First Created: 25th December 2024

Updated: 8th September 2026

Restricted & Prohibited Activities

ParlyPay is designed for legitimate commercial and financial activity.

We may prohibit or restrict businesses, transactions or activities that present unacceptable legal, regulatory, fraud, sanctions, financial-crime or operational risks.

Restricted activities may include categories prohibited by applicable law, sanctions requirements, financial-service regulations, payment-provider policies or ParlyPay’s internal risk framework.

Eligibility may also vary by:

Country

State or province

Business activity

Transaction type

Customer type

Payment method

Currency

Regulatory requirements

Provider availability

A business may be eligible for one ParlyPay service and ineligible for another.

Eligibility is determined based on the specific business, transaction, and applicable jurisdiction.

If you are unsure whether your business or transaction is supported, contact our team before initiating activity.

Money Laundering:

• Shell Companies: Companies created solely for the purpose of moving illicit funds without attracting attention.
• Money Transfer Services: Some illegitimate money transfer services may facilitate money laundering by allowing large sums of money to be transferred across borders with minimal oversight.
• Front Businesses: Legitimate-looking businesses used to disguise the origins of illegal funds, such as restaurants, bars, or real estate ventures.

Drug Trafficking:

• Illegal Drug Cartels: Large criminal organizations involved in the production, transportation, and distribution of illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
• Drug Smuggling Networks: Networks involved in smuggling drugs across borders, often using sophisticated methods to evade law enforcement.
• Street-Level Drug Dealers: Individuals or small groups involved in selling drugs directly to consumers in local communities.

Human Trafficking:

• Escort Services: Some escort services may serve as fronts for human trafficking, exploiting individuals for commercial sex work.
• Labour Exploitation Businesses: Companies that exploit workers, often immigrants, by subjecting them to unfair wages, poor working conditions, and restricted freedoms.
• Illegal Brothels: Establishments where individuals are forced into prostitution against their will.

Terrorist Financing:

• Charities and Non-Profit Organisations: Some charities may be used as fronts to raise funds for terrorist organisations under the guise of humanitarian aid.
• Hawala Networks: Informal money transfer systems used in parts of the world to move funds without traditional banking channels, sometimes exploited for terrorist financing.
• Front Companies: Legitimate-looking businesses used to funnel funds to terrorist organisations or individuals.

Organised Crime:

• Racketeering Enterprises: Organizations involved in various criminal activities such as extortion, illegal gambling, and loan sharking.
• Illegal Gambling Operations: Underground casinos, sports betting rings, or online gambling sites operating without proper licensing.
• Arms Trafficking Networks: criminal organisations involved in the illegal trade of firearms and weapons.

Illegal Gambling:

• Underground Casinos: unlicensed gambling establishments that operate outside of regulatory oversight.
• Online gambling sites: websites offering gambling services without proper licensing or compliance with gambling laws.
• Sports Betting Rings: Illegal operations that facilitate betting on sports events without proper authorisation.

Counterfeiting:

• Counterfeit Currency Operations: Groups involved in the production and distribution of fake currency.
• Counterfeit Goods Manufacturers: Companies that produce fake versions of branded products, often sold at lower prices on the black market.
• Document Forgers: Individuals or organizations that create counterfeit documents such as passports, driver’s licenses, or identification cards.

Fraudulent Schemes:

• Ponzi Schemes: Investment schemes that promise high returns to investors but use funds from new investors to pay returns to earlier investors.
• Pyramid Schemes: Similar to Ponzi schemes, but with participants recruiting others to join the scheme and make payments, with promises of future returns.
• Investment scams: various fraudulent schemes that deceive individuals into investing in fake or nonexistent ventures, often promising unrealistic returns.