Assisting consumers in meeting their fiscal responsibilities and reaching their financial goals through ethical education, credit, housing counseling and homebuyer programs.

SafeGuard Privacy Policy

Your privacy and the security of your personal information are very important to us. We arededicatedto protecting the privacy of those who visit our website at www.safeguardcredit.org (the“Website”).This Privacy Policy governs the Website and explains how your personal informationis collected onour Website, how your information is protected, and the choices you haveconcerning the use of suchinformation. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully.
We may amend this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post any changes to this PrivacyPolicyhere so that you will always know what information we gather, how that information may beused, andwhether that information will be disclosed to anyone. Please refer back to this PrivacyPolicy on aregular basis. By using our Website or any of our products, offerings, features, toolsor resources thatwe provide on our Website (collectively, our “Online Products”), you agree tothe terms of this PrivacyPolicy.
In addition, we will notify current Safeguard Debt Management Program registered Users(“RegisteredUsers”) by e-mail of any changes in our Privacy Policy that may affect the types ofinformation that weshare with third parties and the parties with which we share such information.

POLICY REGARDING INFORMATION SUBMITTED TO SAFEGUARD AT THIRD- PARTYWEBSITES

In addition to users of the Website, this Privacy Policy applies to you if you submit personalinformation through our contact form available at a website other than the Safeguard Website.

WHAT INFORMATION ABOUT YOU IS COLLECTED ON OUR WEBSITE?

We collect two types of information: personally identifiable information and non-personallyidentifiableinformation.

Personally Identifiable Information

Personally identifiable information (“PII”) is information that allows you to enroll and receivebenefits inthe Debt Management Program (“DMP”) offered by the Safeguard through theWebsite. During theenrollment process we collect a wide variety of personal and financial data.

Personally Identifiable Information

  • Debt Information (Credit Card / Loan Account Numbers & Balances)
  • Personal Information (Social Security Number, Address, Phone, Email, Salary, PayPeriod, Employer,Occupation)
  • Demographic Information (Age, Birth Date, Gender)
  • Budget Information (Assets, Monthly Expenses, Other Income)

Debt information is used to qualify the applicant for the DMP and to make payments on aRegisteredUser’s behalf. Budget information is collected to provide the Registered User with anoverview ofwhere Registered Users’ money is spent and is required by the Creditors. The datafor thoseapplicants who do not complete the enrollment process is kept for internal analysis only.

 

We are committed to protecting the privacy of minors. Our Website is not designed for or directedtovisitors under the age of 18. We do not collect PII from any person we actually know is underthe ageof 18. We urge all parents or guardians to participate in their children’s exploration of theInternet, andto teach their children about protecting their personal information while online.

 

In general, we use the information collected on our Website to help us understand who uses ourWebsite and how it is used, to personalize your online experience, to complete your enrollment inaDMP, to assist you in using our services, and to improve upon them.

 

If you become a Registered User, we may use your information to send you a welcoming e- mailthatconfirms your User name and password. We may send you electronic newsletters, contactyou aboutproducts, services, information and news that may be of interest to you, and provideyou with targetedfeedback. In compliance with the Graham-Leach-Bliley Act, as a RegisteredUser you will receive aseparate privacy notice sent to you at the e-mail address submitted inyour application, (the “GLBNotice”). In addition, we will send any further required notices to theRegistered User’s same e-mailaddress.

Opt-out Policy

If you prefer that we do not send you e-mail communications, you may opt-out of those services,thatis, you may direct us not to use your e-mail address as part of our marketing efforts for newproductsand services. If you wish to opt-out of e-mail communications, you may do so byemailing us, byreplying to an existing email with your request to be removed from the mailing listor call 1-800-673-6993. In addition, if you identify yourself to us by sending us an e-mail withquestions or comments,we may use your information (including PII) to respond to your questionsor comments, and we mayfile your questions or comments for future reference. The GLB Noticewill instruct Registered Users asto how they may opt-out from the sharing of their PII with thirdparties.

 

We may also use the information gathered to perform statistical analysis of Registered Userbehavior,to analyze and evaluate issues relating to the DMP, enrollment behavior and crediteducation, or toevaluate and improve our services. We may link some of this information to PIIfor internal purposesonly or to assist you in your debt reduction efforts.

