Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

FinConsult Academy ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website financeconsultingcourses.com and purchase our financial consulting courses and educational services.

Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the site or use our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Register for an account
• Purchase courses or services
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Contact us via email or contact forms
• Participate in surveys or polls
• Engage with our educational content

The personal information we collect may include:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Billing and shipping address
• Payment information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Professional information (job title, company, industry)
• Educational background and certifications

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing behavior, including:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses
• Date and time of visits
• Device identifiers

2.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities. These technologies help us:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Understand how you use our website
• Improve website functionality and user experience
• Deliver targeted advertising and marketing content
• Analyze website traffic and performance

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our website.

3. How We Use Your Information

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

• Course Delivery: To process your enrollment, provide access to course materials, track your progress, and issue certificates upon completion
• Payment Processing: To process transactions, prevent fraud, and maintain accurate financial records
• Customer Support: To respond to your inquiries, provide technical assistance, and resolve issues
• Communication: To send you course updates, educational content, newsletters, promotional materials, and important service announcements
• Personalization: To customize your learning experience and recommend relevant courses based on your interests and history
• Website Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, identify technical issues, and enhance website functionality
• Marketing: To develop and deliver targeted marketing campaigns and promotional offers
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• Business Operations: To maintain records, conduct internal research, and improve our educational services

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering our services, including:

• Payment processors (for secure transaction processing)
• Email service providers (for communications and newsletters)
• Cloud hosting providers (for data storage and website hosting)
• Analytics providers (for website performance analysis)
• Customer support tools (for helpdesk and support services)
• Marketing platforms (for advertising and promotional campaigns)

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may only use it to provide services on our behalf.

4.2 Business Transfers

If FinConsult Academy is involved in a merger, acquisition, asset sale, or bankruptcy, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or prominent notice on our website of any change in ownership or use of your personal information.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities, including to:

• Comply with legal obligations and court orders
• Protect and defend our rights and property
• Prevent fraud or illegal activities
• Protect the safety of our users and the public
• Respond to government requests

4.4 Professional Bodies

With your consent, we may share completion information with relevant professional certification bodies (such as CFA Institute, CFP Board, GARP) for credential verification purposes.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Secure data storage with encryption at rest
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Employee training on data protection practices
• Incident response and breach notification procedures

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Factors affecting retention periods include:

• Duration of your account or customer relationship
• Legal, regulatory, and compliance requirements
• Dispute resolution and legal proceedings
• Business and operational needs

When we no longer need your information, we will securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention policies.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
• Portability: Request a copy of your information in a structured, commonly used format
• Objection: Object to processing of your information for certain purposes
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing under certain circumstances
• Withdrawal of Consent: Withdraw consent for processing based on consent
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

8. International Data Transfers

FinConsult Academy is based in South Africa. If you are accessing our services from outside South Africa, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in South Africa and other countries where our service providers operate.

We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international data transfers in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately, and we will take steps to delete such information.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites and services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

11. Marketing Communications

With your consent, we may send you marketing emails about our courses, special offers, and educational content. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
• Updating your communication preferences in your account settings
• Contacting us at [email protected]

Please note that even if you opt out of marketing communications, we will still send you transactional emails related to your account and course enrollments.

12. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including:

• Right to know what personal information is collected
• Right to know if personal information is sold or disclosed
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information
• Right to deletion of personal information
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising CCPA rights

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

13. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including those outlined in Section 7 above. Our legal basis for processing your information includes:

• Performance of contract (to provide our services)
• Legitimate interests (to improve our services and communicate with you)
• Consent (for marketing communications and cookies)
• Legal obligations (to comply with applicable laws)

14. Changes 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. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Displaying a prominent notice on our website

Your continued use of our services after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

15. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

16. Dispute Resolution

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us first. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in your jurisdiction.

By using our website and services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.