Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Credizen (credizen.net) is a loan comparison platform that connects Canadian consumers with licensed lenders. We do not issue, underwrite, or broker loans directly. Our registered address is available on our Contact page.

2. Information We Collect

When you use Credizen to compare loans, we may collect:

• Identification data — name, email address, phone number, province of residence
• Financial data — income range, employment status, loan amount requested, loan purpose
• Technical data — IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, cookies
• Usage data — search queries, lender comparisons, click-through actions

We collect information only when you voluntarily provide it (e.g., completing the loan comparison form) or automatically through cookies and similar technologies.

3. How We Use Your Information

Your personal information is used for the following purposes:

• Loan matching — To match you with suitable lenders based on your profile
• Service improvement — To analyse usage patterns and improve our platform
• Communication — To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Legal compliance — To meet obligations under PIPEDA, provincial laws, and FCAC regulations
• Fraud prevention — To detect and prevent fraudulent or unauthorized activity

4. Sharing Your Information

We share your personal information only with:

• Partner lenders — When you request a loan comparison or click through to a lender, we share the information necessary to process your request
• Service providers — Analytics (Google Analytics 4), hosting (Microsoft Azure), and consent management (Tarteaucitron) providers who process data on our behalf
• Legal authorities — When required by law, court order, or regulatory request

We never sell your personal information.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary:

• Loan comparison data — 24 months from submission
• Analytics data — Anonymized and aggregated after 14 months
• Cookie consent preferences — 12 months
• Contact inquiries — 36 months

6. Your Privacy Rights

Under PIPEDA and applicable provincial legislation, you have the right to:

• Access — Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction — Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Withdrawal of consent — Withdraw consent for non-essential data processing at any time
• Deletion — Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
• Complaint — File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@credizen.net. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Quebec Residents

If you reside in Quebec, your personal information is also protected under Act 25 (Loi 25) and the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector. You have additional rights including:

• The right to data portability
• The right to be informed of automated decision-making
• The right to file a complaint with the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec (CAI)

8. Data Security

We protect your information using industry-standard measures:

• 256-bit TLS/SSL encryption for all data in transit
• Encrypted storage on Microsoft Azure (Canadian data centres)
• Role-based access controls and multi-factor authentication
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments

9. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience. For full details, see our Cookie Policy. You can manage cookie preferences through our consent banner powered by Tarteaucitron.

10. Third-Party Links

Our platform contains links to lender websites and external resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before sharing personal information.

11. Children's Privacy

Credizen is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If we discover such information has been collected, we will delete it promptly.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of Credizen after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact the Privacy Officer

For privacy inquiries or to exercise your rights:

• Email: privacy@credizen.net
• General contact: Contact page

Regulatory authorities:

• Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)
• Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)
• Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec (CAI) — Quebec residents