Privacy Statement
The information in this privacy statement applies only to this website.
We at Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc. (“Consolidated”) respect your right to privacy. We understand that maintaining the confidentiality of your financial situation is important to you. We want you to understand what information we gather about you, how we use it, and the safeguards we have in place to protect it. We also want you to understand that in connection with a request for our assistance, you may ask us to intervene with your creditors on your behalf, and that the sharing of certain non-public information with them is a necessary part of the credit counseling process.
The following discloses the information gathering and dissemination practices for this web site. Information Automatically Logged:
IP Address – We Use Your IP Address For Other Purposes
IP addresses are automatically logged and the domain name which you are using at the time of entry is also logged to a file. This information is stored purely as a means of viewing web site hits and traffic. This information is not given to any third parties for any reason, and is eradicated from our database on a regular basis. IP addresses are not used for any purpose other than those stated here.
Cookies – Our Site Uses Cookies For Other Purposes
Cookies are used as a means of identifying repeat visitors. Changing your web browser’s setup to “reject” cookies does not prevent a user from visiting any portion of this website.
Our Principles for Privacy Protection
Our site’s registration and Online forms require users to give us contact information (like their name, email, or postal address). Due to the nature of this web site, financial information is also requested on a voluntary basis from the visitor. Consolidated does not share your financial information with any non-affiliated third parties other than those who help us in providing assistance to you, and they are required to maintain it in strict confidence. We do not rent or sell your personal financial information to any outside marketer. We maintain security practices and procedures designed to ensure the security, integrity, and confidentiality of your personal financial information. We educate our employees about safeguarding client information and preventing unauthorized access, disclosure or use, while limiting employee access to client information to those who need it to assist you.
Off-Line/Email Data Collection ConsolidatedCredit.org only collects a limited amount of financial information from consumers on their online forms. However, during the credit counseling session which is done through face-to-face conversations, telephone calls, and e-mail communications, additional information may be requested.
What information do we collect?
We collect non-public personal information about you from the following sources:
- Information we receive from you on applications or other forms, whether submitted through the Internet or manually, as well as through face-to-face conversations, telephone calls, and e-mail communications. This information may include your name, address, telephone and social security number, as well as your creditors’ names and addresses, the amounts you owe your creditors and their account numbers, credit card account information, and your living expenses.
- You may provide us with certain banking information, via the Internet, on the phone or in person, in order to process ACH payments.
- Information about your transactions with us.
- Information we receive from your creditors.
What information do we disclose?
We may disclose the following kinds of non-public personal information about you in the course of providing credit counseling services on your behalf:
- Information we receive from you on applications or other forms and from other communications with you, such as your name, address, financial account numbers, Social Security number, assets and income.
- Information about your transactions with us, such as your account balance, monthly payment obligations, payment history, and method of payment.
To whom do we disclose information?
We do not disclose any non-public personal information about our clients, or former clients to anyone, except as noted below in response to a court order, when required by law or when we believe in good faith disclosure is required by law or to enforce our terms and conditions or other agreements and polices. We may disclose non-public personal information about you to your financial service provider creditors such as banks, saving and loans, credit unions, mortgage bankers, finance companies, and credit card issuers. For the purpose of fulfilling our mission and providing you with certain services and to process your requests and payments, we may disclose your personal information to one or more service providers or other third parties who are assisting us in performing such services. Without limiting the foregoing, these third parties may provide us with data management, payment processing, and similar services. Additionally, in the event that you fail to complete a program you enroll in, information may be referred to a servicing agent to contact you to provide additional financial services that you may want to consider.
How do we protect information?
Only those employees or servicing agents obligated to maintain the confidentiality of information who might need to know non-public personal information in order to provide assistance to you have access to such information.
External Links
This site contains links to other sites. Consolidated is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites. The contents of such websites are unknown and in no event, should you assume that Consolidated condones, approves of, or recommends the content of any website that is linked from the Consolidated pages or any other pages of this website. Complaints about the content of any linked site from the Consolidated pages should be directed to the owner of that site and not Consolidated.
