A dispute is your formal complaint channel on EsusuOnline. Use it when a transaction, payment record, or payout does not match what actually happened — for example, your wallet was debited but the system still shows your contribution as Pending, or a payout amount you received was wrong.
Disputes are reviewed by EsusuOnline administrators who check transaction records, wallet history, and slot activity. You can raise a dispute from the Disputes page in your account (esusuonline.org/disputes) or directly from the slot detail page where the issue occurred.
⚡ The Three Rules of Disputes
🎯
Use for Record Errors Only
Disputes are for genuine errors: wrong payment status, incorrect payout amount, undisclosed fee. Not for disagreements, delays under 24 hours, or missed payments you owe.
📸
Evidence First, Always
A dispute with screenshots of your wallet transaction history and slot status resolves in 1–2 days. A dispute with no evidence can take 5+ days or be dismissed.
⚠️
Every Dispute Has a Cost
Raising any dispute deducts −5 trust points immediately. If you win, you gain +10 (net +5). If you lose, you lose another −15 (net −20). False disputes cost −30 total.
2
When To Raise — and When NOT To
✅ Raise a Dispute When…
💳Your wallet was debited for a contribution, but your slot still shows the payment as Pending after 24 hours.
📤It was your confirmed payout round, the circle is not On-Hold, your bank account is correct — but the payout did not arrive after 24 hours.
💰A fee was charged to your wallet that was not disclosed to you during slot setup or as a late fee.
📋Your contribution history shows an incorrect status that does not match what you actually paid.
🔢The payout amount you received was less than the expected total (all members' contributions for that round).
🚫 Do NOT Raise a Dispute When…
⏳You missed a payment and want to delay consequences. A dispute does not pause the Late or Default countdown — you still need to pay.
😤You disagree with another member's peer rating of you. Ratings are subjective assessments, not record errors.
⏱️Your payout has been pending for less than 24 hours. Allow normal processing time before escalating.
🔁The circle is On-Hold due to member defaults. This is known and expected — admin is already working on it. A dispute adds nothing.
🤔You're unsure. Use EsusuBot or a support message first. If it turns out to be a misunderstanding, you save the −5 trust point deduction.
⚠️
Dispute ≠ Delayed Payment: Raising a dispute while you have an unpaid contribution does not stop the Late or Default process. Pay first, then dispute the record error if one exists. The two actions are independent.
3
How to Raise a Dispute — Step by Step
Follow these steps exactly. Incomplete disputes take longer to resolve and are more likely to be resolved against you.
⚖️ Dispute Submission — Step by Step
Takes less than 5 minutes if you have your evidence ready.
Collect Your Evidence First
Screenshot your wallet transaction history showing the deduction (date, amount, reference), the slot detail page showing the wrong status, and any notification you received about the transaction. Evidence turns a 5-day review into a 1–2 day resolution.
Go to the Disputes Page
Navigate to Disputes from the main menu (or go to esusuonline.org/disputes). Click "Raise New Dispute" in the top right. Alternatively, open the specific savings circle where the issue occurred and look for the dispute option on the slot detail page.
Select the Savings Circle (Slot)
From the dropdown, choose the specific savings circle where the issue occurred. If you cannot find the circle, check that you are still a member — you can only dispute activity in circles you belong to.
Enter the Round Number (if applicable)
If the issue is about a specific contribution round or payout round, enter the round number. Leave blank only if the dispute is about a general fee or slot-level issue rather than a specific round.
Choose a Reason Category
Select the most accurate reason category from the dropdown. Choosing the wrong category slows resolution because it routes to the wrong admin queue. See Section 6 — Reason Categories if you are unsure.
Write a Clear Description
Describe exactly: what you did (e.g. "I made a payment of ₦5,000 on 30 April 2026 at 2:14 PM"), what you expected (e.g. "my contribution for Round 3 should be marked Paid"), and what actually happened (e.g. "it still shows Pending 26 hours later"). Be factual, not emotional. Paste your transaction reference number if you have one.
Submit and Note Your Dispute ID
Click Submit. You will see a confirmation. The dispute immediately appears in your Disputes list with status Open. Note the dispute ID for reference if you contact support. You will receive a notification when admin responds.
Open → Under Review → Resolved
2–5 business days response
Evidence = faster resolution
All your disputes are visible on the Disputes page (esusuonline.org/disputes). The page shows the date raised, the savings circle name, the reason category, and the current status. Here is what each status means:
📋
Open
Received. Waiting for admin to pick it up.
🔍
Under Review
Admin is actively checking records and evidence.
✅
Resolved (In Your Favour)
Error confirmed. Record corrected. +10 pts.
❌
Resolved (Against You)
Records confirmed correct. −15 pts additional.
🚩
False Dispute
Raised to deceive or delay. −25 pts + flagged.
