FNProvider InvestigationIndependent information project

Methodology · Classification

Four source tiers, applied the same way every time.

Everything in this packet is placed in one of four tiers before it is written up. The tier decides the wording, the citation, and how much weight the item carries in a filing.

A

Verified record

Court dockets and decisions, regulator orders, and agency filings obtained from the issuing body.

How it is used: Stated as fact, with the court or agency, date, and docket or file number attached.

B

Primary company document

Published terms of service, fee schedules, help-centre pages, and platform-generated records such as payout ledgers.

How it is used: Quoted or cited with the version date. Described as what the document says, not as proof of what happened.

C

First-party account with exhibits

A provider's own dated account backed by their own documents, logged in the source record.

How it is used: Labelled as a reported account. Weighted by whether the exhibits corroborate each stated fact.

D

Public review or anonymous post

Ratings, review text, forum and social posts.

How it is used: Treated as a lead only. Counted, never quoted as established fact, and never attributed to a named person.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between an allegation and a verified record here?

An allegation is an unverified statement about someone's conduct — including a provider's own account before exhibits are matched to it. A verified record is a document issued by a court, regulator, or agency, or a company's own published document. Tier A and B material is stated as fact with a citation; Tier C and D material is always introduced as reported or alleged.

How are review scores used?

As sample data about sentiment, not as evidence of any specific act. Scores are recorded with the platform, the review count, and the snapshot date, and positive buyer-side sources are shown alongside negative provider-side sources so the contrast is visible rather than filtered.

How is a court outcome described?

By what the order actually did, with its date and precedential status. A nonprecedential disposition is described as such. A decision compelling arbitration is not described as a ruling on the underlying merits.

What makes a provider account move from lead to documented?

Each stated fact must map to at least one exhibit in the source record: accepted work order, payout ledger line, fee statement, platform timestamp, support ticket, or bank record. Facts without an exhibit stay labelled unsupported.

Why is the audit trail append-only?

Because an exhibit index is only useful if it shows what was recorded and when. Entries can be added but not edited or deleted from the site, so the sequence of documentation is preserved.

How are numbers and snapshots kept current?

Every figure carries a research cutoff date. Dynamic sources are archived at the time of capture and rechecked before any figure is republished or included in a filing.

What is deliberately excluded?

Scraped personal data, contact details of review authors, third-party customer information, credentials, and any submission made in another person's name.

How do I request a correction?

Submit the correction through the intake form with the specific claim, the document that contradicts it, and its date. Corrections that change a stated fact are applied and the change is recorded in the audit trail for that item.