Security
This site has security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information under our control. Information, if any, submitted for use by visitors is kept strictly confidential. Only the information visitors provide and authorized by the visitor is used for the purpose it was submitted.
Short Message Service
Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc. may make available a service through which you can receive financial advice on your wireless device via short message service (“SMS Service”). 1 message is sent per week. Data obtained from you in connection with this SMS service may include your name, address, cell phone number, your provider’s name, and the date, time, and content of your messages. You represent that you are 18 years of age and the owner or authorized user of the wireless device on which messages will be received, and that you are authorized to approve the applicable charges. In addition to any fee of which you are notified, your provider’s standard message and data rates may apply to our confirmation and all subsequent SMS correspondence. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Consolidated Credit Counseling Services will not be liable for any delays in the receipt of any SMS messages, as delivery is subject to effective transmission from your network operator. SMS message services are provided on an AS IS basis. Consolidated Credit Counseling Services may also obtain the date, time and content of your messages in the course of your use of the SMS Service. We will use the information we obtain in connection with our SMS Service in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If fees are charged to your wireless account invoice, we may provide your carrier with your applicable information in connection therewith. Your wireless carrier and other service providers may also collect data about your wireless device usage, and their practices are governed by their own policies.
You acknowledge and agree that the SMS Service is provided via wireless systems which use radios (and other means) to transmit communications over complex networks. You must have a two way text-enables phone with compatible carrier and plan. Compatible major carriers include Alltel Wireless, AT&T, Boost Mobile, Nextel, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and Virgin Mobile USA. We do not guarantee that your use of the SMS Service will be private or secure, and we are not liable to you for any lack of privacy or security you may experience. You are fully responsible for taking precautions and providing security measures best suited for your situation and intended use of the SMS Service. We may also access the content of your account and wireless account with your carrier for the purpose of identifying and resolving technical problems and service-related complaints.
By joining our subscription program you authorize Consolidated Credit to send you autodialed marketing text messages at the mobile number provided. Consent isn’t required to purchase goods or services.
You may remove your information by going to https://members.consolidatedcredit.org or by sending “STOP”, “END”, “QUIT”, “UNSUBSCRIBE”, or “CANCEL” to 71610.
You may also Text HELP to 71610 or call 8882447181 for support.
We use third-party web beacons from Yahoo! to help analyze where visitors go and what they do while visiting our website. Yahoo! may also use anonymous information about your visits to this and other websites in order to improve its products and services and provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by Yahoo! click here or visit http://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/opt_out/targeting/details.html
Third Party Analytics Software
This site uses a web analytics service that may record mouse clicks, mouse movements, scrolling activity as well as any text you type in this website. The Web analytics software does not collect personally identifiable information that you do not voluntarily enter in this website. Web analytics software does not track your browsing habits across web sites which do not use our Web analytics services. For more, information see Privacy Policy for Information Collected by the Web Analytics software services.
We are using the information collected by a web services analytics provider to help analyze where visitors go and what they do while visiting our website. We may also use anonymous information about your visitors to this and other websites that subscribe to this service, in order to improve our products and services.
Data Quality/Access
This site gives users the following options for changing and modifying information previously provided. You can go to https://members.consolidatedcredit.org to submit your request.
Opt-Out Policy
If you prefer that we do not send you email communications, you may opt out of those services, that is you may direct us not to use your email address as part of our marketing efforts. If you wish to opt out of email communications, you may do so by emailing [email protected], by replying to an existing email with your request to be removed from the mailing list or click here.
Questions or Corrections?
If you have any question about our privacy policy and practices please contact us at (954) 484-3328 or contact: [email protected]. If you want to correct any personal information in our files, please submit a written request to us. Thank you for choosing Consolidated to assist you in restoring your financial well being.
Licensing
Licensed by the Vermont Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Healthcare Administration. Licensed by the New York State Banking Department, 5701 W. Sunrise Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33313
The Commissioner of Financial Regulations for the State of Maryland will accept questions and complaints from Maryland residents regarding Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc., license # 14-9 at 500 North Calvert Street, Suite 402, Baltimore, MD 21202-3651 or toll free at 1-888-784-0136.