📋 Dispute Status Reference
What each status means and what you should do at each stage.
| Status |
What It Means |
Expected Timeline |
What You Should Do |
| Open |
Dispute received and queued. No admin has picked it up yet. |
Usually changes within 24 hours on business days. |
Wait. Do not submit a second dispute for the same issue — duplicates slow resolution. |
| Under Review |
Admin is actively checking your transaction records, wallet history, and slot data against your claim. |
1–4 business days from this point. |
No action needed. If you have additional evidence you forgot to include, open a support ticket referencing your dispute ID to add it. |
| Resolved |
Admin has made a final decision. Check the resolution detail in the dispute record to see whether it was in your favour or against you. |
Final — no further action possible. |
If resolved in your favour: your wallet or record has been corrected. If resolved against you: accept the decision. Contact support only if you believe there was a factual error in the review (not just disagreement). |
ℹ️
No need to chase: You will receive an in-app notification and email when your dispute status changes. If you haven't heard back after 5 business days, open a support ticket referencing your dispute ID — do not raise a new dispute for the same issue.
5
Dispute Outcomes & Trust Score Impact
Every dispute affects your trust score, starting from the moment you raise it. This is by design — disputes carry a real cost to discourage abuse and ensure only genuine complaints enter the review queue.
✅ Resolved In Your Favour
Net +5 pts
−5 for raising + +10 for winning. The record error is corrected — your wallet balance or payment status is updated to reflect reality.
❌ Resolved Against You
Net −20 pts
−5 for raising + −15 for losing. Records confirmed correct. Only dispute when you are certain there is a genuine error.
⛔ Found to Be False
Net −30 pts
−5 for raising + −25 false penalty. Used to delay payment or deceive. Account is flagged for monitoring and future restrictions may apply.
⚖️ Full Trust Score Impact Table
Every possible outcome and its trust point effect.
| Event |
Trust Points |
When It Happens |
Notes |
| Dispute Raised |
−5 |
Immediately on submission |
Applies to every dispute, legitimate or not. Recoverable if you win. |
| Resolved In Your Favour |
+10 |
When admin closes in your favour |
Net effect: +5 (−5 + 10). Error corrected; record updated. |
| Resolved Against You |
−15 |
When admin closes against you |
Net effect: −20 (−5 − 15). Records confirmed correct. |
| False Dispute Penalty |
−25 |
When admin determines deliberate misuse |
Net effect: −30 (−5 − 25). Account flagged for monitoring. |
| Dispute Win Bonus |
+10 |
Same as "Resolved In Your Favour" |
The +10 already accounts for this — no separate bonus beyond the resolution outcome. |
6
Dispute Reason Categories
Choosing the correct reason category routes your dispute to the right admin queue and speeds resolution. Here are the available categories and when to use each:
🏷️ Reason Categories — When to Use Each
Select the most specific category that matches your situation.
| Category |
Use When… |
Example |
| Payment Not Recorded |
You made a contribution payment (wallet deduction confirmed) but the slot still shows Pending after 24 hours. |
"I paid ₦10,000 for Round 4 on 28 Apr. Wallet shows deduction but my round status is still Pending." |
| Incorrect Payout Amount |
You received a payout but the amount was less than the total expected (sum of all members' contributions for your round). |
"My Round 6 payout should have been ₦120,000 (12 members × ₦10,000) but I only received ₦108,000." |
| Payout Not Received |
It was confirmed your payout round, the circle is not On-Hold, your bank details are correct, and more than 24 hours have passed with no payment. |
"Round 3 payout was due on 29 Apr. Today is 1 May — 48 hours later — and nothing has arrived. Circle is active." |
| Unauthorised Fee |
A fee was deducted from your wallet that was not disclosed in the slot terms during setup. |
"A ₦2,500 'admin fee' appeared in my wallet history on 30 Apr. No such fee was in the slot configuration I joined." |
| Incorrect Status |
Your contribution history shows a status (e.g. Missed, Late) that does not match what actually happened based on your records. |
"My Round 2 contribution shows 'Missed' but I have a wallet transaction reference confirming I paid on 15 Apr." |
| Other |
None of the above categories fit. Describe the issue in full detail in the description field. |
Use sparingly. "Other" disputes take longer as they require broader investigation. |
7
Tips for a Successful Dispute
✅ Do These
📸Screenshot wallet transaction history showing the exact deduction (date, amount, reference number) before raising a dispute.
🔢Always include the transaction reference number or wallet receipt reference in your description. This is the fastest way for admin to verify.
⏰Wait at least 24 hours after the expected payment or payout before raising a dispute. System processing can take time.
📝Write your description in plain, factual terms: what you did, what you expected, what happened. Include dates and amounts.
🤖Try EsusuBot or a support message first if you're unsure. If it's a misunderstanding, you save −5 trust points.
1️⃣Raise one dispute per issue. Duplicate disputes for the same problem slow things down and each one deducts −5 points.
🚫 Avoid These
🚫Don't raise a dispute to delay a payment you owe. It doesn't pause the Late or Default timeline. Pay the contribution, then dispute the record error separately.
🚫Don't use vague descriptions like "something went wrong" or "I didn't get my money". Be specific — what amount, which round, what date.
🚫Don't dispute within the first 24 hours of a transaction. Processing delays are normal and not errors.
🚫Don't raise disputes to pressure or punish other members or admins. The system logs all disputes and outcomes.
🚫Don't contact support to ask for a dispute to be resolved faster. The review queue is first-in, first-reviewed. Escalation attempts delay other members.
🚫Don't raise a dispute about peer ratings. Ratings reflect members' subjective experience — they are not system errors.
💡
Fastest resolution path: Dispute raised with a clear description + wallet screenshot + transaction reference number = typically resolved within 1–2 business days. Missing any of these extends review to 3–5 days.