How we protect you

Safety is the product,
not a feature

Every layer of CarryMate is built around one question: how do we make sure both the sender and the traveler are fully protected in every delivery?

๐Ÿชช
Verified identity
Every traveler passes biometric ID verification before carrying anything
๐Ÿ”
Escrow payments
Money is held safely until both sides confirm delivery
๐Ÿ“ท
Photo proof
Every parcel photographed at pickup โ€” timestamped and tamper-evident
๐Ÿ“‹
Customs intelligence
Per-corridor rules built into every delivery โ€” not buried in a help article
The trust stack

Six layers of protection
on every delivery

Each of these layers serves a specific purpose. Together they make CarryMate the most trustworthy way to send a parcel through the diaspora community.

1
Traveler verification
British-Nigerian passport ยท MRZ validated
โœ“ Identity verified ยท liveness passed
Sanctions screening
PEP and sanctions check ยท World-Check database
โœ“ No matches found
Carrier tier ยท Kofi Asante
Platinum ยท 94 deliveries ยท โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜… 5.0
Trusted carrier
Layer 1

Every traveler is verified before they carry anything

Before a Traveler can accept a single parcel, they must pass our biometric identity verification. This includes government-issued ID scan with machine-readable zone (MRZ) verification, a liveness detection test to prevent spoofing, and real-time screening against international PEP and sanctions lists.

  • โœ“Passport or national ID scan with MRZ validation
  • โœ“Anti-spoofing liveness detection โ€” no static photos accepted
  • โœ“PEP and international sanctions screening on every user
  • โœ“Flight itinerary verified for every trip posted
2
Item: Clothing + shoes ยท 2kg ยท ยฃ45
โœ“ Customs-safe ยท LHR โ†’ LOS corridor
Item flagged ยท Tramadol capsules ยท 200 units
โœ— Hard blocked ยท prohibited item
Item: Laptop ยท MacBook Pro ยท ยฃ1,800
โš  Declare required on arrival at LOS
Layer 2

AI screens every parcel before matching begins

When a Sender posts a parcel, our NLP classifier checks the description against our prohibited items database and per-corridor customs rules. Hard-blocked items cannot proceed at all. Restricted items are flagged with specific guidance. Safe items proceed immediately to matching.

  • โœ“Classifier trained on customs rules across all 12 corridors
  • โœ“Hard blocks cannot be overridden by users
  • โœ“Amber warnings with corridor-specific declaration guidance
  • โœ“High-risk listings reviewed by trust team before matching
3
ยฃ22.18 ยท Sender paid at checkout
Held in escrow ยท Stripe regulated account
Release conditions
Pickup OTP confirmed โœ“ AND delivery OTP confirmed โ€” both required before release
Timeout protection
If unconfirmed after 72 hours โ€” auto escalation to disputes team
Automated safety net
Layer 3

Money doesn't move until delivery is confirmed

When a Sender pays, funds go into escrow held by our licensed payment processor โ€” not by CarryMate. Neither party can access them. The Traveler is not paid until the recipient confirms delivery with a one-time code. This eliminates the risk on both sides.

  • โœ“Funds held by Stripe (GBP/EUR) or Paystack (NGN/GHS)
  • โœ“Released only on dual OTP confirmation from both ends
  • โœ“72-hour automatic escalation if delivery is unconfirmed
4
Pickup OTP ยท Sender shows at collection
4
8
2
9
โœ“ Confirmed ยท 09:42 ยท timestamped
Delivery OTP ยท Recipient enters on arrival
7
3
1
6
Awaiting recipient entry
Layer 4

Dual OTP confirmation at both ends

Two separate one-time passwords protect every delivery. The pickup OTP confirms the right Sender handed over to the right Traveler. The delivery OTP confirms the right recipient received it at destination. Both are unique per delivery, expire after use, and create a tamper-evident chain of custody.

  • โœ“Pickup OTP confirms correct Sender and Traveler at collection
  • โœ“Delivery OTP confirms correct recipient at destination
  • โœ“Both logged with timestamps in our audit record
  • โœ“Mismatch triggers automatic support escalation
5
Parcel photo ยท in-app capture at pickup
๐Ÿ“ฆ
โœ“ Timestamped ยท 09:41 ยท stored S3 af-south-1
Digital declaration ยท signed by both
"Contents: clothing and shoes, personal use, value ยฃ45. I have inspected the parcel and it matches the description."
โœ“ Signed ยท both parties ยท timestamped
Layer 5

Photo and declaration at every pickup

Before a Traveler can confirm pickup, they must photograph the parcel using the CarryMate app. The photo cannot be uploaded from the gallery โ€” it must be taken in-app, live. Both Sender and Traveler digitally sign a declaration confirming the contents match the listing. This protects the Traveler from customs liability if a misdescription is discovered later.

