Payments & Restricted Activity

Media.com may provide or facilitate payment functionality for eligible users, creators, organizations and advertisers.

Payment functionality may support activities such as:

• one-off Support;
• Memberships;
• paid publications;
• creator payouts;
• Media Ads funding and billing;
• refunds;
• permitted commercial transactions; and
• other payment features introduced by Media.com.

Using Media.com does not automatically give a person or organization a right to use every payment feature.

Payments may be restricted because of:

• applicable law;
• sanctions;
• fraud or security concerns;
• payment-provider requirements;
• banking requirements;
• card-network requirements;
• verification requirements;
• product restrictions;
• jurisdiction;
• age;
• transaction risk; or
• other legitimate payment or compliance considerations.

A payment restriction does not necessarily mean that the user has violated Media.com's content Rules.

These Rules apply to:

• payments made to Media.com;
• payments made through Media.com;
• creator payouts;
• Support;
• Memberships;
• paid content;
• Media Ads funding;
• campaign charges;
• refunds;
• chargebacks;
• bank accounts;
• payment cards;
• digital payment methods;
• payment-provider accounts;
• payout accounts;
• payment identity;
• transaction activity; and
• other payment functionality supported by Media.com.

To use certain payment features, Media.com may require you to:

• satisfy applicable age requirements;
• complete identity Verification;
• complete organization Verification;
• establish authority to act for an organization;
• provide accurate payment information;
• provide tax information where required;
• complete payment-provider onboarding;
• be located in an eligible jurisdiction;
• pass applicable sanctions or compliance checks; and
• otherwise satisfy the requirements of the relevant payment feature.

Information supplied for payment purposes must be accurate.

Do not provide materially false or misleading:

• identity information;
• organization information;
• addresses;
• dates of birth;
• bank information;
• payment-card information;
• ownership information;
• tax information;
• business information;
• regulatory information; or
• other payment-related information.

Do not use:

• stolen payment cards;
• stolen bank accounts;
• compromised accounts;
• payment credentials obtained through fraud;
• another person's payment method without appropriate authority; or
• other unauthorised payment instruments.

Media.com may require the identity of the person or organization paying or receiving money to correspond appropriately with the relevant Media.com account.

Legitimate third-party payments are not automatically prohibited.

Media.com may seek additional information where the relationship between:

• account holder;
• payer;
• payee;
• organization;
• beneficiary; or
• bank account

is unclear or presents heightened risk.

Do not use Media.com's payment functionality to fund, purchase, sell or facilitate activity prohibited by Media.com's Rules.

This may include payments connected with:

• human trafficking;
• child exploitation;
• commercial sexual services;
• illegal drugs;
• prohibited weapons;
• criminal services;
• stolen goods;
• fraudulent schemes;
• malware;
• unlawful gambling;
• prohibited financial schemes; or
• other prohibited activity.

Some lawful activities may only be eligible for payment processing where specific regulatory or payment requirements are satisfied.

This may include:

• financial products and services;
• credit;
• digital assets;
• gambling;
• healthcare;
• fundraising;
• regulated professional services;
• age-restricted products; or
• other regulated activity.

Permission to publish or discuss a regulated activity does not automatically mean Media.com can process payments for it.

Do not use Media.com's payment systems to:

• obtain money through deception;
• operate scams;
• submit fraudulent transactions;
• generate false purchases;
• fabricate supporters or members;
• submit false refund claims;
• use stolen payment methods;
• falsify transaction information; or
• otherwise commit payment fraud.

Fraud & Criminal Activity may apply concurrently.

Do not use Media.com payments to conceal, disguise, transfer or legitimise proceeds of unlawful activity.

Do not use Media.com to knowingly facilitate:

• money laundering;
• terrorist financing;
• sanctions evasion;
• fraudulent payment flows; or
• comparable serious financial crime.

Media.com may restrict transactions or accounts where legally or reasonably required to address such risks.

Do not artificially move money between accounts you control or coordinate for the principal purpose of:

• creating fake revenue;
• manipulating creator earnings;
• satisfying monetization thresholds;
• creating false advertising spend;
• disguising the source or destination of funds;
• obtaining platform incentives; or
• otherwise manipulating Media.com's financial systems.

Ordinary legitimate transactions between related people or businesses are not automatically prohibited.

Do not deliberately divide, route or restructure transactions principally to evade:

• transaction limits;
• verification requirements;
• fraud controls;
• sanctions controls;
• payment reviews;
• regulatory controls; or
• other applicable restrictions.

Do not use another person or organization as a nominal payer or payee principally to conceal:

• who controls the transaction;
• who benefits from it;
• who is subject to a restriction;
• the source of funds; or
• the destination of funds.

Legitimate agents, agencies and corporate payment arrangements may be permitted where appropriately authorised.

Do not create or use:

• alternative accounts;
• different payment methods;
• related organizations;
• nominee payees;
• alternate bank accounts; or
• other arrangements

principally to bypass a payment restriction applying to the underlying person, organization or transaction.

Account Integrity & Enforcement Evasion may apply concurrently.

