Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Edynsgate (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our website, mobile applications, and related services (collectively, the “Services”). By using the Services, you consent to the practices described in this Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account information: name, email address, phone number, date of birth, and mailing address.
• Identity verification: Social Security Number (last 4 digits or full, as required), government-issued ID, and biometric data for identity proofing.
• Financial information: bank account details, income and employment data, and payment information — collected and processed through our third-party providers Plaid and Stripe.
• Application data: information submitted as part of your Effort Exchange program application, including household composition, employment history, and housing preferences.
• Communications: messages you send us, support requests, and feedback.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device & usage data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and timestamps.
• Cookies & similar technologies: we use cookies, pixels, and local storage to operate the Services, remember preferences, and analyze usage. See Section 9 for details.
• Location data: approximate location derived from your IP address.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Plaid: bank account balances, transaction history, income, and employment verification data, subject to your authorization.
• Stripe: payment processing data, including card or bank account details necessary to complete transactions.
• Identity verification providers: results of identity checks performed during onboarding.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Services and the Effort Exchange program.
• Process applications, verify eligibility, and conduct identity and income verification.
• Process payments and financial transactions.
• Communicate with you about your account, application status, and program updates — including via email, push notifications, and SMS/text messages.
• Send appointment reminders, service alerts, and important notifications.
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, unauthorized access, and other illegal activities.
• Comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements.
• Analyze usage patterns to improve user experience and develop new features.

4. SMS/Text Message Privacy

If you opt in to receive SMS/text messages from Edynsgate, the following applies:

• We collect your phone number and SMS opt-in consent status.
• We send transactional and program-related messages only (account alerts, application updates, appointment reminders, and service notifications).
• We do not sell, rent, loan, trade, lease, or otherwise transfer for profit any phone numbers or personal information collected through our SMS program to any third party for marketing or promotional purposes.
• SMS consent and phone numbers are shared only with our messaging service provider solely to deliver messages on our behalf.
• Message frequency varies; up to 10 messages per month.
• Message and data rates may apply.
• You may opt out at any time by replying STOP. Reply HELP for assistance.
• SMS consent is not a condition of purchase or program enrollment.

Mobile opt-in data and phone numbers collected through our SMS program will not be shared with or sold to third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with:

• Service providers: third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (payment processing, identity verification, cloud hosting, analytics, SMS delivery), bound by contractual obligations to protect your data.
• Financial partners: Plaid and Stripe, as necessary to provide financial services features you have authorized.
• Legal & regulatory: law enforcement, regulatory authorities, or other parties when required by law, legal process, or to protect rights, safety, or property.
• Business transfers: in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction.
• With your consent: in other cases where you have explicitly authorized sharing.

6. Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest (AES-256).
• Secure access controls and role-based permissions.
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing.
• Employee training on data handling and privacy best practices.

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Services. We may also retain and use your information as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and for legitimate business purposes. Financial records are retained in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.

8. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access your personal information and request a copy.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Delete your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Opt out of marketing communications, SMS messages, and certain data processing activities.
• Data portability: receive your data in a structured, commonly used format.
• Withdraw consent for processing based on consent, without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@edynsgate.com. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Authenticate users and maintain sessions.
• Remember your preferences and settings.
• Analyze site traffic and usage patterns.
• Prevent fraud and enhance security.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect functionality of the Services.

10. Children’s Privacy

The Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will delete that information promptly.

11. State-Specific Disclosures

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to delete, the right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information), and the right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights. To submit a request, contact us at privacy@edynsgate.com.

Other State Privacy Laws

If you reside in a state with consumer privacy legislation (e.g., Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Texas), you may have similar rights. Please contact us to exercise them.

12. International Users

The Services are operated in the United States. If you access the Services from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to and processed in the U.S., where privacy laws may differ from your jurisdiction.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Policy on this page and updating the “Last updated” date. Your continued use of the Services after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Edynsgate
Email: privacy@edynsgate.com
General: support@edynsgate.com