  • โœ“In-app camera capture โ€” gallery upload not accepted
  • โœ“Timestamped and stored on AWS S3 in Africa (af-south-1)
  • โœ“Digital declaration signed by both parties
  • โœ“Shared with customs authorities in incidents
6
Carrier reputation ยท Kofi Asante
โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜… 5.0 ยท 94 deliveries ยท 0 disputes
Platinum carrier ยท surfaces first in matching
Sender history
14 deliveries ยท 1 dispute resolved in traveler favour
Listings reviewed before matching
Layer 6

Reputation scores that compound and cannot be reset

After every delivery, both Sender and Traveler rate each other. These ratings are cumulative, public, and permanent. Our matching algorithm surfaces higher-rated carriers first. Senders with a pattern of misdescriptions have their listings reviewed before matching proceeds. The community polices itself โ€” we build the infrastructure.

  • โœ“Post-delivery rating from both parties
  • โœ“Cumulative reputation โ€” cannot be reset or hidden
  • โœ“Matching algorithm weights by rating and delivery count
  • โœ“Repeated dispute patterns trigger account review
Customs intelligence

Built for your corridor,
not every corridor

Generic customs advice is not enough at an international border. Our guide is built specifically for each route we operate โ€” verified quarterly with local legal counsel in each market.

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง โ†’ ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌ London โ†’ Lagos
Duty-free: NGN 50,000 (~ยฃ30) personal gifts
Clothing and shoes โ€” permitted
Baby formula โ€” up to 6 tins
Electronics โ€” 1 unit max, declare on arrival
Jewellery โ€” must declare in writing
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง โ†’ ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ญ London โ†’ Accra
Duty-free: GHS 200 (~ยฃ13) personal effects
Clothing and personal items โ€” permitted
Cosmetics for personal use โ€” permitted
Electronics โ€” CEPS declaration required
Items above GHS 200 โ€” declare on arrival
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ โ†’ ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌ New York โ†’ Lagos
NGN 50,000 limit on Nigeria end
Personal goods under $2,500 โ€” no US export licence needed
Clothing and gifts โ€” permitted
Goods over $2,500 โ€” EEI filing required at US exit
Nigeria arrival โ€” all imports inspected
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง โ†’ ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ช London โ†’ Nairobi
Duty-free: KES 50,000 (~ยฃ385) personal effects
Clothing and personal items โ€” permitted
Relatively generous threshold vs other corridors
25% duty + 16% VAT applies above threshold
Electronics bundles โ€” commercial presumption risk
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท โ†’ ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฎ Paris โ†’ Abidjan
CFA franc personal allowance applies
Personal effects within threshold โ€” permitted
French language declaration forms in app
Quantities above personal use โ€” declare
Fresh food โ€” phytosanitary requirements apply
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง โ†’ ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ฒ London โ†’ Kingston
Duty-free: JMD 50,000 (~ยฃ250)
Clothing, shoes, personal goods โ€” permitted
Ackee (canned and sealed) โ€” permitted
Fresh produce โ€” agricultural inspection required
Electronics โ€” declare if new or high value
When things go wrong

A dispute process you
can actually trust

We aim to resolve every dispute within 48 hours. Here is exactly what happens when you open one.

1
Within 2 hours
Acknowledgement and escrow freeze
We acknowledge your dispute and freeze the escrow. Neither party can access the funds while the investigation is open. You receive a confirmation by push notification and email.
2
Within 8 hours
Evidence collection
We review parcel photos, OTP records, booking history, and communication. We contact both the Sender and Traveler for their account of events and any supporting evidence.
3
Within 24 hours
Assessment
Our trust team assesses liability. If a Sender misdescribed a parcel, they bear responsibility โ€” not the Traveler. If a Traveler failed to deliver without good cause, they bear responsibility. We document our reasoning.
4
Within 48 hours
Decision and resolution
We issue a decision: full release to Traveler, full refund to Sender, or a partial split. Funds are moved within 24 hours of the decision. Both parties notified by push notification and email.
Contact the trust team

We are here when you need us

Safety issues get priority response. Our team is available 7 days a week and responds within 4 hours.

โš  Report a safety concern

If you believe a parcel contains a prohibited item, or something about a delivery feels wrong, contact us immediately. We investigate every report.

safety@carrymate.io โ†’

โš– Open a dispute

For delivery problems, damaged parcels, or payment issues, open a dispute directly in the CarryMate app. Go to your parcel and tap "Report a problem."

How disputes work โ†’

๐Ÿ›ƒ Customs incident support

If you are stopped at customs while carrying CarryMate parcels, contact us immediately. We will provide your booking documentation to the customs officer.

support@carrymate.io โ†’

๐Ÿ”’ Report fraud or abuse

If you suspect your account has been compromised, or believe another user is acting fraudulently, contact our security team immediately.

security@carrymate.io โ†’