Privacy Policy

Swipe Smart ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our comparison services.

This policy applies to information we collect through our website, in email, text, and other electronic messages between you and us, and through any mobile or desktop applications we may provide. It does not apply to information collected by third parties, including any websites, services, or applications that may link to or be accessible from our website.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully to understand our policies and practices regarding your information and how we will treat it. By accessing or using our website, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our website.

Under UK data protection law, we must have a legal basis for processing your personal information. We rely on the following legal bases:

• Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your personal information for specific purposes, such as sending marketing communications.
• Contract: Processing is necessary for a contract we have with you, or because you have asked us to take specific steps before entering into a contract.
• Legal obligation: Processing is necessary for us to comply with the law (not including contractual obligations).
• Legitimate interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of a third party, unless there is a good reason to protect your personal data which overrides those legitimate interests.

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

• Providing, maintaining, and improving our comparison services
• Processing and responding to your enquiries and quote requests
• Connecting you with suitable payment processing providers based on your requirements
• Personalising your experience and showing you relevant payment solutions
• Communicating with you about services, updates, and promotional offers (with your consent)
• Conducting internal research, analysis, and statistical studies to improve our services
• Monitoring and analysing usage patterns, trends, and user behaviour
• Detecting, preventing, and addressing technical issues, fraud, and security threats
• Complying with legal obligations and enforcing our terms and conditions
• Facilitating referral programmes and tracking referral commissions
• Maintaining records of communications and transactions for quality assurance
• Developing new features, products, and services

Your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries outside the United Kingdom, including countries that may not have the same data protection laws as the UK.

When we transfer your information internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office
• Adequacy decisions recognising that certain countries provide adequate protection
• Binding corporate rules for transfers within multinational organisations
• Certification schemes demonstrating appropriate data protection standards

You can obtain more information about the safeguards we use by contacting us.

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, along with information about how we use it.
• Right to rectification: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Right to erasure: You can request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances, such as when it's no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.
• Right to restrict processing: You can request that we restrict how we use your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability: You can request that we provide your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and have it transferred to another organisation.
• Right to object: You can object to our processing of your personal information in certain circumstances, particularly for direct marketing purposes.
• Rights related to automated decision-making: You have the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produce legal effects or similarly significantly affect you.
• Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent to process your personal information, you can withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within one month, although this may be extended by two further months in complex cases. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe we have not handled your personal information properly. You can contact the ICO at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

We implement comprehensive technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS protocols
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Secure server infrastructure with regular security updates and patches
• Firewalls and intrusion detection systems
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Employee training on data protection and security best practices
• Incident response procedures and data breach protocols

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. Whilst we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. You are responsible for keeping any passwords or access credentials confidential.

In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authority without undue delay, and in any event within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach.

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

The retention period varies depending on the type of information and the purpose for which it was collected:

• Enquiry and quote information: Retained for up to 7 years for business records and potential legal claims
• Marketing communications data: Retained until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent
• Website analytics data: Typically retained for 26 months
• Customer support records: Retained for up to 6 years
• Financial records: Retained for at least 6 years to comply with tax and accounting requirements

When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymise it. In some circumstances, we may anonymise your personal information so that it can no longer be associated with you, in which case we may use such information without further notice to you.

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information from our servers promptly.

We may use automated systems to analyse the information you provide and match you with suitable payment processing providers. This helps us provide more relevant recommendations based on your business requirements.

Our automated matching algorithms consider factors such as your business type, transaction volumes, and preferences to suggest appropriate providers. However, these automated processes do not make decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you without human intervention.

You have the right to request human intervention, express your point of view, and contest any automated decision. If you wish to exercise this right, please contact us.

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or applications that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. We strongly advise you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit.

When you click on links to payment service providers or other third parties, you will be subject to their privacy policies and terms of service. We are not responsible for their data practices.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will post the updated policy on this page with a revised "Last updated" date at the bottom.

If we make material changes to how we treat your personal information, we will notify you by email (if you have provided your email address) and/or through a prominent notice on our website prior to the change becoming effective.

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

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through our website contact form.

We aim to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally, it may take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made multiple requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated.