Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how CreditBuddy handles personal information in connection with the CreditBuddy platform.

CreditBuddy is a software platform used by lenders to manage customer records, loans, repayments, collections activity, and related operational workflows.

Where a lender uses CreditBuddy to capture or manage borrower or customer information for its lending business, the lender is the responsible party for that information and CreditBuddy acts as an operator or service provider processing the information on the lender’s behalf.

We may collect information needed to create and manage lender accounts, such as names, business names, phone numbers, email addresses where provided, user login details, subscription or plan information, and account activity records.

We may also collect operational and technical information generated through use of the platform, such as audit history, status changes, payment records entered by users, usage logs, device or browser information, and support communications.

The information collected may vary depending on which product features a lender uses and what information a lender chooses to enter into the platform.

Lenders may use CreditBuddy to capture and manage borrower or customer information such as names, phone numbers, identity numbers, addresses, employment details, banking details, loan records, repayment history, collection notes, promise-to-pay records, and related lending information.

That lender-entered information is processed through the platform so the lender can run its lending operations, maintain records, track repayments, and manage collections work.

CreditBuddy does not claim ownership of that customer information for the lender’s independent lending purposes. We process it as part of providing the software service to the lender.

CreditBuddy is used by lenders to register customers, create loans, generate repayment schedules, record repayments, review overdue accounts, manage collections activity, and produce operational reports.

To provide those functions, the platform may organise, store, display, calculate, update, and retrieve personal information entered by the lender or its authorised users.

We may also process limited information to maintain the service, provide user support, troubleshoot issues, secure the platform, and improve the product in ways compatible with providing the service.

Information is processed to create and manage lender accounts, authenticate users, operate the software, support lender workflows, maintain system integrity, provide customer support, and communicate about service changes or account matters.

Borrower and customer information entered by lenders is processed so lenders can use CreditBuddy as their operating system for loan administration and collections management.

CreditBuddy does not use lender-entered borrower information to make independent lending decisions, to originate loans itself, or to act as a financial services provider or credit intermediary.

For borrower and customer information that a lender uploads or captures in CreditBuddy, the lender is the responsible party and decides why and how that information should be processed for its lending business.

CreditBuddy acts as the operator and processes that information only to the extent reasonably necessary to provide the platform, related support, security, maintenance, and service improvement activities aligned with the platform.

Lenders remain responsible for ensuring they have an appropriate lawful basis for processing personal information, providing any required privacy notices, obtaining consents where required, and responding to data subject requests where the law places those duties on them.

Lenders using CreditBuddy must only upload or process personal information they are legally entitled to collect and use.

If a lender uses the platform for lending, collections, affordability assessment, identity verification, or borrower communications, that lender remains responsible for complying with applicable law and for deciding what information is appropriate to collect and retain.

CreditBuddy provides software tools and workflows only and does not provide legal advice or compliance certification to lenders.

CreditBuddy may rely on third-party infrastructure and software providers to host the platform, store data, deliver authentication, send operational communications, process payments where relevant, and support the technical operation of the service.

Those providers may process personal information on our behalf or on behalf of the lender-facing service environment where needed to support the platform.

We do not publish exhaustive provider-level technical claims in this policy. Provider arrangements may change over time as the product develops, and any such providers are expected to be used in a manner consistent with operating a cloud software service.

Personal information is retained for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the service, maintain lender records, resolve support issues, protect the platform, meet contractual obligations, or comply with legal requirements that may apply.

Because lenders use CreditBuddy to keep operational lending records, retention periods may depend on the lender’s continued use of the platform and the lender’s own legal or record-keeping responsibilities.

If an account is closed or data deletion is requested, data may be deleted, anonymised, or retained for a limited period where reasonably necessary for backups, security, dispute handling, or legal compliance.

CreditBuddy takes practical steps appropriate to a beta-stage SaaS platform to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure.

These measures may include access controls, authentication measures, role-based product restrictions, audit records, and reliance on reputable cloud service providers where appropriate.

No method of storage or transmission is completely secure, and we therefore cannot guarantee absolute security or uninterrupted availability.

POPIA may give data subjects rights to ask about access, correction, deletion, objection, or other lawful processing concerns, depending on the circumstances.

Where the relevant personal information is being processed by a lender through CreditBuddy for that lender’s lending business, requests relating to that information should usually be directed first to the lender as the responsible party.

CreditBuddy may assist lenders, where appropriate, in responding to such requests in its role as operator, but does not replace the lender’s own responsibilities under POPIA.

Depending on the hosting or service providers used from time to time, personal information processed through CreditBuddy may be stored or supported using infrastructure located outside South Africa.

We do not make blanket promises about all data always remaining in one jurisdiction. Where cross-border processing is relevant, it should be understood as part of operating a cloud software platform and should be assessed together with the lender’s own POPIA responsibilities.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as the platform, legal documentation, or operating model develops.

Questions or privacy enquiries can be directed through the support or contact channel made available by CreditBuddy from time to time. Where a request relates to borrower information processed by a lender, we may redirect the request to the relevant lender where appropriate.