours are refundable.
• •Projects that require it can enable periodic screenshots for added transparency, reviewed by the Client.

7. Fraud Prevention & Risk Scoring

zayase layers proactive fraud controls on top of human review. Our risk-tiered trust scoring gates high-risk actions — posting a job, accessing sensitive projects, or requesting a payout — behind identity and business verification. Automated scam detection screens messages and forms for off-platform contact details and suspicious links.

• •Automated scam detection screens messages and forms for personal contact information, external links, and known fraud patterns.
• •High-risk projects (bank or software access) require a cleared background check before a Professional can be hired.
• •Payouts are locked to identity-verified bank accounts so a compromised account cannot redirect funds to an attacker.
• •Our team monitors for coordinated abuse and may pause accounts that show signs of fraudulent activity pending review.

8. Secure Messaging & File Sharing

All communication and file exchange between Clients and Professionals happens on the zayase platform — keeping your work, contact details, and payments covered by escrow and dispute resolution. Taking a conversation off-platform removes these protections.

• •In-app messaging keeps conversations on-platform, where they're covered by our safeguards.
• •Automated screening flags attempts to share personal contact information or move payments off-platform.
• •Project files are stored securely and accessible only to the parties of the engagement.

9. Fair Labor Practices

zayase is committed to fair labor practices in full compliance with U.S. federal and state labor laws. Professionals on our platform are independent contractors — not employees — and retain full control over their rates, schedules, and working conditions.

• •Professionals set their own rates and negotiate directly with Clients through the proposal process.
• •No Professional is required to accept any project, work specific hours, or forego outside engagements.
• •zayase complies with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and all applicable state worker classification laws, including California AB5 and the ABC tests used by New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states.
• •Discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status is prohibited and may result in account suspension.
• •No one under 18 may register or perform work on the Platform, in compliance with federal and state child labor laws.
• •All fees are disclosed upfront — Professionals pay a flat 5% service fee on completed engagements, with no hidden deductions from earnings. Clients pay 0% platform fee (only standard payment processing).

10. Domestic Market

zayase is available exclusively to U.S. citizens and U.S. resident aliens residing in the United States. Both Clients and Professionals must attest to their U.S. tax status during registration. This restriction helps us maintain compliance with U.S. tax and employment regulations and ensures a trusted, domestic marketplace.

11. Community Standards

All users agree to our Acceptable Use Policy. The following behaviors are strictly prohibited:

• •Taking communications or payments off-platform to circumvent escrow protection, fees, or dispute resolution.
• •Harassment, discrimination, or abusive conduct toward any member of the community.
• •Misrepresenting identity, skills, credentials, or background check status.
• •Posting fraudulent projects, submitting plagiarized proposals, or delivering work that violates intellectual property rights.
• •Sharing confidential or sensitive information obtained during an engagement outside of the scope of that engagement.

12. Off-Platform Payment Warning

zayase provides escrow protection only for payments made through the platform. If a Client and Professional agree to transact outside of zayase, neither party is protected by escrow, dispute resolution, or our refund process. We strongly discourage off-platform payments and display warnings throughout the platform to remind users of the risks.

13. Dispute Resolution

If a disagreement arises, either party can open a dispute from the project page. Funds remain in escrow during review and our team reaches a fair outcome within five (5) business days. If a dispute cannot be resolved through mediation, either party may escalate to binding arbitration under our Terms of Service. See our Refund Policy for the full dispute process.

14. Account Suspensions and Bans

We may suspend or permanently ban accounts that violate our policies, engage in fraudulent activity, or pose a risk to the community. Suspended accounts cannot post projects, submit proposals, or process payments. Users may appeal a suspension by contacting our support team through the Contact Us page.

15. Data Privacy

We protect your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy — we never sell your data, and access to sensitive information is limited to authorized personnel. Background check results are stored securely and used only for platform eligibility.

16. No Guarantee and Limitation of Platform Responsibility

zayase provides tools and safeguards to reduce risk, but no platform can eliminate it entirely. Users acknowledge the following limitations of zayase's role:

• •Background checks reduce but do not eliminate risk. A passed background check is not a guarantee of a Professional's future conduct or trustworthiness.
• •Identity verification confirms that a user's email and identity documents match — it does not guarantee that a user is honest, competent, or reliable.
• •Escrow protection applies only to payments made through the Platform. zayase is not liable for off-platform payments or agreements.
• •Reviews and ratings are user-submitted opinions and are not verified statements of fact by zayase.
• •zayase is not a party to engagements between Clients and Professionals and is not responsible for the quality, timeliness, or legality of work performed.
• •Users assume all risk associated with engaging other users and agree to the limitation of liability provisions in our Terms of Service.

17. Reporting a Concern

If you encounter suspicious activity, fraud, or a policy violation, report it immediately through the Contact Us page or by opening a dispute from the relevant project. Our team investigates all reports and takes appropriate action, which may include account suspension, fund reversal, or referral to authorities.