FiveM Refund Bot Data Retention in Discord Threads with Auto-Expire Rules

What “data retention” means for refund threads (and why auto-archive isn’t enough)

Set a retention policy that matches refund risk and evidence needs

• Minimum evidence to retain: order ID (or transaction reference), in-game identifier (license/discord ID), staff decision, and timestamp.
• Avoid retaining: full email addresses, full names, partial card numbers, full billing addresses, or unredacted payment screenshots.
• Prefer references over copies: store a Tebex order ID or Stripe payment intent ID instead of a screenshot of the receipt.
• Define time windows: e.g., keep decision logs 90 days; keep raw screenshots 7–14 days; keep ban/refund-abuse flags 180 days if justified.

Discord thread mechanics: auto-archive, locking, and what “auto-expire” really is

Permission design: keep refund threads private without breaking staff workflows

• Create a dedicated parent channel (e.g., #refunds-private) with @everyone denied View Channel.
• Use a small set of roles: Refund Staff, Refund Lead, and Compliance (optional). Avoid giving broad staff roles access if they don’t process refunds.
• Require Manage Threads only for the bot and Refund Lead. Give Refund Staff Send Messages and Read Message History in the parent channel, not full moderation powers.
• Remove player access after resolution: the bot should revoke the requester’s thread permissions or remove them from the private thread.
• Separate logs from tickets: use a staff-only #refund-log channel where the bot posts case summaries and decision metadata.

Implement auto-expire rules: a step-by-step workflow you can audit

1. Thread created: bot creates private thread, sets auto-archive to 24h, and posts required fields (order ID, FiveM license, Discord ID, issue type).
2. Evidence collection window: allow attachments for a limited time (e.g., 48h). After that, the bot warns and locks the thread if no response.
3. Decision logged: when staff clicks Approve/Deny, the bot posts a decision embed and writes a summary to #refund-log (case ID, decision, staff ID, timestamps, references to external logs).
4. Access reduced: bot removes the requester from the thread (or revokes permissions) and locks the thread to prevent new messages.
5. Expiration scheduled: bot schedules deletion/redaction at T+14 days (or your policy). Store the expiration timestamp in a database keyed by thread ID.
6. Expire action: at deadline, bot deletes the thread OR deletes attachments and sensitive messages, then posts a final “expired” note in #refund-log with the action taken.
7. Exception handling: if a chargeback dispute is opened, Refund Lead can place the case on legal hold, extending expiration and logging the reason.

Logging and evidence hygiene: what to store outside Discord (and how)

Common pitfalls and a quick compliance checklist for FiveM communities

• Refund threads are private by default; parent channel denies @everyone View Channel.
• Bot has only the permissions it needs (Manage Threads, Send Messages, Read Message History) and uses a dedicated role.
• Auto-archive is set, but expiration is enforced by deletion or redaction on a fixed schedule.
• Decision summaries are stored in #refund-log with case IDs and references, not raw receipts.
• Attachments are discouraged, redaction guidance is posted, and attachments are removed on a timer.
• Legal holds exist and are logged with a reason and staff ID.
• Staff SOP prohibits copying sensitive evidence into other Discord channels or DMs.