1. General policy
SCOPE takes responsibility for processing donations according to the instructions provided by donors through available online and offline channels. Donations are generally voluntary and final once successfully processed.
2. Erroneous or duplicate donations
In the unlikely event of an erroneous donation, duplicate transaction or other genuine payment error, a donor may submit a refund request to SCOPE. The request should be sent by email within 2 working days of making the donation.
3. Information required for a refund request
To enable verification, the donor should provide the donor's name, contact details, donation amount, transaction date, transaction or payment reference, reason for the request and a copy of the payment receipt or other available proof of payment.
4. Review and response
SCOPE will respond to a valid refund request within 15 working days of receiving the request. A request is considered valid when SCOPE has sufficient information to identify the donation and assess the circumstances.
5. Refund method and timing
Where a refund is approved, the actual credit-back timeline depends on the payment instrument, card issuer, UPI service, bank or payment gateway involved. Where practicable, refunds will be routed through the original payment channel used for the transaction.
Banking or payment-gateway processing time is outside SCOPE's direct control and may continue after SCOPE has initiated an approved refund.
6. Circumstances where a refund may be declined
SCOPE is not obliged to approve every refund request and may decline a request after review, including where the donation has already been applied or committed for the intended charitable purpose, where the request is unsupported or cannot be verified, where the request falls outside the stated request period, or particularly where a tax-exemption certificate or tax receipt has already been issued.
7. Cancellation
A successful one-time donation cannot ordinarily be cancelled after completion. If a donor notices an error immediately after payment, the donor should use the refund-request process described above. A transaction that was started but not successfully completed does not create a confirmed donation.
8. Failed or pending transactions
If a payment is shown as failed or pending but the donor's account has been debited, the donor should allow the bank or payment gateway's normal reconciliation or automatic-reversal process to complete. If the amount is not reversed within the period communicated by the relevant bank or gateway, the donor may contact SCOPE with the transaction reference for assistance with reconciliation.
9. How to request a refund
Email the request to info@scope-india.org with the subject Donation Refund Request and include the payment details listed above. Requests may also reference the contact details published on the SCOPE website.