Affiliate Program Terms and Conditions

7.1 Clawbacks. If a transaction attributed to Affiliate is refunded, charged back, reversed, disputed, or determined by Paliscore in good faith to be fraudulent or non-compliant with this Agreement, the corresponding commission shall be deducted from Affiliate's account balance.

7.2 Right of Offset. Paliscore shall have the right, at any time and without further notice, to offset any amounts owed by Affiliate to Paliscore (including clawbacks, overpayments, fraudulent commissions, indemnification obligations, and tax adjustments) against any amounts owed by Paliscore to Affiliate, whether currently owed or earned in the future.

7.3 Negative Balances. If Affiliate's account balance becomes negative as a result of clawbacks, refunds, or offsets, Affiliate agrees that the deficit constitutes a debt owed to Paliscore. Paliscore may, at its sole discretion:

• Apply the deficit against future commissions earned by Affiliate
• Demand immediate payment of the deficit, due within thirty (30) days of written notice
• Pursue collection of the deficit through any lawful means, including reporting to collections and recovering reasonable collection costs and attorneys' fees

7.4 Post-Termination Clawbacks. Paliscore's right to clawback commissions and offset amounts survives termination of this Agreement for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of the original transaction, or longer if required to address fraud, chargebacks, or violations of this Agreement.

8.1 General Compliance. Affiliate agrees to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and industry guidelines, including but not limited to:

• Federal Trade Commission Act and the FTC's Endorsement Guides (16 C.F.R. Part 255), including the FTC's “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
• The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (15 U.S.C. § 7701 et seq.) and implementing regulations
• The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA,” 47 U.S.C. § 227) and its implementing regulations
• State-level consumer protection, telemarketing, and electronic communication laws, including but not limited to the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act (FTSA), Oklahoma Telephone Solicitation Act, and Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA)
• The Credit Repair Organizations Act (“CROA,” 15 U.S.C. § 1679 et seq.) and analogous state credit services organization statutes, including but not limited to Texas Finance Code Chapter 393, the California Credit Services Act of 1984, and the Florida Credit Service Organizations Act
• All applicable data privacy and consumer protection laws

8.2 Required Disclosures. Affiliate must clearly and conspicuously disclose their material connection to Paliscore in any promotional content, in a manner consistent with the FTC Endorsement Guides. At minimum, disclosures must:

• Be placed before any affiliate link or call to action (not buried in footnotes, hashtags, or “more” expansions)
• Use plain-language terms such as “#ad,” “Paid partnership with Paliscore,” or “I earn a commission if you sign up through this link”
• Appear in the same medium as the endorsement (e.g., spoken in video content, on-screen in social media)

8.3 Paliscore Is Not a Credit Repair Service. Affiliate acknowledges and agrees that Paliscore is not a credit repair organization, credit services organization, lender, financial institution, debt relief service, credit counseling agency, or financial advisor. Affiliate shall not, in any marketing material, representation, or communication:

• Describe, market, or imply that Paliscore repairs, fixes, removes, or alters credit history, credit reports, or credit scores
• Promise, guarantee, or imply specific credit score increases, loan approvals, interest rates, or financial outcomes
• Represent Paliscore as a lender, broker, or financial institution
• Provide financial, legal, tax, accounting, or credit advice on behalf of Paliscore
• Use language such as “guaranteed approval,” “fix your credit,” “remove negative items,” “credit repair,” or substantially similar phrasing in connection with Paliscore

8.4 SMS, Email, and Paid Advertising. The following channels require prior written approval from Paliscore before use:

• SMS or MMS marketing of any kind (text messages promoting Paliscore are strictly prohibited absent written consent and demonstrable TCPA-compliant prior express written consent from each recipient)
• Email marketing to lists Affiliate did not personally collect with verifiable opt-in consent
• Paid search advertising bidding on Paliscore branded keywords or trademarks
• Paid social, display, or programmatic advertising mentioning Paliscore
• Influencer campaigns involving sub-affiliates or third-party endorsers

