Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

When you register for nethzeworks's financial services, we collect information that you voluntarily provide to us. This includes your name, email address, phone number, postal address, date of birth, and identity verification documents. We also collect financial information such as bank account details, income information, and employment status when you apply for our financial products.

Information Collected Automatically

Our systems automatically collect certain information when you use our platform. This includes your IP address, device information, browser type, operating system, and usage patterns. We use cookies and similar technologies to track your interactions with our website and mobile applications to improve your experience and provide personalized services.

Third-Party Information

We may receive information about you from third parties, including credit bureaus, identity verification services, and our business partners. This information helps us verify your identity, assess creditworthiness, and prevent fraud. We only collect such information from reputable sources and in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

2. How We Use Your Information

Primary Business Purposes

We use your personal information primarily to provide you with our financial services. This includes processing your applications, managing your accounts, executing transactions, and providing customer support. We also use your information to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including anti-money laundering laws and tax reporting obligations.

Service Improvement and Analytics

Your information helps us analyze usage patterns, identify areas for improvement, and develop new features that better serve your financial needs. We use aggregated and anonymized data to conduct research and create insights that enhance our platform's performance and security.

Communication and Marketing

With your consent, we may use your contact information to send you updates about our services, educational content about financial topics, and promotional offers that may interest you. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time through the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting our customer service team.

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

Service Providers and Business Partners

We work with trusted third-party service providers to deliver our financial services effectively. These partners include payment processors, credit reporting agencies, identity verification services, and cloud storage providers. All our partners are bound by strict confidentiality agreements and are required to implement appropriate security measures to protect your information.

Legal and Regulatory Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law, regulation, or court order. This includes sharing information with regulatory authorities, law enforcement agencies, and tax authorities as required under South African financial services legislation and international compliance requirements.

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of any such transfer and ensure that your privacy rights continue to be protected under the same or equivalent privacy standards.

4. Your Privacy Rights

Access and Correction Rights

You have the right to access your personal information that we hold and request corrections if any information is inaccurate or incomplete. You can view and update most of your personal information through your nethzeworks account dashboard. For information that cannot be updated online, please contact our privacy team using the details provided below.

Data Portability and Deletion

You may request a copy of your personal information in a portable format or ask us to delete your personal information, subject to certain legal and regulatory limitations. Please note that we may need to retain certain information for compliance purposes even after you close your account.

Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please submit a request through your account settings or contact our privacy team directly. We will respond to your request within 30 days and may require additional verification to protect your information from unauthorized access.

5. Data Security and Protection

Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. Our security framework includes encryption of data in transit and at rest, multi-factor authentication, regular security audits, and employee training on data protection best practices.

Data Breach Response

In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and relevant authorities within the timeframes required by applicable law. Our incident response team regularly conducts drills and maintains detailed procedures to minimize the impact of any potential security incidents.

Employee Access Controls

Access to your personal information is restricted to authorized employees who need the information to perform their job functions. All employees undergo background checks and receive regular training on privacy and security requirements. We maintain detailed access logs and conduct regular reviews of employee access patterns.

6. Data Retention and International Transfers

Retention Periods

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations. Account information is typically retained for seven years after account closure, as required by South African financial services regulations. Marketing consent information is retained until you withdraw consent or we determine that the information is no longer needed.

International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers are located outside South Africa, which may require transferring your personal information internationally. We ensure that all international transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards, including standard contractual clauses and adequacy decisions where applicable.

Data Minimization

We regularly review the personal information we collect and retain, ensuring that we only keep information that is necessary for our legitimate business purposes. Automated processes help us identify and securely delete information that is no longer needed, reducing the overall volume of personal data we maintain.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Types of Cookies We Use

Our website uses essential cookies that are necessary for the platform to function properly, including cookies that maintain your login session and security preferences. We also use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our website, helping us improve user experience and identify technical issues.

Cookie Management

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences, though disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our services. We provide detailed information about our cookie usage in our Cookie Policy, which is accessible through our website footer.

Third-Party Analytics

We use third-party analytics services to help us understand website usage patterns and improve our services. These services collect information about your interactions with our website but cannot identify you personally unless you have provided personal information directly to us.

8. Children's Privacy

nethzeworks's financial services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 years of age. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided personal information to us, please contact our privacy team immediately so we can take appropriate action to remove the information from our systems.

9. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make significant changes, we will notify you through your registered email address or by posting a prominent notice on our website at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of our services after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.