TipGuard Privacy Policy

Updated Date: March 13, 2025

Effective Date: March 13, 2025

Welcome to TipGuard!

At TIPGUARD LLC ("we," "our," or "us"), we are deeply committed to safeguarding and protecting your privacy and personal information. This comprehensive Privacy Policy document has been carefully crafted to provide a detailed explanation of how we collect, use, maintain, protect, and disclose your information when you utilize our iOS application, TipGuard (the "App"). Our service is specifically designed to help you track your tips, verify charges, and try to ensure the accuracy of your financial transactions. We believe in complete transparency regarding how your data is handled and encourage you to read this policy thoroughly to understand our practices and your rights.

Information We Collect

In order to provide you with our comprehensive tip verification and charge monitoring services, we collect and process various categories of information through different channels and methodologies:

1. Information You Provide:

• Receipt Documentation: When you utilize our receipt capture feature, we collect and process detailed information including, but not limited to:
  • Transaction total amounts
  • Itemized tip calculations
  • Transaction dates and timestamps
  • Merchant and store identification details
  • Receipt images and associated metadata
• Financial Account Information: Through our secure integration with Plaid, we collect:
  • Detailed transaction histories
  • Banking institution identifiers and names
  • Account names and types
  • Merchant transaction details and categories
  • Transaction timestamps and processing information
• Personal Information: During account creation, subscription process, and ongoing usage, we collect:
  • Full name
  • Email addresses
  • Age
  • Communication preferences and notification settings
• Subscription Information: We maintain detailed records of:
  • Chosen subscription plan and tier
  • Billing cycle information
  • Payment method details
  • Subscription status and history
  • Usage metrics related to subscription features

2. Automatically Collected Information:

• Device Information: We automatically collect technical data including:
  • Device make, model, and operating system version
  • Unique device identifiers and advertising IDs
  • Mobile network information
  • Device settings and configurations
  • Application version and installation details
• Usage Data: We collect detailed analytics about:
  • Feature utilization patterns and frequencies
  • App performance metrics and crash reports
  • User interaction patterns and preferences
  • Session duration and timing information
  • Navigation patterns and feature engagement metrics

3. Third-Party Data Integration:

• Plaid Integration: Our secure financial data access is facilitated through Plaid, which provides:
  • Encrypted banking credentials and access tokens
  • Real-time transaction synchronization
  • Institution-specific security protocols
  • Additional details available in Plaid's Privacy Policy
• Authentication Services: We utilize industry-leading OAuth providers:
  • Google Sign-In:
    • Profile information and email verification
    • Authentication tokens and security credentials
    • Refer to Google's Privacy Policy
  • Apple Sign-In:
    • Secure user identification and verification
    • Private email relay services when applicable
    • Details available in Apple's Privacy Policy
• OpenAI Integration: Our receipt analysis is powered by OpenAI's advanced AI technology:
  • Automated extraction and processing of receipt information
  • For information, please review OpenAI's Privacy Policy

How We Use Your Information

We utilize your information for various purposes, all aimed at providing and improving our services:

• Core Service Functionality:
  • Conduct detailed comparisons between receipt data and bank statement entries to identify discrepancies
  • Process and analyze transaction patterns to detect potential fraudulent activities
  • Generate comprehensive reports and notifications about suspicious charges
  • Maintain accurate historical records of your transactions and tip calculations
• Service Enhancement:
  • Analyze usage patterns to optimize app performance and user experience
  • Develop and implement new features based on user behavior and feedback
  • Improve our machine learning algorithms for better receipt parsing accuracy
  • Conduct quality assurance and technical troubleshooting
• Legal and Security Compliance:
  • Maintain records as required by applicable laws and regulations
  • Prevent fraudulent activities and unauthorized access attempts
  • Respond to legal requests and protect our legal rights
  • Ensure compliance with financial services regulations

How We Share Your Information

We share your information with carefully selected third parties under specific circumstances:

• Third-Party Service Providers:
  • Financial data aggregation services for secure account linking
  • Cloud storage providers for secure data backup
  • Analytics services for performance monitoring
  • Payment processors for subscription management
• Legal and Regulatory Bodies:
  • In response to valid legal requests or court orders
  • To comply with regulatory requirements
  • To protect our legal rights and interests
  • In connection with a business transfer or merger
• Service Enhancement Partners:
  • Analytics providers for service optimization
  • Security services for fraud prevention
  • Customer support platforms for issue resolution
  • Quality assurance and testing services

