Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of terms

By accessing or using Fellow Traveler ("the platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the platform.

2. Account registration

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account. You are responsible for keeping your password secure and for all activity on your account. We require phone, email, and (optionally) Aadhaar verification for trust and safety.

3. Trip bookings

When you join a trip, you enter into an agreement with the trip organizer. Fellow Traveler facilitates the connection but is not responsible for the conduct of organizers or members. We provide tools to verify, rate, and report.

4. Payments and refunds

Trip payments are processed via Razorpay. Refund eligibility:

• 7+ days before trip: Full refund minus 250 rupees processing fee.
• 3-7 days before: 50% refund.
• Within 72 hours: No refund (organizer has booked rooms and transport).
• Trip cancelled by organizer: Full automatic refund within 48 hours.

5. Security deposits (escrow)

Trip organizers may require a security deposit to protect against no-shows and last-minute cancellations. Security deposits are held by Fellow Traveler in a dedicated escrow account — never in the organizer's personal account.

How it works

• Decided by organizer: Each trip can have one of three security policies — Mandatory (all members must deposit), Optional (members choose), or Not required.
• Default amount: 20% of the per-person trip cost. Organizers may set 10%, 15%, or 25%, or a custom amount.
• Third-party deposits: If enabled by the organizer, any verified member can deposit security on behalf of another member (e.g., friends sponsoring each other). The depositor is reimbursed when the beneficiary's deposit is refunded.
• Held in escrow: The full amount stays with Fellow Traveler until the trip ends. We do not earn interest, fees, or commission on security deposits.

Refund / forfeit rules

• Trip completed successfully: 100% of the deposit is auto-refunded to the member's wallet within 24 hours of trip end.
• Cancelled 7+ days before trip: 100% refund.
• Cancelled 3-7 days before: 50% refund (50% paid to organizer as compensation).
• No-show or cancel within 72 hours: Deposit is forfeited and paid to the trip organizer as compensation for last-minute disruption.
• Trip cancelled by organizer: 100% refund automatically within 48 hours.

Members may dispute a forfeit through our dispute resolution system within 7 days. The Fellow Traveler moderation team reviews each case independently.

6. User conduct

You agree not to:

• Post false, misleading, or harmful content
• Harass, threaten, or impersonate other users
• Use the platform for illegal activities
• Solicit payments outside our payment system
• Create multiple accounts to game referrals

Violations may result in account suspension or termination.

7. Wallet and referrals

Wallet balances earned via referrals or rewards are subject to verification. We reserve the right to reverse credits in cases of fraud or policy violations.

8. Intellectual property

All content on Fellow Traveler (logo, text, design) is owned by AlgoPoint AI. User-generated content (reviews, photos, posts) remains owned by the user but you grant us a license to display it.

9. Limitation of liability

Fellow Traveler is provided as-is. We are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from use of the platform, including injury, loss of property, or damages during a trip.

10. Changes to terms

We may update these terms periodically. Material changes will be notified via email and in-app. Continued use after notification means acceptance.

11. Contact

Questions about these terms? Contact us or email legal@fellowtraveler.app.