Account banned due to the active use of multiple accounts
Olio has a one-account-per-person policy, which you can read more about here.
We understand that sometimes Olio-ers have multiple accounts for innocent reasons, such as if you’ve had trouble logging in, or if you have forgotten you previously set up an account.
However in the instances where we gather evidence indicating a malicious violation of our one-account-per-person policy, all associated accounts will be permanently banned from the Olio app. This is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of our users, as well as to maintain the fair sharing of listings on the app.
How do I know if my account has been banned for managing multiple accounts?
If you're unable to access your account, it may have been banned. You should have received an email titled “Banned from Olio - Multiple accounts” at each email address we have banned. Remember to check your spam folder if you can’t find any email from Olio in your inbox.
How does Olio detect violations?
We employ various methods to identify users maliciously creating multiple accounts, including:
- Our systems detecting evidence of malicious use of multiple accounts
- Reports submitted by the Olio community
- Manual monitoring of users’ behaviour and sharing patterns
Our detection systems analyse various factors, including:
- Location details
- Sharing patterns
- Account information
- App usage
- Data collected in accordance with our Privacy Policy
If we detect that a user actively manages multiple accounts, we will ban all associated accounts.
I might have accidentally created more than one account. Will I be banned?
No. We know users might forget passwords or login information and create multiple accounts by mistake. As long as you are not actively using multiple accounts at the same time, you have nothing to worry about.
Will logging in on different devices cause the system to flag my account for multiple account usage?
No, we do not penalize users for logging in on different devices using their unique Olio account. You are welcome to access your account from multiple devices. As long as there is no evidence of malicious use or multiple accounts, you can log in without any issues.
How can I ensure my account isn’t incorrectly flagged by Olio’s system?
To minimize the risk of being flagged for managing multiple accounts, please ensure:
- You don’t share your account details with others
- You access and use only your account
- You avoid interacting with individuals within your household on the app*
*Please note that is perfectly fine for people within the same household to have separate individual Olio accounts. However, FWHs should not share food with other people in the same household as they are already entitled to 10% of the collection.
Rest assured that we have tested the automation extensively to ensure common scenarios like neighbors sharing with each other, users living in the same building, etc would not trigger our system incorrectly.
Can I appeal a ban?
Decisions to ban accounts are taken seriously and undergo thorough review processes. In the vast majority of cases, evidence of malicious use is collected from the app, in line with our Terms and Conditions. Additionally, we have a comprehensive FAQ that makes clear the consequences of actively using multiple accounts.
If you believe there has been an error in the decision to ban your account, please contact our support team at hello@olioapp.com and we will review your case.
Why isn’t Olio providing specific evidence on how they decided multiple accounts are linked to the same user?
We understand the desire for clarification regarding why your account has been banned. However, disclosing specific evidence could potentially be used by bad actors to bypass our security controls in the future.
Forum Information Awareness
When reading the forum about banned multiple accounts it's important to be mindful that those posts often provide only one perspective, or lack complete details, or are recounting information second-hand, and so are not necessarily representative of what has actually happened. While community feedback is valuable, we recommend taking some of the stories with a pinch of salt. If you come across concerning information on the forum or have questions about your account status, please reach out to our support team for assistance and clarification. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we strive to maintain a safe and supportive environment for all users on Olio.