MICHIGAN DEBT MANAGEMENT ACT
Act 148 of 1975
The Michigan Debt Management Act requires that the following provisions of the Act be prominently displayed in our office.
451.423 Consent of creditors as condition to charging or receiving fee.
Sec. 13.
- Upon establishing a debt management plan for a debtor, a licensee may charge and receive an initial fee of $25.00. However, unless 51% or more in number and dollar amount of all the debtor”s creditors consent to the debt management program within 45 days of establishing the debt management plan, the fee shall be returned to the debtor and the debtor”s account closed.
451.424 Contract between licensee and debtor; requirements..
Sec. 14
- A contract between a licensee and debtor shall include all of the following:
- Each creditor to whom payments will be made and the amount owed each creditor.
- The total amount of the licensee”s charges.
- The beginning and ending dates of the contract.
- The number of months and the total principal amount plus approximate interest charges required to liquidate in full the debts, except mortgage or land contract interest payments, described in the contract.
- The name and address of the licensee and of the debtor.
- Other provisions or disclosures that the director determines are necessary for the protection of the debtor and the proper conduct of business by a licensee.
451.428 Fee under debt management services contract; charge for cancellation or default; when contract effective; letter of continuation; excessive charge.
Sec. 18.
- A licensee may charge a reasonable fee under a debt management services contract. The fees and charges of the licensee shall not exceed 15% of the amount of the debt to be liquidated during the express term of the contract. The licensee may require the debtor to make an initial payment of not more than $25.00, which is part of the fees and charges of the licensee. The initial payment may be deducted from the amount of a subsequent fee that is amortized, if any.
- Except for a cancellation described in subsection (3), for which a licensee may not collect the additional fee described in this subsection, in the event of cancellation or default on the performance of the contract by the debtor before its successful completion, the licensee may collect $25.00 in addition to fees and charges of the licensee previously received. This $25.00 fee is not subject to the 15% limitation on fees and charges of the licensee in subsection (1).
- A contract is in effect when it is signed by the licensee and the debtor and the debtor has made a payment to the licensee. The debtor has the right to cancel the contract until 12 midnight of the third business day after the first day the contract is in effect by delivering written notice of cancellation to the licensee.
- If a debtor fails to make a payment to a licensee within 60 days after the date a payment is due under a contract, the contract is considered canceled by the debtor. A debtor may file a letter of continuation of a contract even if the debtor did not make a payment within 60 days after a payment was due. All of the following apply to a letter of continuation of a contract:
- A debtor may file only 1 letter of continuation with a licensee for any contract.
- A letter of continuation must contain a detailed explanation of the reason or reasons for the missed payment or payments.
- A contract for which a letter of continuation that meets the requirements of this subsection is filed remains in effect and subject to cancellation for any future failure to make a payment or payments as described in this subsection.
- A contract between a licensee and a debtor shall clearly provide for 1 letter of continuation by a debtor.
- A debtor may not file a letter of continuation with a licensee at the beginning of a contract.
- A licensee shall not contract for, receive, or charge a debtor an amount greater than authorized by this act. A person who violates this subsection, except as the result of an inadvertent clerical or computer error, shall return to the debtor the amount of the payments received from or on behalf of the debtor and not distributed to creditors, and, as a penalty, an amount equal to the amount overcharged.
State of Michigan
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Office of Financial Regulation
611 W. Ottawa Street, Lansing, MI 48909
1-877-999-6442
Oregon Registration #DM-80031
Indiana – We do not lend money.
Licensed by the Virginia State Corporation Commission- License #DC-32
Revised Privacy Policies
Please note that we reserve the right to change or modify our privacy practices that are described above from time to time simply by posting a revised Privacy Policy on our Website www.consolidatedcredit.org. Any such change shall be effective immediately upon posting of the revised Privacy Policy on the Website. The revised Privacy Policy shall be effective for information we already have about you, as well as any information we receive in the future. You should refer to this Privacy Policy on an ongoing basis so that you are aware of our current privacy practices.