Verification Policy

What verification means here

A "verified" mark on this platform means one thing: we have examined documentary evidence supporting the specific claim the mark is attached to. It does not mean we endorse the provider, guarantee their conduct, or vouch for anything beyond the verified fact. Every verification is scoped and dated.

We verify three distinct things, each with its own badge and its own Trust Score component:

1. Licence verification

For brokers and agencies, we verify licensing status against documents evidencing authorisation to act as a real estate intermediary in Panama, cross-checked against public registry information where available. Licence verification is the single largest Trust Score component (20 of 100 points), because it is the most consequential fact a consumer can know about an intermediary.

• A profile showing no licence badge means we have not verified a licence — it does not by itself mean the provider is unlicensed.
• If we find affirmative evidence that a provider claims a licence they do not hold, we say so on the profile.
• Licence verifications are re-checked periodically and expire if not renewed with current evidence.

2. Identity and business verification

We verify that the person or company behind a profile is who they say they are: corporate registration documents for agencies, government-issued identification for individual brokers, and evidence connecting the claimant to the business (such as appearing in the corporate record or on official business materials). This is worth 15 Trust Score points.

3. Profile claim

Claiming a profile is the lightest tier: the claimant demonstrates they represent the business, typically via a documented connection to the business's established contact channels. Claiming (10 Trust Score points) unlocks the ability to respond to reviews, complete the profile, and submit the heavier verifications above. Claiming alone does not confer a "verified" badge.

Evidence handling

• Documentary evidence is required. We do not verify on the basis of a phone call, a website statement, or an assurance. If it isn't in a document we can examine, it isn't verified.
• Evidence stays private. Documents submitted for verification are used solely to make the verification decision. They are never published, never shown to other businesses, and never shared except where the law compels us. Retention and deletion terms are in the privacy policy.
• We record what we saw. For each verification we keep an internal record of the document type, its identifying references, the date examined, and the decision — so that decisions can be audited and re-checked.

Reviewer verification

Reviewers may verify individual reviews by submitting evidence of the underlying interaction (contract, invoice, correspondence, payment record). The same rules apply: documentary evidence only, evidence stays private, only the outcome (a "verified review" mark) is public. The proportion of a provider's reviews that are verified feeds the Trust Score (15 points).

Failed and revoked verifications

• If submitted evidence is insufficient, we say specifically what is missing and the applicant may resubmit.
• If evidence is found to be forged or materially misleading, verification is refused, any existing badges are revoked, a moderation penalty (up to −25 Trust Score points) applies, and the attempt is recorded. Forged-document submissions may be reported to authorities.
• If we later learn a verified fact has changed — a licence lapsed, a company dissolved — the badge is withdrawn and the profile updated. Anyone may report such a change with evidence via contact@panamarealestatereviews.com.

Limits

Verification is a point-in-time examination of documents. Documents can be revoked after we see them, and a licensed, verified provider can still serve a client badly — that is what reviews are for. Read badges and reviews together, and engage your own lawyer for any Panamanian property transaction.