WHEN DOES OUR WEBSITE DISCLOSE INFORMATION TO THIRD PARTIES?

The PII of Registered Users may be disclosed to third parties only as described in the GLBNotice. Inaddition to receiving the GLB Notice via e-mail, the GLB Notice also appears on ourWebsite. In short,the GLB Notice discloses that all of the PII collected on our Website may bedisclosed (both toaffiliates and to non-affiliates) unless the Registered User chooses to opt- outfrom such disclosure.However, even if a Registered User chooses to opt-out from suchdisclosure, the PII collected on thisWebsite may be disclosed to certain parties as permitted bylaw. For example, the PII of RegisteredUsers will be disclosed to certain third parties, such ascredit card companies, if disclosure isnecessary to effectuate or administer the DMP and to otherthird party service providers and financialinstitutions with whom Safeguard maintains joint marketing agreements.

IS THE INFORMATION COLLECTED ON OUR WEBSITE SECURE?

We want your information (including personally identifiable information) to remain as secure aspossible. We strive to provide secure transmission of your information from your computer to ourservers through industry-standard techniques. To help ensure the integrity and privacy of thepersonally identifiable information you provide to us via the Internet, we use Secured SocketLayer(SSL) encryption technology in transmitting such PII over the Internet to our servers. We secure the PII you provide on servers located in controlled, secure environments, protected fromunauthorized access, use, or alteration. Only employees who need access to your information toperform a specific task or function are granted access to such information.

 

No personal data is ever stored on our web servers. Sensitive information is encrypted within ourdatabase, to ensure internal security. In addition, all of our employees must abide by this PrivacyPolicy and are kept up-to-date on security practices. Any employee who violates this PrivacyPolicy issubject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

 

Notwithstanding the above commitments to protect your information (including PII) from loss,misuseor alteration by third parties, you should be aware that there is always some risk involvedintransmitting information over the Internet. There is also some risk that others could find a waytothwart our security systems. As a result, while we strive to protect your information, we cannotensureor warrant the security and privacy of any information you transmit to us, and you do so atyour ownrisk.

CAN I UPDATE OR CORRECT MY PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION?

You can always contact us in order to update, correct or delete your PII or change yourpreferenceswith respect to communications and other information you receive from us by callingSafeguardCustomer Service at 1-800-673-6993. Such updates, corrections and deletions will nothave an effecton the data we are required to maintain by any creditors in order to administer theDMP.

 

You should be aware that it is not technologically possible to remove each and every record oftheinformation you have provided to us from our system. The need to back-up our systems toprotectinformation from inadvertent loss means that a copy of your PII may exist in a non-erasable form thatwill be difficult or impossible for us to locate. We promise that promptly afterreceiving your request, allPII stored in marketing databases we actively use and other readilysearchable media will be updated,corrected, changed or deleted, as appropriate, as soon asreasonably practicable.

LIMITATIONS

While our Privacy Policy covers all DMP applicants, Safeguard’s DMP is only available forresidents ofthe United States. Registered Users must make payments from a US bank account,have a USresidence and any DMP-associated debt must be for US-based liabilities and payablein US currency.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY?

If we decide to change this Privacy Policy, we will post those changes on our Website so you arealways aware of what information we collect, how it is used, and under what circumstances, ifany, it isdisclosed. If at any point PII will be used in a manner significantly different from thatstated in thisPrivacy Policy, or otherwise disclosed to you, at the time it was collected, we willprominently post anychanges on our website for 30 days prior to any change. We may also makenon-significant changesto our Privacy Policy that generally will not affect our use of your NPPI. Ifyou are a Registered User,you will be notified by e-mail. If you do not agree to the terms of thisPrivacy Policy, you are notpermitted to use or submit PII at our Website.

 

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or feel that we are not abiding by the terms ofourposted Privacy Policy, please contact our Privacy Coordinator by calling 1-800-673- 6993.

Opt-Out Third Party Sharing of Information

I instruct SafeGuard not to share my nonpublic personal information with unrelated third parties.
Name:
Address:
Account Number:
Phone Number:
Signature:

 

Please print and mail this form or call us at the above number. If you would like to submit yourinformation via email click here.