8.5 Prohibited Conduct. Affiliate shall not:

• Misrepresent Paliscore's services, pricing, terms, or features
• Make false or unsubstantiated claims
• Engage in deceptive, misleading, or unfair marketing practices
• Use Paliscore's trademarks in domain names, social media handles, or advertising without written approval
• Operate websites or content that disparage competitors in a deceptive or unlawful manner
• Engage in any practice prohibited under Section 10 (Fraud and Abuse)

8.6 Affiliate Marketing Guidelines. Paliscore may publish supplemental Affiliate Marketing Guidelines describing required disclosure language, prohibited claims, sample copy, and channel-specific rules. Compliance with these Guidelines is mandatory and incorporated into this Agreement by reference.

15.1 Informal Resolution. Before initiating any formal proceeding, the parties agree to attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute informally for at least thirty (30) days, beginning with written notice to the other party describing the dispute and the relief sought.

15.2 Binding Arbitration. Except as provided in Sections 15.5 and 15.6, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Program, or the relationship between the parties — whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation, or any other legal theory — shall be resolved exclusively by final and binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules (or, if applicable, its Consumer Arbitration Rules).

15.3 Arbitration Procedure. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single neutral arbitrator. The seat and legal place of arbitration shall be Houston, Texas, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing or the arbitrator determines that a different venue is required to ensure enforceability. Hearings may be conducted by videoconference at the arbitrator's discretion. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

15.4 Class Action Waiver. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, REPRESENTATIVE, OR CONSOLIDATED PROCEEDING. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. If this Section 15.4 is found unenforceable as to any particular claim or remedy, then that claim or remedy (and only that claim or remedy) shall be severed and may proceed in court, while all other claims shall remain subject to arbitration.

15.5 Public Injunctive Relief. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 15, claims for public injunctive relief that cannot lawfully be waived (including but not limited to claims under California's McGill rule) may be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction.

15.6 Carve-Outs. Either party may bring an individual action in small claims court for claims within that court's jurisdiction, and either party may seek injunctive or equitable relief in court to protect intellectual property rights or enforce confidentiality obligations.

15.7 Opt-Out. Affiliate may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@paliscore.com within thirty (30) days of first accepting this Agreement. Opting out does not affect any other provision of this Agreement.

15.8 Costs and Fees. Each party shall bear its own attorneys' fees except as otherwise required by applicable law or AAA rules. Filing and arbitrator fees shall be allocated in accordance with AAA's applicable fee schedule.

17.1 Independent Contractor Tax Status. Affiliate is solely responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes arising from commissions earned under this Agreement, including self-employment taxes. Paliscore will not withhold income or employment taxes from commissions paid to U.S. Affiliates, except as required by law (including backup withholding, if applicable).

17.2 Tax Forms Required Before Payment. Affiliate must submit a properly completed and signed IRS Form W-9 (for U.S. persons) or the applicable IRS Form W-8 series (for non-U.S. persons), together with any other documentation Paliscore reasonably requires, before any commission will be paid. Paliscore may withhold payment until valid tax documentation is received.

17.3 1099 Reporting. For U.S. Affiliates whose commissions in a calendar year equal or exceed the threshold set by the Internal Revenue Service (currently $600 under IRC § 6041), Paliscore will issue an IRS Form 1099-NEC (or such other form as may be required) by January 31 of the following year.

17.4 Backup Withholding. If Affiliate fails to provide a valid taxpayer identification number, or if the IRS notifies Paliscore that backup withholding is required, Paliscore will withhold tax at the then-current backup withholding rate and remit such amounts to the IRS in accordance with applicable law.

17.5 Non-U.S. Affiliates. Non-U.S. Affiliates are responsible for compliance with applicable tax laws in their jurisdictions, including FATCA where applicable, and must provide accurate and current Form W-8 documentation. Paliscore may withhold or report payments as required under U.S. tax law and applicable tax treaties.

