Blog ·
How Ìlú checks a business
What Unclaimed, Claimed and Verified mean on Ìlú, what we check for each, and what we do not claim to know.
Every listing on Ìlú has a trust card. It lists each check, whether it was done, and the date. Here is exactly what each label means, including what it does not mean.
Unclaimed: copied from a public source
Most listings today are Unclaimed. To add one, we:
- Find the business on its own public website or public map listing.
- Copy only the contact details the business itself advertises publicly: name, address, phone, website.
- Link that source on the trust card and record the date we checked it.
What Unclaimed does not mean: we have not met the business, called them, checked their registration or visited the address. Treat an Unclaimed business as unverified.
Claimed: the owner confirmed the details
When an owner or manager claims a listing, we confirm the claim by calling or messaging the phone number on the listing before switching it to Claimed. Claiming is free. Owners can also send their logo, photos they own and an exact Google Maps pin.
Claimed means the business is real enough to answer its listed phone and stands behind the details. It is still not a recommendation.
Verified: our checks passed
Verified is the highest label. It needs all of these:
- CAC registration matched to the business name.
- Address visited or video-confirmed.
- Phone answered on the listed number.
- A category check where one exists, for example ESVARBON or REDAN membership for estate firms, or authorised-dealer status for car dealers.
Verified businesses are re-checked every 6 months. The Verified fee pays for this checking work. The badge stays only while the checks pass, and if checks fail, we refund you.
Rules we keep
- Payment never buys a badge. Featured placement is paid, and it is always labelled "Featured".
- We never invent details. If we could not find something, the listing says so.
- Any business can ask us to correct or remove its listing. We act within 3 working days.
Even with a Verified badge, protect yourself: read our safety tips before you pay, and see how we verify for the full method.