Media.com may be unable to provide payment functionality to particular:

• individuals;
• organizations;
• countries;
• territories;
• financial institutions; or
• transactions

where applicable sanctions or other legal restrictions apply.

Users must not attempt to conceal information in order to evade such restrictions.

Payment features may vary by country or region.

A payment feature being available in one country does not mean it is available everywhere.

Do not falsify location or jurisdiction to obtain access to restricted payment functionality.

Advertisers using Media Ads must use payment methods and funding arrangements approved by Media.com.

Do not:

• fund campaigns with stolen payment methods;
• generate fraudulent advertising spend;
• manipulate refunds or credits;
• conceal the true advertiser or payer;
• use advertising payments to move funds artificially; or
• circumvent advertising-payment restrictions.

Advertising Standards and Media Ads Terms apply concurrently.

Creators receiving money through Media.com may be required to complete payout onboarding.

Do not:

• provide fraudulent payout information;
• route payouts through another person to evade a restriction;
• artificially generate creator earnings;
• use fake transactions to increase payouts; or
• conceal who is actually entitled to receive creator funds.

Creator Monetization Standards apply concurrently.

Support should represent a genuine one-off payment made through Media.com's approved functionality.

Do not use Support payments to:

• launder funds;
• create fake creator revenue;
• pay for prohibited goods or services;
• disguise unlawful transactions;
• manipulate platform incentives; or
• facilitate fraud.

Membership payments must reflect genuine Membership relationships.

Creators must not create or coordinate fake Memberships principally to manufacture revenue or manipulate Media.com's systems.

Membership billing and cancellation are governed additionally by applicable Membership and Creator Monetization Terms.

Payments for paid publications must relate to genuine access to eligible content.

Do not use paid-content functionality as a disguised means of:

• transferring unlawful funds;
• selling prohibited products;
• facilitating criminal services;
• avoiding payment restrictions; or
• conducting unrelated prohibited transactions.

Media.com may provide refunds where required by:

• applicable law;
• product terms;
• Media.com policies;
• payment-provider requirements; or
• another applicable basis.

Users must not abuse refund processes.

Refund abuse may include:

• knowingly making false refund claims;
• repeatedly purchasing and consuming content before fraudulently seeking refunds;
• using refunds to manipulate payment flows; or
• coordinating fraudulent refund activity.

Users retain whatever chargeback rights are available through their payment provider and applicable law.

Do not knowingly submit fraudulent chargebacks.

Creators and advertisers must not:

• encourage fraudulent disputes;
• falsify evidence concerning transactions;
• retaliate against users for legitimate payment disputes; or
• otherwise manipulate chargeback processes.

A chargeback does not itself establish misconduct.

Transactions may be reversed because of:

• refunds;
• chargebacks;
• fraud;
• payment failure;
• duplicate processing;
• unauthorised activity;
• legal restrictions;
• payment-provider action; or
• other legitimate reasons.

Where a transaction is reversed, related creator earnings, advertising credit or other balances may also be adjusted where permitted by applicable terms.

Media.com may temporarily delay or hold payouts where reasonably necessary for:

• identity review;
• fraud investigation;
• account compromise;
• chargebacks;
• refunds;
• sanctions review;
• payment-provider review;
• legal requirements;
• disputes about entitlement;
• enforcement review; or
• other material financial risk.

A payout hold does not itself establish that the recipient violated Media.com's Rules.

Media.com may maintain reserves where permitted by applicable terms to manage reasonably anticipated:

• refunds;
• chargebacks;
• payment reversals;
• fraud exposure;
• disputes; or
• other payment risk.

Reserve terms should be explained through the applicable commercial agreement.

If your account or payment method is compromised, notify Media.com through the appropriate account or payment-support process.

Media.com may:

• temporarily stop payments;
• restrict payouts;
• terminate active sessions;
• require security changes;
• require re-verification; or
• take other reasonable protective action.

Unauthorised activity resulting from account compromise should be distinguished from deliberate user misconduct where reasonably possible.

Media.com may use third-party payment providers, banks, card networks or other financial-service providers.

These providers may impose separate:

• identity requirements;
• business requirements;
• product restrictions;
• payment limitations;
• payout requirements;
• transaction reviews; or
• other conditions.

Media.com may be unable to provide payment functionality where a required provider will not support the relevant user or transaction.

A bank, card network or payment provider may restrict a transaction even where the underlying publication does not violate Media.com's content Rules.

Media.com should distinguish:

• PAYMENT UNAVAILABLE
• from
• POLICY VIOLATION.

Certain payment functionality may require users to be at least 18.

Creator monetization should ordinarily require the recipient to be at least 18 unless Media.com introduces a separate programme specifically designed for younger users.

Age Requirements & Age Assurance applies.

Users under 18 must not use another person's identity or payment account to circumvent age-dependent payment restrictions.

Parents or guardians should not create nominal payment arrangements solely to defeat Media.com's age requirements.

Where Media.com permits fundraising, payment functionality may require additional verification.