17.6 Indemnification for Tax Misclassification. Affiliate shall indemnify Paliscore for any taxes, penalties, or interest arising from Affiliate's failure to provide accurate tax documentation or to report and pay taxes owed on commissions received.

18.1 Confidential Information. “Confidential Information” means any non-public information disclosed by Paliscore to Affiliate, whether in writing, orally, or electronically, including but not limited to: commission rates and structures not generally published; conversion data, customer lists, and analytics; marketing materials marked confidential; technical, financial, and business information; and any information that a reasonable person would understand to be confidential under the circumstances.

18.2 Obligations. Affiliate shall (a) hold Confidential Information in strict confidence; (b) use Confidential Information solely for the purpose of performing under this Agreement; (c) not disclose Confidential Information to any third party without Paliscore's prior written consent; and (d) protect Confidential Information using at least the same degree of care it uses for its own confidential information, but in no case less than reasonable care.

18.3 Exclusions. Confidential Information does not include information that (a) is or becomes publicly available through no fault of Affiliate; (b) was known to Affiliate before disclosure without obligation of confidentiality; (c) is independently developed by Affiliate without reference to Confidential Information; or (d) is rightfully received from a third party without restriction.

18.4 Compelled Disclosure. If Affiliate is required by law to disclose Confidential Information, Affiliate shall, to the extent legally permitted, give Paliscore prompt written notice and reasonable cooperation to seek a protective order.

18.5 Survival. This Section 18 survives termination of this Agreement for a period of three (3) years, except that trade secrets shall remain protected for as long as they remain trade secrets under applicable law.

19.1 Compliance with Privacy Laws. Affiliate shall comply with all applicable data privacy and protection laws, including but not limited to the California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act (“CCPA/CPRA”), the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (“VCDPA”), the Colorado Privacy Act (“CPA”), the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (“CTDPA”), the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (“UCPA”), the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (“TDPSA”), and any other state, federal, or international privacy laws that apply to Affiliate's marketing activities.

19.2 Roles of the Parties. With respect to Personal Information processed in connection with the Program:

• Each party acts as an independent Business (CCPA/CPRA) or Controller (other state laws) for the Personal Information it independently collects.
• Affiliate is not a Service Provider, Processor, or Contractor of Paliscore. Paliscore does not authorize Affiliate to process Personal Information on Paliscore's behalf.
• Paliscore is not a Service Provider, Processor, or Contractor of Affiliate.

19.3 No Sale or Sharing. Affiliate shall not sell, share, or disclose any Personal Information collected through Affiliate's marketing activities to any third party in a manner that would constitute a “sale” or “sharing” under CCPA/CPRA, or that would otherwise violate applicable privacy law, without the affected individual's legally valid consent.

19.4 Required Notices and Consents. Affiliate shall provide all notices and obtain all consents required by applicable law before collecting or processing Personal Information for marketing purposes. This includes, where required:

• A clear and conspicuous privacy notice on Affiliate's website
• Opt-in consent for marketing communications (as required by GDPR, TCPA, FTSA, and similar laws)
• A clear “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” or equivalent mechanism, where applicable
• Honoring opt-out preferences signaled through universal opt-out mechanisms (e.g., Global Privacy Control) where required

19.5 Cookies and Tracking. Affiliate shall comply with all applicable cookie consent and tracking technology laws, including providing required disclosures and obtaining required consents before placing tracking technologies on a user's device.

19.6 Data Subject Requests. If Affiliate receives a privacy rights request (access, deletion, correction, opt-out) relating to a customer referred to Paliscore, Affiliate shall promptly notify Paliscore at security@paliscore.com and reasonably cooperate in responding.

19.7 Security Incidents. Affiliate shall promptly notify Paliscore at security@paliscore.com of any security incident, data breach, or unauthorized disclosure of Personal Information that involves Paliscore data or referred customers, and shall reasonably cooperate with Paliscore's investigation and response.

19.8 Indemnification. Affiliate shall indemnify Paliscore for any claims, fines, penalties, or damages arising from Affiliate's violation of applicable privacy laws, including regulatory enforcement actions and individual or class claims.