IBC Document Verification & Credential Authentication Services
Including: Discrepancy Submission Policy | Penalty Framework | Reporting Obligations
Effective Date: 01-01-2025 | Version: 1.0
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL USERS
Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully before using our services. By submitting any document, credential, certificate, degree, or personal information to our platform, you unconditionally agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions in their entirety. If you do not agree with any provision herein, you must not proceed with using our services. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you (the “User”) and the Service Provider.
SECTION 1 — DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, the following definitions shall apply:
1.1 “Service Provider” / “Company” / “We” / “Us”: Refers to the document verification and credential authentication entity operating this platform and delivering services to clients and end users.
1.2 “User” / “Individual” / “You”: Refers to any person, applicant, employee, candidate, or representative of an entity who submits documents or credentials through our platform, whether directly or through an intermediary.
1.3 “Client”: Refers to an employer, institution, regulatory body, or organisation that has engaged the Service Provider to verify the credentials of a User on their behalf.
1.4 “Document”: Refers to any academic degree, diploma, mark sheet, certificate, transcript, educational qualification, professional licence, identity proof, or other credential submitted for verification purposes.
1.5 “Fake Document” / “Fraudulent Document”: Means any document that is forged, fabricated, falsified, altered, illegally obtained, counterfeit, misrepresented, or otherwise not genuine, authentic, and legitimately issued by the stated issuing authority.
1.6 “Illegally Obtained Degree”: Refers to an academic credential obtained through bribery, impersonation, degree mills, proxy examination, unauthorised modification of academic records, or any other unlawful means, regardless of whether the issuing institution’s physical seal or signature appears on the document.
1.7 “Verification Service”: Means the process undertaken by the Service Provider to authenticate, validate, and confirm the genuineness and legitimacy of a submitted Document.
1.8 “Penalty”: Refers to a legally prescribed financial charge imposed on a User under these Terms as a consequence of fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading conduct in the submission of Documents.
1.9 “Competent Authority”: Means any government body, law enforcement agency, regulatory body, educational authority, or judicial forum having jurisdiction over the subject matter.
SECTION 2 — SCOPE AND ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS
2.1 Agreement to Terms
By accessing and using the services of the Company, whether through a digital platform, mobile application, physical submission, or any intermediary channel, the User unconditionally agrees to all provisions set out in these Terms and Conditions.
2.2 Representation of Authenticity
Upon submission of any Document to the Service Provider, the User expressly represents, warrants, and certifies the following:
- All submitted documents are genuine, authentic, and legitimately issued by the stated institution or authority.
- The User is the lawful holder of all submitted credentials and has not obtained them through unlawful, fraudulent, or deceptive means.
- No document has been forged, altered, fabricated, digitally manipulated, or otherwise tampered with in any manner.
- All information provided in connection with the submission is true, complete, and accurate to the best of the User’s knowledge.
- The User understands that any false representation constitutes a material breach of these Terms and may attract civil and criminal liability.
2.3 Informed Consent
The User acknowledges that they have been given an adequate opportunity to read and understand these Terms prior to submission. Proceeding with submission constitutes informed and voluntary consent to all terms herein, including provisions relating to investigation, penalty, and reporting.
SECTION 3 — PROHIBITED CONDUCT
The following acts by any User are strictly prohibited and constitute a material breach of these Terms and Conditions:
- Submission of any forged, fabricated, falsified, or counterfeit document of any kind.
- Submission of an academic degree, diploma, or certificate obtained from a degree mill, ghost university, or any unrecognised, derecognised, or fictitious institution.
- Submission of a document that has been digitally or physically altered in any manner from its original issued form.
- Submission of any credential obtained through examination fraud, impersonation, bribery, or corruption.
- Deliberate misrepresentation of the issuing authority, year of issue, grades, specialisation, or any other material fact associated with the credential.
- Using another person’s genuine credentials as one’s own.
- Submission of a credential that has been legally revoked, cancelled, suspended, or declared void by the issuing institution or any regulatory authority.
