1. Scope of This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through The Credit Builders website, online applications, customer communications, educational resources, account-related services, and other digital or offline interactions operated by or on behalf of Next Step Credit.
The Credit Builders is the customer-facing brand. Next Step Credit is the company responsible for operating the platform and related services.
This Privacy Policy does not necessarily apply to websites, applications, financial institutions, payment processors, credit bureaus, data providers, or other third parties that maintain their own privacy policies.
2. Information We Collect
Depending on the services you use, we may collect different categories of information.
Information You Provide
- Name and contact information.
- Email address and telephone number.
- Residential or mailing address.
- Date of birth or other information needed for identity verification.
- Employment and income information when relevant to an application or service.
- Credit-related information you voluntarily provide.
- Information contained in applications, forms, requests, or communications.
- Information needed to establish or administer an account.
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, pages viewed, referring website, approximate geographic information, and information about how you interact with our website.
Information From Third Parties
Where permitted and necessary for a service, we may receive information from service providers, identity verification providers, payment processors, financial-data providers, credit reporting or data providers, marketing platforms, fraud-prevention services, or other authorized sources.
3. How We Use Information
We may use information for purposes including:
- Providing, administering, and improving our services.
- Processing applications and service requests.
- Creating and managing customer accounts.
- Communicating with applicants and customers.
- Processing payments and managing billing.
- Performing identity, fraud, security, or eligibility checks when applicable.
- Providing credit-building, monitoring, reporting, or educational services.
- Maintaining records required for business and legal purposes.
- Responding to questions, support requests, and disputes.
- Protecting our systems, customers, and business from fraud or misuse.
- Analyzing website usage and improving our products and user experience.
- Sending service-related communications.
- Sending marketing communications where permitted by law and applicable preferences.
- Complying with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and contractual obligations.
5. Payments, Bank Connections & Verification
Certain services may require payment processing or verification through third-party providers.
We may use payment processors such as Stripe and financial-data or bank-connection services such as Plaid where applicable to a particular product or account setup process.
When you interact directly with a third-party provider, that provider may independently collect and process information under its own privacy policy and terms.
We do not ask customers to submit full payment-card numbers, complete bank-account credentials, passwords, or other highly sensitive financial credentials through ordinary website contact forms unless specifically presented through an appropriate secure provider-controlled process.
6. Credit-Related Information
Some of our services may involve credit-building, rent reporting, credit monitoring, credit education, or other credit-related services.
Depending on the product and applicable service provider, certain information may be used to establish eligibility, administer an account, facilitate reporting, provide monitoring functionality, verify identity, or deliver requested services.
Credit reporting agencies and other data providers maintain their own systems, records, policies, and legal obligations. Information maintained by those organizations may be subject to their respective privacy policies and procedures.
8. Communications
We may contact you by email, telephone, text message, or other communication methods regarding applications, accounts, payments, requested services, customer support, security matters, or other service-related purposes.
Where legally permitted, we may also send promotional or educational communications.
Marketing communications may include an unsubscribe mechanism or other available preference-management option. Certain service-related communications may continue even if you opt out of marketing communications.
9. Data Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
No method of transmitting or storing information can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted to or stored by us.
You are responsible for maintaining the security of credentials associated with accounts you create and for notifying us if you believe an account or communication has been compromised.
10. Data Retention
We may retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services, maintain business and financial records, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, prevent fraud, comply with legal or regulatory obligations, and protect our legitimate business interests.
Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information, the service involved, applicable legal requirements, and the reason the information was collected.
11. Your Privacy Choices
Depending on where you live and applicable law, you may have certain rights regarding personal information.
These may include the ability to:
- Request access to certain personal information we maintain.
- Request correction of inaccurate information.
- Request deletion of certain information, subject to applicable exceptions.
- Opt out of certain marketing communications.
- Ask questions about how information is collected or used.
Some information may need to be retained to satisfy legal, regulatory, security, contractual, or operational requirements.
To submit a privacy-related request, contact us using the information provided below.
12. Children's Privacy
Our services are not directed toward children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through our website.
If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, please contact us so that we can evaluate and address the request as appropriate.
13. Third-Party Services & Websites
Our website or services may contain links to third-party websites, applications, tools, or services.
Third parties may have their own privacy practices, terms, security controls, and policies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or services that we do not control.
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party services before providing information to them.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, technology, legal requirements, or information practices.
When changes are made, we may update the “Last Updated” date shown at the beginning of this Policy. Your continued use of the website or applicable services after an updated Privacy Policy becomes effective may be subject to the updated Policy.
15. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, want to submit a privacy-related request, or have questions about how your information is handled, contact The Credit Builders / Next Step Credit.