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How disputes work

Open a dispute and the money freezes until a real admin decides. The five steps and the four possible outcomes.

Last updated: 25 June 2026

The steps

Either side can open a dispute from the order page once the order is in progress (the seller has accepted) and during the buyer's 72-hour confirmation window. The funds in escrow pause immediately.
The other side is notified by email and in-app within minutes.
Both sides add context, screenshots or files. Everything in the order chat — before and after — is part of the record.
A TrustForge admin reviews the chat, the delivery proof and both submissions. Target turnaround is 72 hours from a complete evidence package.
The admin picks an outcome with a written reason; both sides are emailed the decision.

The four outcomes

Refund the buyer in full.
Release the funds to the seller.
Partial refund, when fault is split.
Dismiss the dispute, when the complaint is unsupported and the order continues.

Disputes are handled by people, not algorithms. Give the admin clear evidence and keep it civil — that's what resolves it fastest.

More in Escrow Shield & disputes

What Escrow Shield covers
Escrow Shield is the protection on every order — eight mechanisms, no opt-in. Here's the short version.
What Escrow Shield doesn't cover
Being honest about the limits is part of the protection. Five situations that fall outside Escrow Shield.
Deadlines at a glance
Escrow Shield runs on a few fixed clocks. Knowing them prevents surprises.

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