Privacy Policy

1. About this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains:

• the kinds of personal information we collect;
• how we collect, use and disclose that information;
• how cookies, analytics and advertising technologies are used on our website;
• when information may be processed outside Australia;
• how we protect and retain information;
• how you may access or correct your information; and
• how you can make a privacy complaint.

2. Scope of this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through:

• the Braid Finance website;
• online enquiry and application forms;
• telephone calls, emails and other communications with us;
• information and documents you provide in connection with a finance enquiry; and
• our interactions with you when providing credit assistance or related services.

3. Personal information we collect

The personal information we collect depends on your interactions with us and the services you request.

Identity and contact information

• your name;
• date of birth;
• residential and postal address;
• email address;
• telephone number;
• driver licence or other identification details; and
• information required to verify your identity.

Finance enquiry and application information

• the type and amount of finance requested;
• the purpose of the proposed finance;
• employment, occupation and business information;
• income, expenses, assets and liabilities;
• details of existing loans or financial commitments;
• information about a proposed vehicle, asset or purchase;
• information about co-applicants, guarantors or related parties; and
• supporting documents you choose or are asked to provide.

Credit-related information

Where you have authorised us and the law permits, we may collect or handle credit-related information, including:

• credit-report information;
• credit enquiries;
• credit history;
• repayment information;
• defaults or other adverse credit information; and
• information obtained from credit providers or credit-reporting bodies.

Any authority for Braid Finance to obtain or disclose credit information will be addressed through a separate privacy consent or credit-reporting authorisation where required.

Communication and service information

• emails, messages and correspondence;
• notes of telephone calls or discussions;
• records of enquiries and applications;
• feedback and survey responses;
• complaints and dispute information; and
• records relating to the assistance or services we provide.

Website and technical information

When you use our website, we may collect:

• your Internet Protocol address;
• browser and device information;
• operating-system information;
• pages viewed and actions taken;
• referring and destination pages;
• dates, times and session information;
• cookie and similar online identifiers;
• advertising click or browser identifiers;
• your website privacy and cookie preferences; and
• website events, such as submitting an enquiry or reaching an application milestone.

4. Sensitive information

We will only collect sensitive information where:

• it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities;
• you have consented to its collection; or
• its collection is otherwise authorised or required by law.

We ask that you do not provide sensitive information that is not relevant to your enquiry or application.

5. How we collect personal information

We generally collect personal information directly from you when you:

• complete a form on our website;
• make a telephone, email or online enquiry;
• request assistance obtaining finance;
• provide documents or supporting information;
• communicate with our staff or representatives;
• respond to requests for further information; or
• use or interact with our website.

Where permitted, we may also collect information from:

• a person authorised to act for you;
• a joint applicant, co-applicant or guarantor;
• an introducer or referral partner;
• prospective or existing credit providers;
• credit-reporting bodies;
• identity, fraud-prevention and verification providers;
• your accountant, employer, adviser or another person you authorise;
• publicly available records or databases; and
• our website, cookies and associated analytics technologies.

If another person provides us with your information, we may ask them to confirm that they are authorised to do so.

6. Why we collect, use and disclose personal information

We may collect, use and disclose personal information to:

• respond to your enquiry;
• communicate with you about your enquiry or application;
• understand your finance requirements;
• assess potential finance options;
• provide credit assistance;
• introduce or refer you to prospective credit providers;
• prepare, submit, manage or follow up an application;
• verify your identity and information;
• obtain documents or information needed to assist you;
• communicate with credit providers and service providers;
• administer our relationship with you;
• maintain business and regulatory records;
• respond to complaints and disputes;
• detect or prevent fraud, misuse and security incidents;
• comply with legal, regulatory and licensing obligations;
• improve our website, services and customer experience;
• measure the effectiveness of our website and advertising;
• conduct analytics, subject to your website privacy choices;
• undertake advertising and campaign measurement, subject to your website privacy choices; and
• send you marketing communications where permitted by law.

We will not use personal information for an unrelated purpose unless you consent or the use is authorised or required by law.

7. What happens if you do not provide information

You may choose not to provide personal information. However, if we cannot collect the information reasonably required to respond to your enquiry, verify your identity or assess your circumstances, we may be unable to:

• provide the requested assistance;
• identify suitable finance options;
• refer or submit an application;
• obtain a decision from a credit provider; or
• continue providing a requested service.

8. Disclosure of personal information

Depending on the nature of your enquiry and the authority you provide, we may disclose personal information to:

• prospective or existing credit providers;
• organisations involved in processing, assessing or administering a finance application;
• credit-reporting bodies where authorised and permitted by law;
• identity-verification and fraud-prevention providers;
• information-technology, hosting, cloud-storage and cybersecurity providers;
• customer relationship management and communications providers;
• online form, document collection and electronic-signing providers;
• professional advisers, including lawyers, accountants and auditors;
• insurers, valuers, vehicle dealers and other parties connected with a proposed transaction;
• joint applicants, guarantors or authorised representatives;
• government agencies, regulators, law-enforcement bodies and courts where required or authorised by law;
• analytics and advertising providers, subject to your website privacy choices; and
• another organisation in connection with a proposed or completed sale, merger, restructure or transfer of our business, subject to appropriate confidentiality and legal requirements.

We limit disclosures to information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

9. Credit information and finance applications

Braid Finance may assist customers to identify and apply for credit products.

Where you provide the necessary authority and the law permits, we may:

• act as your agent when obtaining credit-related information;
• request a credit report or other credit information;
• provide information to prospective credit providers;
• receive information about the progress or outcome of an application; and
• retain records required to demonstrate the assistance we provided.

