Commerciant, LP (Commerciant ®) values the confidentiality of the information our customers and website visitors provide us. We have described below our policies to protect your on-line privacy. In addition, Commerciant maintains appropriate security standards and procedures regarding unauthorized access to customer information.
Information Collection and Use
Communications from Commerciant
Sharing of your information
Security policies
Notification of changes to our policy
Contact Information for Commerciant
Information Collection and Use
Commerciant is the sole owner of the information collected on Commerciant.com. Commerciant collects information from our users at several different points on our Web site Commerciant recognizes and acknowledges the responsibility and duty of trust and care that we have to maintain the security and privacy of Personal Data and Merchant Information submitted to us through any Commerciant Web site, or directly to us through any other source. Commerciant works behind the scenes on behalf of banks, card issuers and merchants. As commerce moves more and more toward the Internet, Commerciant will continue to develop solutions that enable businesses and consumers to pay anyone, anywhere, anytime. Our businesses customers rely on Commerciant for secure and reliable payment services through our wireless Mobilescape system. The relationships with our business customers have been established based on mutual trust. Each day, we strive to reinforce our commitment to our business customers and to the consumers who trade with them.
In order to provide secure remote or mobile financial payment services and other field data services for our business customers through the wireless Mobilescape system, Commerciant must collect, encrypt, transmit and store, in a secure environment, financial and other sensitive personal information, which includes data on credit, and debit cards, driver's licenses and consumer checks. We believe that information used responsibly benefits consumers and the economy. A few examples of how Commerciant's use of this information ultimately benefits our business customers and their consumers:
- If manual rather than secure electronic verification of credit, or debit cards or checks is the only option available to the mobile merchant, consumers wait for their sensitive credit card, or debit card or check information to be transmitted verbally over insecure phone or radio channels. This process takes much longer and increases the potential for misuse of such information or errors in authorization.
- The state-of-the-art systems used by Commerciant reduce potentially fraudulent behavior because check fraud is detected much earlier in the check processing cycle. Without Commerciant helping to ascertain the risk of extending credit by the merchant accepting checks, fraud could increase and the merchant would have to pass related costs on to consumers or stop accepting certain forms of payment-such as checks.
- Credit, debit card and check information gathered by the Mobilescape system is encrypted and transmitted to our secure Web site to ensure fast and accurate payments processing of thousands of purchase transactions every day for our business customers.
Profile
We store information that we collect through cookies, log files, clear gifs, and/or third parties to create a profile of our users. A profile is stored information that we keep on individual users that details their viewing preferences. Consequently, collected information is tied to the users personally identifiable information to provide offers and improve the content of the site for the user. This profile is used to tailor a user's visit to our Web site, and to direct pertinent marketing promotions to them. We do not share your profile with other third parties.
Cookies
A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user's computer tied to information about the user. Usage of a cookie is in no way linked to any personally identifiable information while on our site. We use session ID cookies. For the session ID cookie, once users close the browser, the cookie simply terminates. The session ID cookies are used for administrative purposes only in providing the data, management and reporting information required by our users.
Third Party Advertising
We do not have any third party advertising displayed on our site nor do we provide and tracking information related to our customers to any third party for advertising purposes.
Log Files
Like most standard Web site servers we use log files. This includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user's movement in the aggregate, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses, etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information.
Newsletter
If a user wishes to subscribe to our newsletter, we ask for contact information such as name and e-mail address. Out of respect for our users privacy we provide a way to opt-out of these communications. Please see the Choice and Opt-out sections.
Service Announcements
On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.
Customer Service
We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regards to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone, in accordance with the users wishes.
Legal Disclaimer
Commerciant will not reveal personally identifiable data to unaffiliated third parties for their independent use, except for the exchange of information with reputable information reporting agencies to maximize the accuracy and security of such information or in the performance of bona fide corporate due diligence, unless (1) the information is provided to help complete a transaction initiated by you; (2) you request it; or (3) the disclosure is required by/or allowed by law (e.g. subpoena, investigation of fraudulent activity, etc); or (4) you have been informed about the possibility of disclosure for marketing or similar purposes through a prior communication and you are given the opportunity to decline (i.e. "opt out").