SafeGuard - Telemarketing Do Not Call Policy

State and federal law requires companies which intitiate telemarketing sales calls to institutepoliciesand procedures for maintaining a list of telephone numbers of consumers who do notwish to receivetelephone solicitation calls. In compliance with the requirements, SafeGuard hasestablished thefollowing “do-not call policy” to be followed by all persons making telephonesolicitations on its behalf.

 

SafeGuard maintains a do-not call list that contains telephone numbers of consumerswho either; (i)request directly from SafeGuard or persons calling on its behalf not to be calledagain for anysolicitations or; (ii) have requested to be included in either the national do-not callregistry or a similarstate-maintained registry.

 

For requests made directly to SafeGuard, such request is maintained for a period of five(5) years.Regarding requests maintained by the consumer placing its telephone number on astate or federalregistry, SafeGuard subscribes to these lists, receives updates as frequently asrequired by applicablestate and federal law, and does not call numbers appearing on the then-current list.

 

No telemarketing agent shall place any telephone solicitation call to any telephonenumber without firstensuring that the telephone number has been checked against the then-current do-not call listmaintained by SafeGuard. NO HAND DIALING OF TELEPHONENUMBERS FOR TELEPHONESOLICITATIONS IS ALLOWED.

 

At the beginning of every telemarketing sales call, the telemarketing agent shall clearlystate; (i) his orher first and last name; (ii) that he or sheis calling on behalf of SafeGuard; (iii)the nature of the call;(iv) the telephone number and (v) the address at which SafeGuard maybe contacted.

 

When a telemarketing agent receives a request from a consumer to not receive futuretelemarketingcalls, the telemarketing agend shall; (i) immediately record teh request on thetelephone consumer’sfile in the computer; (ii) immediately record the subscriber’s name,address and telephone number onthe manual request sheet that is subsequently returned tothe agent’s supervisor at the end of eachshift; (iii) politely inform the consumer that his or herrequest has been recorded and that is takesapproximately 3 business days after receipt of therequest to remove the customer’s telephonenumber form SafeGuard’s telemarketing lists; (iv)end the call.

 

Upon request by any consumer, SafeGuard shall promptly foward to the consumer awritten copy ofthis telemarketing policy. All such requests shall be recorded in the computerand on the manualrequest sheet provided to the supervisor at the end of each shift. In theevent any consumer requestsan address to which the consumer may make a written requestfor the do-not call policy of SafeGuard,the telemarketing agent shall inform the consumer thatwritten requests should be made to:SafeGuard, Do Not Call List, 67 Fort Salonga Road, Northport, NY 11768

 

In the event any consumers indicatea desire to terminate the call, the telemarketing agentmustimmediately and politely comply with the request: thank the consumer for their time andend the call.

 

Consumers must inform SafeGuard of any change in telelphone number if they desire toplace a newphone number on SafeGuard’s internally generated do-not call list.

 

SafeGuard does not share or disclose a consumer’s do-not call request with externalparties.

 

Any person involved with telemarketing for SafeGuard is trained, informed and directed tocomply withapplicable state and federal do-not call requirements as well as SafeGuard do-notcall policy. Failureto comply with the do-not call policy is grounds for termination of thebusiness relationship betweenSafeGuard and the telemarketing agent.

President’s Message

Over the years SafeGuard has provided assistance and guidance to thousands of consumers and has done so with a focus on integrity, education and quality. From our inception, the principles of SafeGuard have remained clear and have set us apart from other organizations in the industry. Our unique and customized approach is one that we strive to achieve greater success with everyday. This philosophy emanates from within our executive management team and reaches throughout all of our employees.

Mission

SafeGuard Credit Counseling Services, Inc. was formed in 1996 and is dedicated to assisting consumers in meeting and satisfying their fiscal responsibilities and reaching their financial goals through our ethical and highly successful financial literacy education, credit, bankruptcy, and housing counseling programs.

 

SafeGuard’s key objective is to educate individuals and communities on the significance of fiscal responsibility.

SafeGuard Credit
Counseling Services, Inc