Data Retention & Deletion

In accordance with our data retention policies and industry best practices, we maintain and retain your personal information and associated data for the following durations and circumstances:

• For active accounts, we retain all user data for the entire duration of your account's active status, enabling us to provide continuous service and maintain historical records of your transactions and tip verification activities.
• In the event you request account deletion while maintaining an active subscription, we will initiate our comprehensive data deletion process, which will be completed within 30 days from the date of your request. This process ensures the complete removal of your personal information from our active systems and backup storage.
• For users who unsubscribe from our service but do not explicitly request account deletion, we implement a graduated data retention policy:
  • Your data will be maintained in our secure systems for a period of 365 days from the date of unsubscription.
  • This extended retention period is specifically designed to facilitate seamless service restoration should you choose to reactivate your subscription within the 365-day window.
  • After the 365-day period expires, all associated user data will be automatically and permanently deleted from our systems in accordance with our data protection protocols.
• During any retention period, your data remains protected by our comprehensive security measures and is only accessible to authorized personnel for legitimate business purposes.

To initiate the account deletion process or request information about your data retention status, you may:

• Access the account deletion feature directly within the TipGuard application interface
• Contact our dedicated privacy support team through our official support channels
• Submit a formal written request to our privacy compliance office

Your Privacy Rights (CCPA)

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), California residents are entitled to specific rights regarding their personal information:

• Right to Know:
  • Request detailed information about personal data we've collected about you
  • Receive information about how your data has been used and shared
  • Access your data in a portable and readily usable format
  • Understand the categories of personal information collected
• Right to Delete:
  • Request complete deletion of your personal information
  • Verify the completion of deletion requests
  • Understand any limitations on deletion capabilities
  • Request removal from marketing communications
• Right to Non-Discrimination:
  • Exercise your privacy rights without fear of service denial
  • Maintain equal service quality regardless of privacy choices
  • Access all available features and functionalities
• Data Sales Opt-Out:
  • We do not sell personal information to third parties
  • No opt-out necessary as no data is sold
  • Commitment to maintaining this no-sale policy

Children's Privacy

TipGuard maintains strict policies regarding the privacy of minors:

• Our services are explicitly designed for and restricted to users who are 13 years of age or older
• We do not knowingly collect or maintain personal information from children under 13 years of age
• If we discover we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, we will promptly:
  • Delete all associated personal information
  • Terminate the associated account
  • Notify relevant guardians or parents
  • Implement measures to prevent future collection

International Users

For users accessing our services from outside the United States:

• Data Transfer and Processing:
  • Your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States
  • Data may be processed in countries where our service providers operate
  • We implement appropriate safeguards for international data transfers
  • Your data is protected according to applicable international privacy standards
• Compliance with International Laws:
  • We adhere to relevant international data protection regulations
  • Implementation of appropriate data transfer mechanisms
  • Respect for international privacy rights and requirements

Security Measures

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your data:

• Technical Safeguards:
  • Industry-standard encryption for data in transit and at rest
  • Multi-factor authentication systems
  • Regular security audits and penetration testing
  • Continuous monitoring for suspicious activities
• Administrative Controls:
  • Strict access controls and authentication procedures
  • Regular security training for personnel
  • Documented security policies and procedures
  • Incident response and recovery plans
• Physical Security:
  • Secure data center facilities
  • Environmental and infrastructure protection
  • Disaster recovery capabilities

Changes to This Policy

We maintain the right to update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect:

• Changes in our business practices and service offerings
• Updates to legal and regulatory requirements
• Improvements in our privacy and security measures
• Modifications to our data handling procedures

When we make significant changes to this policy:

• Users will be notified through the app and via email
• Updated policy will be clearly posted with effective date
• Summary of material changes will be provided
• Prior versions will be archived and available upon request

Contact Us

For any questions, concerns, or requests related to your privacy:

Primary Contact Methods:

• Email: help@tipguardian.com
• Postal Address: 4664 Wheeler Dr., Fremont, CA 94538, USA
• Response Time: We strive to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 48 business hours

For Urgent Matters:

• Privacy-related emergencies will be handled with priority
• Data breach notifications will be sent within 72 hours
• Legal inquiries will be directed to our compliance team