Privacy Policy

Introduction

Sterlingmerchantpartners ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, use our services, or apply for business financing products. Please read this privacy policy carefully. By using our services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

Information We Collect

Personal Information

When you apply for financing or use our services, we may collect the following types of personal information:

• Identity Information: Name, date of birth, Social Security Number, government-issued identification
• Contact Information: Business and personal address, email address, phone number
• Financial Information: Bank account information, business revenue, tax returns, financial statements, credit history
• Business Information: Business name, EIN/Tax ID, industry type, years in operation, ownership structure
• Employment Information: Title, role in the business, ownership percentage

Automatically Collected Information

When you access our website or services, we automatically collect:

• IP address and device identifiers
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• Referring website addresses
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Processing Applications: To evaluate and process your financing application, including verifying your identity, assessing creditworthiness, and determining eligibility
• Providing Services: To administer your account, process payments, and provide customer support
• Fraud Prevention: To detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, unauthorized transactions, and other illegal activities
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• Communications: To send you service-related notices, updates, and marketing communications (with your consent where required)
• Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve our products, services, and website

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information with the following categories of third parties:

• Service Providers: Third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, and customer service
• Credit Bureaus: We may report your payment history to credit reporting agencies and obtain credit reports as part of our underwriting process
• Financial Partners: Banks, lending partners, and investors who participate in funding or servicing your loan
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including 256-bit SSL encryption, secure data centers, access controls, and regular security audits. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Rights and Choices

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 retention requirements
• Opt-Out: Opt out of marketing communications at any time
• Do Not Sell: California residents may opt out of the sale of personal information

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience, analyze site traffic, and personalize content. You can control cookies through your browser settings, though disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. 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.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child, we will take steps to delete such information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

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