Acceptable Use Policy

1. Why this policy exists

When people give to a pot, they are trusting the organiser and trusting us. This policy sets out what Ayopot can and cannot be used for, so that every pot is what it says it is. It forms part of our Terms of Service, and it applies to organisers, contributors and celebrants.

Our payment partner, Flutterwave, has its own rules on prohibited activity, and they apply to every pot too.

2. What pots are for

Ayopot is built for groups coming together for a person or an occasion. For example:

• birthdays, weddings, naming ceremonies, convocations, send-offs, retirements and other celebrations;
• aso-ebi and other group purchases for an occasion, where the organiser collects each person’s share and buys for the group;
• class, alumni, estate and association dues and levies;
• group trips and shared gifts;
• burials, memorials, hospital bills, school fees, church and community projects, with the extra checks in section 8;
• message-only cards, with no money at all.

3. Fraud and deception

You must not use a pot to deceive anyone. That includes:

• a pot for a person, illness, death, emergency or cause that is not real, or that exaggerates what is needed;
• pretending to be someone else, or to act for a person, family, church or organisation without their permission;
• keeping money that was given for someone else, or using it for a different purpose than the pot describes;
• advance-fee, romance, job, investment or “double your money” scams, and phishing for people’s details;
• asking contributors to pay in gift cards, or using gift cards bought with pot money to cash out.

4. Financial crime

• Money laundering, or moving money for someone else through a pot.
• Terrorist financing, and anything for a person, group or country under sanctions.
• Splitting payments or opening several pots to avoid our checks or limits.
• Using someone else’s identity, BVN, NIN or bank account, or letting someone else use yours.
• Paying in money from stolen cards or accounts.

5. Money schemes

A pot collects gifts and shares. It must not be used for:

• investments, or any promise of interest, profit or returns;
• savings, thrift, ajo, esusu or cooperative schemes, and loans or credit;
• pyramid, Ponzi and multi-level marketing schemes;
• betting, raffles, lotteries, sweepstakes and other games of chance;
• cryptocurrency, foreign exchange trading or trading signals.

6. Running a business

A pot is not a shop. Do not use one to sell goods or services to customers, to take payment for your own business, or to collect rent, salaries or bills for a business. A group buying something together for an occasion, like aso-ebi for a wedding, is welcome.

7. Illegal and harmful causes

You must not raise money for, or promote:

• anything illegal in Nigeria or where you are;
• weapons, drugs and other controlled or illegal goods;
• violence, terrorism, or harm to yourself or others;
• political parties, candidates and election campaigns;
• legal fees or bail for violent crimes or crimes against children.

8. Pots that need extra checks

Some pots are exactly what Ayopot is for, and also what scammers copy most. We welcome them, and protect the people giving with extra checks before money leaves the pot:

• Burials and memorials: for example a death notice, obituary or programme, and the organiser’s link to the family.
• Hospital and medical bills: for example a bill or letter from the hospital.
• Charity, church, mosque and community projects: for example the organisation’s registration and permission to raise money in its name.
• School fees for someone else: for example a fees invoice from the school.

We may review these pots by hand above a set amount, show a “verified” badge once checks pass, and ask for proof of how the money was used. Burial and memorial pots stay calm: no stickers or party effects.

9. Messages, photos and recordings

What you post in a pot or card must not include:

• hate or attacks on people because of their ethnicity, religion, gender, disability or other protected trait;
• harassment, bullying, threats or insults;
• sexual content, and anything that sexualises or exploits children, which we always report;
• graphic violence;
• other people’s private information, such as their address, ID or account details, without permission;
• photos, music or other work you do not have the right to share;
• spam, or links to scams and malware.

Organisers can hide any message in their pot, and we can remove content that breaks these rules.

10. Member lists and reminders

• Only add people to a member list who expect to be asked to pay, such as members of the group, class or family.
• Only send reminders about money people actually owe for that pot, and stop when they ask you to.
• Do not use Ayopot’s messages to advertise, or to contact people who have nothing to do with the pot.

11. What happens if a pot breaks these rules

Depending on what happened, we may:

• remove content, or pause the pot and stop new contributions;
• hold withdrawals and gift cards while we review it, and ask for proof;
• refund contributors where the money can still be recovered;
• close the account and refuse future pots from the same person;
• report the pot to Flutterwave and, where the law requires, to the police, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit or other authorities.

If we get it wrong, tell us at hello@ayopot.com and we will look again.

12. Reporting a pot

If something about a pot does not feel right, tap Report on the pot’s page, or write to hello@ayopot.com. You do not need to be sure. If you think you have been scammed, also tell your bank straight away.

13. Changes to this policy

We will update this policy as new risks appear. If a change affects your pots, we will tell you in the app or by email. The date at the top shows when it last changed.