Cookie Policy
Understanding how Credizen uses cookies and similar tracking technologies
Last Updated: January 15, 2025 | Effective Date: January 1, 2025
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device (computer, smartphone, tablet) when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences, track your behavior, and provide a personalized experience.
?? Fun Fact: Cookies are named after "magic cookies" in computer programming�packets of data programs send and receive unchanged. They don't contain viruses and can't access your hard drive.
2. Types of Cookies We Use
Credizen uses different categories of cookies, each serving a specific purpose:
?? 2.1 Essential Cookies (Always Active)
Purpose: These cookies are necessary for the Platform to function. Without them, basic features like secure login, form submission, and page navigation wouldn't work.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| _credizen_session | Maintains your session state | Session (deleted on browser close) |
| csrf_token | Prevents cross-site request forgery | 1 hour |
| cookie_consent | Remembers your cookie preferences | 1 year |
| locale | Stores language/country preference | 1 year |
Note: Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are required for basic functionality. Blocking them will prevent you from using our Platform.
?? 2.2 Analytics Cookies (Optional)
Purpose: Help us understand how users interact with our Platform (page views, click behavior, time spent) to improve UX and troubleshoot issues.
| Service | Cookies Set | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics | _ga, _gid, _gat | 2 years, 24 hours, 1 min |
| Hotjar (Heatmaps) | _hjid, _hjIncludedInSample | 1 year |
| Internal Analytics | _credizen_analytics | 30 days |
Privacy: Google Analytics uses IP anonymization (last octet masked). We do NOT track personally identifiable information (PII) in analytics cookies.
?? 2.3 Functional Cookies (Optional)
Purpose: Remember your preferences (e.g., loan amount, preferred lenders, notification settings) to provide a personalized experience.
- loan_preferences: Saves your loan amount and term selections (30 days)
- preferred_lenders: Remembers lenders you've favorited (1 year)
- notification_settings: Stores email/SMS notification preferences (1 year)
?? 2.4 Advertising & Targeting Cookies (Optional)
Purpose: Show you relevant ads on other websites (retargeting) and measure ad campaign effectiveness.
| Service | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | Retargeting & conversion tracking | 90 days |
| Facebook Pixel | Ad targeting on Facebook/Instagram | 180 days |
| LinkedIn Insights | B2B retargeting | 90 days |
Opt-Out: You can disable advertising cookies through our consent banner or use tools like NAI Opt-Out or Your Online Choices.
3. Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies on our Platform are set by external services (e.g., Google, Facebook) that we've integrated for analytics or advertising. These third parties have their own privacy policies:
- Google Analytics: Google Privacy Policy | Opt-Out Browser Add-On
- Facebook Pixel: Facebook Data Policy | Manage Ad Preferences
- Hotjar: Hotjar Privacy Policy | Opt-Out
- Sift Science (Fraud Detection): Sift Privacy Policy
4. How to Manage Cookies
4.1 Cookie Consent Banner
When you first visit Credizen, a cookie consent banner appears. You can:
- Accept All: Allows all cookie categories
- Reject Non-Essential: Only essential cookies (required for functionality)
- Customize: Choose which categories to enable (analytics, functional, advertising)
?? Tip: You can change your preferences anytime by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in our footer or clicking here.
4.2 Browser Settings
Most browsers allow you to control cookies through settings:
?? Google Chrome
Settings ? Privacy & Security ? Cookies ? Block third-party cookies
?? Firefox
Options ? Privacy & Security ? Standard/Strict tracking protection
?? Safari
Preferences ? Privacy ? Block all cookies (not recommended)
?? Edge
Settings ? Privacy ? Tracking prevention ? Strict
?? Warning: Disabling all cookies will break essential functionality (login, form submission) on most websites, including Credizen.
4.3 Mobile Devices
iOS (iPhone/iPad): Settings ? Safari ? Block All Cookies
Android: Chrome app ? Settings ? Privacy ? Clear browsing data ? Cookies
5. "Do Not Track" Signals
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) setting that sends a signal to websites requesting not to be tracked. Currently, there is no industry standard for interpreting DNT signals, so Credizen does not respond to DNT requests. However, you can still manage cookies through our consent banner or browser settings.
6. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates when the policy was last revised. Continued use of our Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
7. Questions About Cookies?
If you have questions about how Credizen uses cookies or want to exercise your privacy rights, contact us:
Email: privacy@credizen.net
Subject Line: "Cookie Policy Inquiry"
Response Time: Within 5 business days
For data protection concerns, you can also contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO) at dpo@credizen.net.
This Cookie Policy was last updated on January 15, 2025 and is part of our Privacy Policy.