The specific permissions associated with obtaining or disclosing credit information are provided in a separate privacy consent or credit-reporting authorisation where required.

10. Website cookies and similar technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to operate correctly, remember choices, understand website use and, where you consent, measure advertising results.

Cookies are small files or identifiers stored on or associated with your browser or device.

Required technologies

Required technologies are necessary for the website to operate, maintain security, process forms and remember your privacy choices. These technologies cannot generally be disabled through our website controls because the website may not function correctly without them.

Analytics technologies

If you select Allow Analytics, we may use analytics services, including Google Analytics, to understand matters such as:

• which pages are visited;
• how visitors navigate the website;
• the approximate source of website traffic;
• browser and device characteristics;
• website errors and performance; and
• whether an enquiry or other website event occurred.

Analytics information helps us understand and improve the website.

Advertising technologies

If you select Allow Advertising, we may use advertising and conversion-measurement services, including Meta Pixel, Meta Conversions API and Google advertising services.

These services may receive information such as:

• the type and time of a website event;
• a hashed or pseudonymous lead reference;
• hashed email address or telephone number;
• IP address;
• browser and device information;
• user-agent information;
• Meta browser or advertising click identifiers;
• advertising campaign information; and
• limited application or customer-journey status information used to measure an advertising result.

Hashing changes information such as an email address or telephone number into a standardised coded value before transmission. Hashing does not necessarily make information anonymous. An advertising provider may use the hashed value to match the event with an account or interaction held within its services.

Braid Finance does not configure advertising events to send the contents of your finance application, financial statements, income and expense details, uploaded documents or identity documents to Meta or Google.

11. Your website privacy choices

Where optional analytics or advertising technologies are used, the website will provide privacy choices that allow you to:

• allow analytics;
• allow advertising;
• allow both categories; or
• continue using required website technologies only.

If you do not allow advertising, advertising conversion events will not be sent for that browser through our consent-controlled integration.

If you do not allow analytics, optional analytics technologies will not be used for that browser through our consent-controlled integration.

You can change or withdraw your choices at any time using the Privacy choices control made available on the website.

Changing your choices applies to future collection and transmission. It cannot recall information already sent before you changed your selection.

You may also use your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Blocking required cookies may affect website operation, form processing or our ability to remember your privacy choices.

Further information is available in our Cookie Policy.

Third-party providers handle information under their own privacy policies:

• Google Privacy Policy
• Meta Privacy Policy

12. Direct marketing

Where permitted by law, we may use your contact information to communicate with you about relevant products, services or finance opportunities.

You can ask us to stop sending direct-marketing communications at any time by:

• using the unsubscribe facility in the communication;
• replying and asking to opt out; or
• contacting us using the details at the end of this Privacy Policy.

We will process an opt-out request within a reasonable period.

Opting out of marketing will not prevent us from sending communications necessary to manage an existing enquiry, application, transaction, complaint or legal obligation.

13. Overseas processing and disclosure

Some technology, hosting, analytics, communications and advertising providers may store or process information outside Australia.

This may include processing in the United States of America and other countries in which our service providers, Google, Meta or their related organisations operate data centres, personnel or processing facilities.

The countries involved may change as providers change their infrastructure and sub-processors.

Prospective credit providers or other organisations involved in a finance application may also use overseas service providers. Where this is relevant to an application, additional information may be provided through the applicable lender or service-provider documentation.

Where the Australian Privacy Principles apply to an overseas disclosure, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient handles personal information consistently with applicable Australian privacy requirements, subject to any lawful exception.

14. Security of personal information

We take reasonable administrative, technical and physical measures to protect personal information from:

• misuse;
• interference;
• loss;
• unauthorised access;
• unauthorised modification; and
• unauthorised disclosure.

These measures may include access controls, authentication, encryption, security monitoring, staff procedures, system maintenance and restrictions on who may access customer information.

No internet transmission or storage system is completely secure. If you believe information provided to us may have been compromised, please contact us promptly.

15. Data retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• respond to or manage your enquiry;
• provide services;
• administer an application or customer relationship;
• resolve a complaint or dispute;
• maintain appropriate business records;
• comply with legal, regulatory, tax, accounting and licensing requirements; and
• protect our legal interests.

When information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it, unless we are required or authorised to retain it.

16. Accessing your personal information

You may request access to personal information we hold about you.

To make a request, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before providing access.

We will respond within a reasonable period. In some circumstances, the law may permit or require us to refuse access to some information. If we refuse access, we will generally provide written reasons and explain how you may complain about the decision.

17. Correcting your personal information

We take reasonable steps to ensure personal information is accurate, current, complete and relevant for the purpose for which it is used.

If you believe information we hold is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading, please contact us and request a correction.

We will consider the request within a reasonable period. If we do not make the requested correction, we will generally explain why and tell you how you may complain.

18. Privacy complaints

If you have a question or complaint about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us using the details below.

Please provide:

• your name and contact details;
• details of the privacy issue;
• relevant dates or communications; and
• the outcome you are seeking.

We will acknowledge and investigate your complaint and aim to respond within a reasonable period.

If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy complaint, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:

• Website: oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints
• Telephone: 1300 363 992

If your complaint relates to credit assistance or another financial service rather than privacy alone, information about the applicable external dispute-resolution process is available in our Credit Guide.

19. Links to third-party websites

Our website may contain links to websites operated by credit providers, service providers or other third parties.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of an external website. You should review the privacy policy of the relevant third party before providing personal information to it.

20. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when our services, website technologies, providers or legal obligations change.

The current version will be published on this website with the date it was last updated.

Material changes affecting website analytics or advertising may also be reflected in our website privacy controls or Cookie Policy.

21. Contact Braid Finance