Do not materially misrepresent:

• beneficiary;
• purpose;
• charitable status;
• intended use of funds;
• fundraiser identity; or
• other important information.

Fraudulent fundraising may result in immediate payment and account restrictions.

Media.com may require organizations claiming charitable status to establish relevant identity or registration information.

Verification does not constitute an endorsement of the charity.

Media.com may restrict payments connected to financial products or services where:

• legal requirements apply;
• licensing cannot be established;
• a payment provider prohibits the category;
• the activity presents unacceptable fraud risk; or
• Media.com's commercial standards prohibit it.

Permission to discuss an investment does not mean Media.com will process payments for that investment.

Media.com may restrict payments involving:

• cryptocurrencies;
• tokens;
• digital-asset offerings;
• exchanges;
• investment schemes; or
• related activity

according to applicable law, jurisdiction, payment-provider restrictions and Media.com's risk standards.

Payment functionality for gambling or wagering may be prohibited or restricted.

Where permitted, additional:

• licensing;
• age;
• geographic;
• payment-provider; and
• responsible-gambling

requirements may apply.

Media.com must not be used to process payments for commercial sexual services prohibited under Media.com's Rules.

Media.com must not be used to process payments for transactions prohibited under Prohibited & Regulated Goods and Services.

Payments associated with political advertising, fundraising or campaigns may be subject to:

• advertiser verification;
• payer transparency;
• jurisdictional requirements;
• campaign-finance requirements; or
• other applicable restrictions.

Civic & Election Integrity and Advertising Standards may apply concurrently.

Users are responsible for their own applicable tax obligations.

Media.com may:

• collect tax information;
• collect or remit taxes;
• withhold amounts;
• provide tax documents; or
• report information

where required by applicable law.

Available currencies and conversion arrangements may vary.

Applicable exchange rates, fees or settlement rules should be disclosed through the relevant product or commercial terms.

Platform fees, payment-processing fees, advertising charges and other commercial fees should be governed by the applicable product terms.

Media.com should provide appropriate information about material charges before the relevant transaction where required.

Media.com does not guarantee that:

• every payment will be accepted;
• every payout method will remain available;
• every country will be supported;
• every bank or card will be accepted;
• every creator will remain eligible for payouts; or
• every transaction can be processed.

Payment functionality may depend on third-party financial infrastructure outside Media.com's direct control.

Media.com may review payments before or after processing.

Review may consider:

• identity;
• transaction history;
• payment method;
• account relationships;
• jurisdiction;
• amount;
• transaction pattern;
• beneficiary;
• product or service;
• refunds;
• chargebacks;
• fraud signals;
• sanctions;
• account history; or
• other reasonably relevant factors.

No single signal automatically establishes wrongdoing.

Media.com may request additional information necessary to understand or process a transaction.

This may include:

• identity information;
• business information;
• proof of authority;
• source or purpose of a transaction;
• product information;
• licences;
• payout information;
• bank information; or
• other reasonably relevant documentation.

Depending on the circumstances, Media.com may:

• decline a payment;
• require another payment method;
• request additional information;
• require Verification;
• restrict a transaction;
• restrict a payment category;
• temporarily hold a payout;
• delay settlement;
• reverse or adjust a transaction where permitted;
• restrict Support or Memberships;
• restrict paid-content payments;
• restrict Media Ads funding;
• restrict creator payouts;
• suspend payment functionality; or
• permanently remove payment access.

Media.com is not required to apply these measures sequentially.

Serious conduct such as:

• stolen payment methods;
• money laundering;
• deliberate payment fraud;
• sanctions evasion;
• trafficking payments;
• large-scale artificial transactions;
• fraudulent fundraising; or
• repeated deliberate payment-enforcement evasion

may result in immediate payment restrictions and broader account-level action.

Media.com should not automatically suspend a user's ordinary publishing account merely because payment functionality becomes unavailable.

Broader account enforcement should require an independent basis under another Media.com Rule or Policy where appropriate.

Users may report suspected:

• payment fraud;
• unauthorised transactions;
• fraudulent fundraising;
• payment scams;
• account compromise; or
• other payment concerns

through Media.com's reporting or support systems.

A report does not itself establish that misconduct occurred.

Users may request review of eligible payment restrictions where Media.com provides a review process.

Media.com may request relevant:

• identity information;
• payment records;
• bank information;
• business documentation;
• evidence of authority;
• transaction information; or
• other relevant material.

Some restrictions imposed directly by banks, card networks, payment providers, sanctions rules or applicable law may not be capable of being reversed by Media.com.

For more information, see Appealing a Media.com Decision or the applicable payment-support process.

These Rules should be read together with:

• Fraud & Criminal Activity;
• Prohibited & Regulated Goods and Services;
• Account Integrity & Enforcement Evasion;
• Verification;
• Creator Monetization Standards;
• Advertising Standards;
• Branded Content & Sponsorship Disclosure;
• Human Exploitation & Trafficking;
• Age Requirements & Age Assurance;
• Civic & Election Integrity;
• Privacy & Personal Information; and
• other applicable Media.com Rules, Policies and commercial terms.