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What the MoneyWave Trust Signal measures — and what it does not

The MoneyWave Trust Signal is a 1–5 score summarising how much public, corroborating evidence exists about a seller — not whether they are honest. It reads reach, recency, contactability, cross-platform corroboration and what buyers say in public comments. It is an observation, refreshed weekly, and never an endorsement.

Updated — Checked today

How is the MoneyWave Trust Signal calculated?

We sample a seller's public posts and the buyer comments underneath them, then score five things: how much reach the account has, how recently it posted, whether a real contact is public, whether the same operator can be corroborated on another platform, and whether buyers report good or bad experiences. The result is shown on a 1–5 scale.

What the score can and cannot see

It sees what is public. It cannot see private orders, WhatsApp conversations, or a dispute that was settled quietly — which is most disputes. A high score means we found corroborating evidence, not that nothing has ever gone wrong.

Inputs to the Trust Signal, and known blind spots
We readWe cannot read
Public posts and their engagementPrivate chats, DMs and WhatsApp groups
Buyer comments on the seller's own postsOrders that never generated a public comment
Whether a contact method is publicly listedWhether that contact is answered
Presence of the same operator on another platformOffline reputation and trade references
How recently the account postedDeleted comments and hidden replies

Is a low Trust Signal a scam warning?

No. A low score usually means thin evidence — a young account, few comments, no second platform — rather than bad behaviour. Read it as "we could not corroborate much, so do more of your own checking", never as an accusation.

Can a supplier pay to be listed or to raise their score?

No. Listings are not for sale, placement is not for sale, and the score cannot be bought, appealed or influenced by a commercial relationship with MoneyWave. If that ever changes, it will be stated on this page before it takes effect.

How often is the score refreshed?

Weekly. An automated job re-reads the stalest listings first, re-samples their posts and comments, and re-scores them. Every listing page shows the date it was last checked, so you can see how old the evidence behind a score is.

Frequently asked questions

What does a Trust Signal of 3 out of 5 mean?

Moderate corroborating evidence: the account is real and active, and buyers are talking about it, but at least one of reach, cross-platform corroboration or public contactability is thin. It is a normal score for a small, genuine operator.

Why are the buyer review quotes locked?

Harvesting, dating and attributing buyer comments is the expensive part of the work, and the subscription is what funds the weekly refresh. The score, the number of quotes behind it and the date we last checked are free.

Can I get a listing removed or corrected?

Yes. Every listing page carries a report link. Corrections are made against public evidence, and a delisted account becomes "no longer listed" with the reason class shown rather than disappearing silently.

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