Business Transitions
In the event Commerciant goes through a business transition, such as a merger, being acquired by another company, or selling a portion of its assets, users' personal information will, in most instances, be part of the assets transferred. Users will be notified via email and a prominent notice on our Web site for 30 days prior to a change of ownership or control of their personal information. If as a result of the business transition, the users' personally identifiable information will be used in a manner different from that stated at the time of collection they will be given choice consistent with our notification of changes section.
Choice/Opt-out
Our users are given the opportunity to 'opt-out' of having their information used for purposes not directly related to our site at the point where we ask for information. For example, our order form has an 'opt-out' mechanism so users who buy a product from us, but don't want any marketing material, can keep their email address off of our lists.
Users who no longer wish to receive our newsletter and promotional communications may opt-out of receiving these communications by replying to unsubscribe in the subject line in the email or email us at marketing@commerciant.com.
Users of our site are always notified when their information is being collected by any outside parties. We do this so our users can make an informed choice as to whether or not they should proceed with services that require an outside party.
Links
This Web site may contain links to other sites. Please be aware that we, Commerciant Corporation, are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every Web site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this Web site.
Surveys
From time-to-time our site requests information from users via surveys. Participation in these surveys is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose this information. The requested information typically includes contact information (such as name and address), and demographic information (such as zip code). Survey information will be used for purposes of monitoring or improving the use and satisfaction of this site. Users' personally identifiable information is not shared with third parties unless we give prior notice and choice. Though we may use an intermediary to conduct these surveys or contests, they may not use users' personally identifiable information for any secondary purposes.
This Web site takes every precaution to protect our users' information. When users submit sensitive information via the Web site, their information is protected both online and off-line.
When our merchant application form or sign up form asks users to enter sensitive information (such as credit card number and/or social security number), that information is encrypted and is protected with the best encryption software in the industry - SSL. While on a secure page, such as our order form, the lock icon on the bottom of Web browsers such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer becomes locked, as opposed to un-locked, or open, when users are just 'surfing'.
While we use SSL encryption to protect sensitive information online, we also do everything in our power to protect user-information off-line. All of our users' information, not just the sensitive information mentioned above, is restricted in our offices. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, our billing clerk or a customer service representative) are granted access to personally identifiable information. Our employees must use password-protected screen-savers when they leave their desk. When they return, they must re-enter their password to re-gain access to user information. Furthermore, ALL employees are kept up-to-date on our security and privacy practices. Every quarter, as well as any time new policies are added, our employees are notified and/or reminded about the importance we place on privacy, and what they can do to ensure our users' information is protected. Finally, the servers that store personally identifiable information are in a physically secure and monitored environment.
If users have any questions about the security at our Web site, users can send an email to marketing@commerciant.com.
Correcting/Updating/Deleting/Deactivating Personal Information
If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as zip code, phone, email or postal address), or if a user no longer desires our service, we provide a way to correct, update or delete/deactivate users' personally identifiable information. This can usually be done at the Mobilescape Manager user manager page or by emailing our Customer Support at marketing@commerciant.com. Or, contact us by telephone or postal mail at the contact information listed below.
If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes to this privacy statement, the homepage, and other places we deem appropriate so our users are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. We will use information in accordance with the privacy policy under which the information was collected.
If, however, we are going to use users' personally identifiable information in a manner different from that stated at the time of collection we will notify users via email. Users will have a choice as to whether or not we use their information in this different manner. However, if users have opted out of all communication with the site, or deleted/deactivated their account, then they will not be contacted, nor will their personal information be used in this new manner. In addition, if we make any material changes in our privacy practices that do not affect user information already stored in our database, we will post a prominent notice on our Web site notifying users of the change. In some cases where we post a notice we will also email users, who have opted to receive communications from us, notifying them of the changes in our privacy practices.
If users have any questions or suggestions regarding our privacy policy, please contact us at:
Phone: 713-735-5500
Fax: 713-735-5503
Email: marketing@commerciant.com
3130 Rogerdale Road
Suite 190
Houston, TX 77042