Last Update: April 26, 2012
InvestorWatchdog.com (Watchdog, We, Our, Us) is committed to protecting the privacy of visitors, investors who are seeking information about advisors, investors who use Watchdog tools and services to select new advisors, investors who use Watchdog tools and services to monitor current advisors, and financial professionals who submit data to Watchdog, and advertise their services in the Watchdog Directory. This Privacy Policy explains the type of information that is collected and how Watchdog uses it.
Watchdog is a licensee of the TRUSTe Privacy Program. TRUSTe is an independent organization whose mission is to build user’s trust and confidence in the Internet by promoting the use of fair information practices. This privacy policy covers the Watchdog website. Because Watchdog wants to demonstrate its commitment to your privacy, we have agreed to disclose our information practices and have our privacy practices reviewed for compliance by TRUSTe. If you have questions or concerns regarding this policy, you should first contact Debbie Freeman at info@investorwatchdog.com. If you do not receive acknowledgement of your inquiry or your inquiry has not been satisfactorily addressed, you should contact TRUSTe at http://www.truste.org/consumers/watchdog_complaint.php. TRUSTe will then serve as a liaison with Watchdog to resolve your concerns.
Watchdog will not disclose any personally identifiable information about individual users, except as specified in this Privacy Policy. With the few exceptions that are explained here, we do not give, rent, lend, or sell individual information. We would only disclose personally identifiable information in the following instances: (I) with investors’ and advisors’ consent; (ii) if we are required to by applicable law, or in response to a legal process to protect the rights or property of Watchdog, or to protect the safety of Watchdog, investors, advisors, and others; and (iii) with certain contractors of Watchdog who have entered into confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements with Watchdog.
Watchdog is committed to protecting the personal information of investors and advisors. We store information provided by investors and advisors on our secure servers and credit card information provided to a third-party provider for processing the payment of advertising fees is encrypted using SSL technology. Credit card data is not stored on our servers. It resides at the third party processor.
Watchdog’s internal site is password protected and available to investors who establish user accounts, advisors who advertise in the Directory, and advisors who submit data to Watchdog. Investors and advisors should not share their passwords with anyone. Watchdog will never ask investors or advisors for their passwords in an unsolicited phone call or email. If investors or advisors use a computer, which is accessible to others, they should remember to log out and close their browser window when leaving the Watchdog website.
Watchdog takes the issue of safeguarding privacy and confidentiality seriously for visitors, investors, or advisors. Watchdog exercises great care to ensure that the personally identifiable information you may provide to us for the purposes set forth below is kept confidential and secure. Watchdog’s policy is to collect the minimum amount of information Watchdog needs to provide services to investors and advisors. In addition, Watchdog collects IP addresses for our site’s security and to provide us with information regarding the users of the site to help us improve the sites’ performance and services. We collect the following types of personally identifiable information: Name, e-mail, and telephone number. We use a device known as a “cookie.” A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s hard drive that contains information about a user. There are two types of cookies persistent cookies and session cookies. Persistent cookies get written to a file called a “cookie jar” on the user’s hard drive and are retrieved every time a site is accessed. Session cookies are similar to persistent cookies except that the information does not get written to the hard drive and disappears when users close their browser. Watchdog does not link the information we store in cookies to any personally identifiable information that you submit while on our site. Watchdog’s website uses session cookies. If users do not accept cookies, they may still use our website’s information and functions on the external site; however, investors and advisors will not be able to use the internal, password protected service sections. These sections require a cookie that is set to identify a particular computer to Watchdog’s web servers. This cookie is called a Session ID and consists of a 32-digit sequence of random numbers and letters generated by Watchdog’s web servers each time our site is called up. This is necessary so our computers can match logged-in users with their user account information. This cookie will be deleted when users log out or close their browsers. In addition to cookies, Watchdog’s website may also use tiny electronic images (”single-pixel GIFs” or “Web beacons”), which allow Watchdog to count users who have visited specific pages or access certain cookies. Watchdog may use single-pixel GIFs in the following ways: (I) to count and recognize users; (ii) to conduct research on behalf of some partners on their websites and for auditing purposes; (iii) to determine aggregate information about users, including demographic and usage information. In general, any electronic image viewed as part of a web page, including an ad banner, can act as a web beacon. Watchdog does not link the information it stores in cookies to any personally identifiable information you submit while you are on Watchdog’s website.
We use third parties to provide Web Hosting, Web Development, and Search Engine Optimization services on Watchdog’s website. When you submit your data to us for processing, we will share your data, as necessary with the designated third parties so they can provide their specific services. These third parties are prohibited from using your personally identifiable information for any other purpose.