- Knowingly providing false declarations or certifications in any self-attestation or declaration forms associated with the submission.
- Attempting to influence, coerce, or bribe any employee or agent of the Service Provider in connection with the verification process.
- Engaging in any conduct intended to obstruct, delay, or interfere with the verification process.
⚠️ IMPORTANT LEGAL WARNING
Any of the above acts may constitute offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (formerly the Indian Penal Code), including but not limited to Forgery of Valuable Documents (Section 328/336 BNS), Cheating (Section 316 BNS), Using a Forged Document as Genuine (Section 336 BNS), and criminal misrepresentation. These are cognizable offences carrying imprisonment of up to 7 years. The Service Provider is obligated by law and policy to report such conduct.
SECTION 4 — INVESTIGATION AND ENQUIRY PROCEDURE
4.1 Right to Investigate
The Service Provider reserves the unconditional right to initiate an internal investigation whenever there is reasonable suspicion or prima facie evidence that a submitted Document is fraudulent, forged, illegally obtained, or misrepresented.
4.2 Triggers for Investigation
An investigation shall be mandatorily initiated upon the occurrence of any of the following:
- The issuing institution confirms the credential is not in its records or was not issued to the User.
- Document metadata, physical characteristics, or digital attributes indicate tampering or forgery.
- Cross-verification with government databases, regulatory bodies, or university records yields inconsistent results.
- A complaint or alert is received from the Client, a third party, or a regulatory authority regarding the submitted credential.
- Internal quality checks or forensic analysis flag anomalies in the document.
- The User fails to provide supporting documentation upon request within the prescribed timeline.
4.3 Investigation Process
The investigation process shall include, at the Service Provider’s discretion, one or more of the following steps:
- Issuance of a formal Investigation Notice to the User.
- Seeking a written response from the User within 7 working days.
- Direct communication with the issuing institution.
- Engagement of forensic document examiners or digital analysts.
- Reference to national or international academic credential databases.
- Placing the verification result on hold pending conclusion of the investigation.
4.4 User Obligation During Investigation
Upon receipt of an Investigation Notice, the User is obligated to cooperate fully, including providing original documents, supporting documentation, and written declarations as requested. Failure to cooperate shall be treated as an adverse inference against the User.
4.5 Investigation Timeline
The Service Provider shall endeavour to conclude the investigation within 30 working days from the date of the Investigation Notice, subject to extension in complex cases.
SECTION 5 — PENALTY FRAMEWORK FOR FRAUDULENT SUBMISSION
The following Penalty Framework is established as a contractual remedy under Section 74 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872.
| Tier | Violation Type | Penalty (INR) | Additional Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier I | Minor discrepancy / inadvertent misrepresentation (non-intentional) | ₹5,000 – ₹15,000 | Warning Notice + Suspension of Service + Request for Genuine Document |
| Tier II | Materially false, altered or tampered document with evident intent to deceive | ₹25,000 – ₹75,000 | Service Termination + Blacklisting + Report to Client + Report to Issuing Institution |
| Tier III | Completely fabricated, forged, or counterfeit credential / degree-mill certificate | ₹1,00,000 – ₹5,00,000 | Mandatory Reporting to Law Enforcement + Legal Action + Permanent Blacklisting |
| Tier IV | Organised or repeat fraud / submission on behalf of multiple individuals | ₹5,00,000 and above | FIR + Criminal Prosecution + Civil Suit + Public Disclosure if Required by Law |
5.2 Basis and Rationale of Penalty
Penalty amounts represent a reasonable estimate of damages including investigation costs, staff time, reputational damage, client damages, legal costs, and loss of business opportunity.
5.3 Payment of Penalty
Payment shall be made within 21 days of the Penalty Notice. Non-payment entitles the Service Provider to recover the amount through civil proceedings.
5.4 Limitation — This Framework is NOT Extortion
This Penalty Framework operates entirely within lawful contractual remedies under the Indian Contract Act, 1872. All penalties are payable to the Service Provider as a corporate entity and are recorded in official books of accounts. Criminal reporting obligations remain independent of this framework.
