How Verification Works

What the verification badge means, how complaints progress through statuses, and what determines credibility on OUTCRY.

Complaint Status Flow

Every complaint on OUTCRY has a status that reflects its current state:

OpenNewly filed. AI resolution generated. Awaiting community engagement or authority action.
AI ReviewedAI has analyzed the complaint and generated a structured resolution path.
In ProgressThe complaint has been acknowledged by the relevant authority or company, or action has been initiated.
Sent to CompanyThe complaint has been formally forwarded to the company or entity.
Sent to AuthorityThe complaint has been escalated to the relevant regulatory authority.
EscalatedThe complaint has been escalated beyond the initial authority — to a higher body, ombudsman, or court.
ResolvedThe issue has been resolved — refund issued, service restored, action taken.
ClosedThe complaint has been closed — either resolved or no further action possible.

The Verified Badge

A green "Verified" badge on a complaint means the OUTCRY team has confirmed:

  • The complaint describes a real, specific incident (not hypothetical or generic)
  • The complaint includes verifiable details (dates, reference numbers, amounts)
  • The complaint does not contain defamatory, threatening, or fabricated content
  • The AI resolution has been reviewed and confirmed as relevant

Verification does NOT mean:

  • That OUTCRY has independently confirmed every claim is true
  • That the company or authority is at fault
  • That the complaint will definitely be resolved

Verification is a credibility indicator, not a legal judgment.

Credibility Signals

Beyond the verified badge, complaint credibility is influenced by:

  • Specificity score — Complaints with dates, amounts, reference numbers, and named entities rank higher
  • Community support — More likes and "Me Too" marks indicate others have experienced the same issue
  • Evidence — Screenshots, receipts, or documents strengthen credibility
  • Author history — Users with multiple verified complaints earn a "Verified Reporter" badge
  • Status progression — Complaints that move from Open to In Progress to Resolved demonstrate real-world impact

Quality-Based Visibility

OUTCRY uses a quality scoring system to determine how prominently complaints appear in search results and feeds:

  • High quality (60+ score): Indexed by search engines, appears in feeds and map
  • Medium quality (30-59): Visible on OUTCRY but may not appear in external search results
  • Low quality (<30): Not indexed externally, visible only via direct link

This ensures that search engines surface OUTCRY's most useful content, while all complaints remain accessible to the person who filed them.

Related: Moderation Standards · Content Guidelines · How AI Works