Privacy Policy

Introduction

Credizen ("we", "us", or "our") operates www.credizen.net and is committed to protecting your privacy in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our loan comparison service.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

When you use our loan comparison service, we collect:

• Loan Requirements: Desired loan amount, repayment period, and loan type
• Financial Information: Maximum monthly payment capacity
• Personal Details: First name, last name, email address, phone number
• Location: City (for localized loan recommendations)

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

• IP address and device information
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited and time spent on site
• Referral source (how you found us)
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

2. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal information for the following lawful purposes under POPIA:

2.1 Service Provision

• Match you with suitable loan offers from NCR-registered lenders
• Provide AI-powered loan recommendations
• Pre-fill application forms with lenders
• Track conversion for affiliate partnerships

2.2 Communication

• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send service-related notifications (with consent)
• Provide updates about loan market trends (opt-in only)

2.3 Analytics and Improvement

• Analyze platform usage to improve user experience
• Conduct research and development
• Generate anonymized statistics

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 With Lenders

When you click "Apply Now" on a loan offer, we redirect you to the lender's website and may pre-fill your information (name, email, phone) to streamline the application process. Each lender has their own privacy policy governing how they handle your data.

3.2 Affiliate Networks

We work with affiliate networks (e.g., OfferForge, AWIN) to track conversions. We share anonymized click IDs but never share your personal information with affiliate networks.

3.3 Service Providers

We may share data with trusted service providers who assist us with:

• Cloud hosting (Microsoft Azure)
• Analytics (anonymized data only)
• Email delivery (if you opt-in)

3.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect our rights, safety, or property in accordance with POPIA Section 27 (lawful processing).

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for the following periods:

• Loan search data: 90 days (then anonymized)
• Click tracking: 12 months (for affiliate reconciliation)
• Contact form inquiries: 2 years (for record-keeping)
• Anonymized analytics: Indefinitely

After retention periods expire, we securely delete or anonymize your data in compliance with POPIA's data minimization principle.

5. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

To exercise your rights, contact us at maloni@outlook.com. We will respond within 30 days as required by POPIA.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data:

• Encryption: All data transmitted via HTTPS/TLS
• Access Controls: Role-based access to personal data
• Secure Hosting: Microsoft Azure with South African data residency
• Regular Audits: Security assessments and vulnerability scanning
• Staff Training: All personnel trained on POPIA compliance

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Remember your loan search preferences
• Track affiliate conversions (anonymous IDs only)
• Analyze site performance and user behavior
• Provide personalized loan recommendations

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect site functionality.

8. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us immediately.

9. International Data Transfers

Your data is primarily stored in South Africa. If we transfer data internationally, we ensure compliance with POPIA Chapter 9 (Trans-border Information Flows) by:

• Using countries with adequate protection (e.g., EU/GDPR)
• Implementing standard contractual clauses
• Obtaining your explicit consent when required

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates when the policy was last revised. We will notify you of material changes via email (if provided) or prominent notice on our website.

11. Contact Us