Watchdog collects personal information to provide investors and advisors with specialized services that contain relevant content. In addition, Watchdog conducts research on investor and advisor demographics, interests, and behavior based on information that is voluntarily provided to Watchdog. This information is compiled and analyzed on a generalized basis and is not investor or advisor specific. We do not share, sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties for unknown reasons. Watchdog may also use your email to conduct surveys and send you free special research reports and newsletters that provide current information about financial advisors and related commentary. There is an opt-out function on each of the surveys, research reports, and newsletters.
Watchdog will send you strictly service-related announcements on rare occasions when it is necessary to do so. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance, we might send you an email. Generally, you may not opt-out of these communications, which are usually not promotional in nature. If you do not wish to receive them, you have the option of deactivating your user account. To deactivate your account, you must notify us via email at info@investorwatchdog.com or by telephone at 916.253.3334.
If you choose to use our referral service to tell a friend about our site, we will ask you for your friend’s name and email address. We will automatically send your friend a one-time email inviting him or her to visit the site. Watchdog stores this information for the purpose of sending this one-time email and free, informative research reports. Your friend may contact us at info@investorwatchdog.com to request that we remove his or her information from our database or use the opt-out function on the research report.
Financial advisors advertise their services in the Watchdog Directory of Financial Professionals. Advisors also submit data that Watchdog uses to prepare reports that are uploaded to the user accounts of investors. Advisors can request Watchdog delete their data at any time by notifying Watchdog. Watchdog maintains a record of the data that was provided by advisor in the event the advisor wants to be reactivated in the Watchdog Directory.
If investors or advisors want to update personal information, they should login to the internal website and click on the function that enables them to make changes. Investors and advisors are able to change User IDs (email addresses), update passwords, select Watchdog tools, input the names of advisors, view reports, change advertisement service levels, and update professional profiles.
Watchdog may provide the names, email addresses and telephone numbers of advisors who want to advertise their services on Watchdog Directory to a third party that produces referrals for financial advisors.
Watchdog may provide the names, email addresses and telephone numbers of investors who use our web-based services to a third party that has a contractual relationship with Watchdog’s in the event Watchdog does not provide some or all of the services that investors are seeking.
Watchdog’s website is not intended for use by minors under the age of 18. The site is operated in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Act and will not knowingly collect or use personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 18.
This Privacy Policy applies to the Watchdog website as operated and viewed in the United States of America. Watchdog uses its best efforts to protect the privacy of investors and advisors; however, Watchdog cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information that you transmit over the Internet, and you do so at your own risk. Watchdog’s website incorporates links to third party providers for the convenience of investors and advisors. If You use these links, remember that each site has its own Privacy Policy and data collection practices. Watchdog is not responsible or liable for the policies or practices of other sites, and Watchdog does not review the policies or practices of other sites.
This Privacy Policy will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California, excluding that body of laws known as choice of law or conflict of laws. Subject to the provisions of this Section, all disputes, controversies or claims arising out of or relating to this Agreement will be resolved through mandatory binding arbitration conducted in Sacramento, California, before J.A.M.S./ENDISPUTE or its successor (”JAMS”) pursuant to the United States Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. Section 1, et seq. (the “Act”); and (iii) this Agreement. The arbitration will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of J.A.M.S.’ Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures in effect at the time of filing of the demand for arbitration (the “JAMS Rules”), subject to the provisions of this Section. The terms set forth in this Policy will control differences in the event of any inconsistency between such terms and the JAMS Rules. The parties will cooperate with JAMS and with each other in promptly selecting a single arbitrator from JAMS’ panel of neutrals. If the parties fail to so select an arbitrator within thirty (30) days following the date of either party’s notice of demand to conduct arbitration, then JAMS will appoint an arbitrator in accordance with the JAMS Rules. The award of the arbitrator will be in writing and will set forth findings of fact and conclusions of law. Judgment on the arbitrator’s award will be final and binding upon the parties and may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. If for any reason JAMS or its successor no longer is in business, then the arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association. The parties will share the arbitrator’s fees equally and each party will initially bear its own costs and attorneys’ fees, but the other party for all attorneys’ fees, witness fees, and arbitration costs shall reimburse the prevailing party. All papers, documents, or evidence, whether written or oral, filed with or presented in connection with the arbitration proceeding will be deemed by the parties and by the arbitrator to be confidential information of both parties. The arbitrator chosen in accordance with these provisions will not have the power to alter, amend or otherwise affect the terms of these arbitration provisions or the provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section shall prevent either party from applying for and obtaining from a court a temporary restraining order and/or other injunctive relief.
We reserve the right to modify this privacy policy at any time, so please review it frequently. If we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you here, by email, or by means of a notice on our home page. To contact Watchdog about website privacy issues, to report a violation of our Privacy Policy, or to discuss any other issue, please contact us at info@InvestorWatchdog.com, call 916.253.3334 or mail us at: Investor Watchdog, 395 S. Highway 65, A-275, Lincoln, CA 95648.