SECTION 6 — MANDATORY REPORTING OBLIGATIONS
6.1 In Tier III or Tier IV cases, the Service Provider shall file an FIR or formal complaint with the appropriate law enforcement authority.
6.2 The Service Provider shall notify the university or institution whose credential has been found to be forged.
6.3 The Service Provider shall notify the Client who commissioned the verification of the outcome of the investigation.
6.4 In cases involving professional licences or regulated credentials, the relevant regulatory body shall be notified (e.g., Bar Council of India, National Medical Commission, UGC).
6.5 The Service Provider reserves the right to flag the User’s credentials in relevant national or industry-wide databases of fraudulent document submitters.
SECTION 7 — BRAND PROTECTION AND REPUTATIONAL HARM
7.1 The User acknowledges that submission of a fraudulent document causes direct and material damage to the reputation and goodwill of the Service Provider.
7.2 The Service Provider reserves the right to initiate a civil claim for reputational and consequential damages against any User whose fraudulent submission has caused demonstrable harm.
7.3 The User shall not make any false, misleading, or defamatory statements about the Service Provider, its employees, or its processes — whether publicly, on social media, or in private communications.
SECTION 8 — SUSPENSION, BLACKLISTING AND SERVICE TERMINATION
8.1 Upon initiation of an investigation, the Service Provider may immediately suspend the User’s access to all services.
8.2 A User found to have submitted fraudulent documents shall be permanently blacklisted from the platform.
8.3 Service fees paid by a User subsequently found to have submitted fraudulent documents shall not be refunded.
8.4 Upon blacklisting, existing or pending Clients shall be notified as required under applicable law.
SECTION 9 — GRIEVANCE MECHANISM AND APPEALS
9.1 Right to Appeal
A User may file a formal appeal with the Service Provider’s Grievance Officer within 14 days of receipt of the Investigation Conclusion Notice or Penalty Notice.
9.2 Appeal Procedure
- The appeal must be submitted in writing with supporting documentary evidence.
- The Grievance Officer shall acknowledge the appeal within 3 working days.
- A decision shall be communicated within 21 working days of receipt of the appeal.
- The decision of the Grievance Officer’s panel shall be final and binding, subject to recourse to courts of law.
9.3 External Recourse
Nothing in these Terms restricts the User’s right to approach a court of competent jurisdiction. The courts at Bangalore, India shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute.
SECTION 10 — DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY
All personal data shall be collected, stored, and processed in accordance with applicable Indian data protection laws, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Data collected during an investigation shall be retained for a minimum period of 7 years.
SECTION 11 — LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The Service Provider shall not be liable for any indirect, consequential, or economic loss suffered by the User as a result of suspension of services, investigation proceedings, or mandatory reporting undertaken in accordance with these Terms.
SECTION 12 — GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION
These Terms shall be governed by the laws of India. Any dispute shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts located at Bangalore, India. Disputes may also be referred to arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, with the seat of arbitration at Bangalore, India.
SECTION 13 — AMENDMENTS
The Service Provider reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time. Revised Terms shall be posted on the Company’s official platform and shall take effect from the date of posting.
SECTION 14 — SEVERABILITY
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be severed and the remaining Terms shall continue in full force and effect.
SECTION 15 — ENTIRE AGREEMENT
These Terms and Conditions, together with any specific service agreements and privacy policy, constitute the entire agreement between the User and the Service Provider and supersede all prior understandings and agreements.
DECLARATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
By proceeding to use the services of this Company and by submitting any document or credential, I acknowledge and declare that:
- I have read and fully understood these Terms and Conditions.
- All documents submitted by me are genuine, authentic, and legally obtained.
- I consent to investigation, reporting, and penalty proceedings in the event of fraudulent submission.
- I understand that payment of a penalty does not constitute immunity from criminal prosecution.
- I agree that the courts at Bangalore, India shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising from my use of these services.
— END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS —
This document is legally binding.