Privacy Policy

Date Last Updated: September 26, 2016

https://valleyautoloan.com/ (“VAL”) understands your concerns about privacy and the use of your personal information. Whether you submit a request for a vehicle, financing, vehicle service or other product or service (“Consumer Requests”) or just browse through our Website, we assure you that we are committed to protecting your personal privacy. We do not share, sell, rent or trade your personal information with third parties other than as disclosed in this privacy policy.

This privacy policy covers the https://valleyautoloan.com/ website and all other websites owned or operated by VAL or its affiliated entities (individually, a “VAL Website” and collectively the “VAL Websites”). We encourage you to read this Policy carefully before providing any personal information on any VAL Website. If you have questions or concerns regarding this Policy, you should contact our Consumer Privacy Advocate by e-mail at [email protected]

We collect personal information provided to us by consumers in Consumer Requests submitted through VAL Websites or our authorized vendors’ websites (“Consumer Information”). Consumer Information typically includes name, address, and phone numbers, email address, and accurate vehicle information. In addition, users who express a desire to apply for vehicle financing provide us with and authorize us or third parties with which we have a business relationship to obtain from third parties necessary financial information such as credit reports. Consumer Information related to financing Consumer Requests typically includes name, address, and phone numbers, email address, age, occupation, income, social security number and other credit related data

We may also collect other types of Consumer information in connection with your other activities on VAL Websites such as demographic information and information about or contained in postings you make in forums, blogs or any other interactive areas of VAL Websites; your answers to surveys, your participation in sweepstakes, contests, games and promotional offers; and in any email request you send us for any reason (such as to request customer service or provide us with comments or feedback).

VAL collects email addresses of consumers who communicate with us or through our authorized vendors via email. We also collect information about web pages visited (See the section of this Privacy Policy entitled “Cookies and Web Beacons” below) and other information that is provided by consumers either on the VAL Websites or in response to email communications from us.

All Consumer Information provided by users in any of the above-listed ways or otherwise becomes the property of VAL once received by us and may be used and disclosed as permitted in this Policy.

Consumer Information collected on VAL Websites is used to improve the content of the VAL Websites; customize the content or layout of VAL Websites for individual users; provide services requested by users of the VAL Websites; notify users of updates to the VAL Websites; respond to any questions, problems or complaints; or request feedback and, subject to the limitations set forth below, to develop new products and services and to contact consumers for marketing purposes.

Framed Sections of Our Website

VAL maintains relationships with outside suppliers for some of the products and services offered on VAL Websites. The information these providers make available to you may be presented in a “framed” format, where the VAL border will surround the pages served by the service providers, or by directly linking the user to the vendors’ websites. In either case, the provider is prominently identified. Please be aware that any information you provide on such pages is provided directly to those providers and is subject to their security and privacy policies. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these outside providers because their privacy policy and practices may differ from ours. Our content may be displayed on or through third-party websites through the use of inline frames or other framing techniques. We may collect Consumer Information in such framed pages or content located on or provided by third-party websites. When you submit Consumer Information to us in this manner, it is treated as Consumer Information under this Policy. The collection and use of Consumer Information by third-party websites directly (i.e., outside of our content framed pages) is governed separately by the privacy policy of those sites.

Browsing on our Website

If you browse through VAL Websites without entering any personal data, we will gather and store certain information about your visit. This information does not identify you personally and cannot be linked back to you unless you decide at some point to identify yourself. See the section of this Privacy Policy entitled “Cookies and Web Beacons” below.

Links to Third Party Sites

If you click on a link to a third-party site, including an advertisement, you will leave the VAL Website you are visiting and be redirected to the third-party site you selected. Because we cannot control the activities of third parties, we cannot accept responsibility for any use of your personally identifiable information by such third parties, and we cannot guarantee that they will adhere to the same privacy practices as VAL. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any other service provider from whom you request services. If you visit a third-party website that is linked to a VAL Website, you should read that site’s privacy policy before providing any personally identifiable information about yourself to the other website.

Personalization

VAL offers its users the advantage of customization on our Websites by using Cookies. (See Cookies and Web Beacons below.) Personalized services are offered in designated areas of our Websites to users who register with us. VAL may track consumer interest in goods and services marketed to users who are members of our on-site personalization areas. This information is used solely by VAL and its affiliated companies for business purposes.

Special Sections of Our Websites

VAL offers forums and blogs on VAL Websites. Any information you disclose in these forums and blogs is available to all visitors to VAL Websites and may increase the risk of receiving “spam” or unsolicited email from other parties. Be careful and use discretion when disclosing information online. To request removal of your personal information from our blog or community forum, contact us at [email protected] In some cases, we may not be able to remove your personal information, in which case we will let you know if we are unable to do so and why.

Consumer Reviews and Other User Content

We allow you to post reviews and other user content on VAL Websites which may contain personal information. In order to post user reviews or other user content to VAL Websites, you must first register with VAL and thereby consent to the posting of your reviews or other user content and use of your personal information, such as your name. To request removal of your personal information, please contact us at [email protected]

Other Uses

We share your personal information with third parties in order to identify products or services in which you may have interest, to improve our user experience and generally to engage in market research and for other internal business purposes. We may also aggregate your personal information with others’ information and prepare reports on website usage, purchase history or other factors for sale or distribution to others. Those reports are aggregated and include no personally identifying information. In addition, personal information provided on VAL Websites may be linked together or merged with other personal information we obtain from you so that we may better understand your needs and inform you about our products or services and those of third parties with which we have a business relationship. Also, if we receive personal information from third parties with whom we have business relationships, we may combine this information with the other personal information we maintain about you. In either case, this Policy governs our use of this information. Finally, we may use your personal information to send you communications regarding products or services offered by third parties in which we think you may be interested unless you have declined to receive these third-party communications or by us. See the section of this Privacy Policy entitled “Your Right To Decline Communications From Us and Others” below.

2. Third Parties That May Receive Your Personal Information

In addition to our own internal uses of your personal information, we may provide your personal information to non-affiliated third parties under one or more of several circumstances:

• To provide you with services or products that you have requested;
• To our advertiser clients solely to assess the effectiveness of ad campaigns we have provided for them;
• To contractors or service providers who may provide services or perform functions on our behalf, in which case those service providers may use your information only for the purposes provided and not disclose it to any third-party except upon our direction;
• To enforce our rights or as required by law or order of a court or government agency; and
• On occasion, and only as permitted and described below under the section of this Privacy Policy entitled “Your Right To Decline Communications From Us and Others” to other third parties who may wish to send you email or postal mail regarding services or products that you may find of interest or for other reasons that are disclosed to us and that we believe to be appropriate and consistent with our commitment to preventing abuse of your personal information.

In addition, we may release personal information when we believe release is appropriate to protect our users or others from fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful use of our Websites or its services; as required by law and when we believe that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights and/or to comply with a judicial proceeding, court order, or legal process served on our Web site; to protect our rights or property; to enforce policies or contests, sweepstakes, promotions, or game rules; or if we reasonably believe that an emergency involving immediate danger of death or serious physical, economic or other harm to any person requires disclosure of communications or justifies disclosure of records without delay.

Consumer Request Information

VAL is not a provider or seller of vehicles; financing; insurance; service, repairs or parts, or other products or services. VAL does not act as a broker or agent for either the provider of products or services or for consumers seeking to acquire products or services. VAL refers Consumer Requests and the Consumer Information included in the Consumer Requests to third-party vendors and providers of products and services (e.g., dealers, manufacturers, lenders, service and repair facilities and other providers or fulfillment entities) for their consideration and to contact consumers directly regarding the products or services in which the consumer has expressed an interest. As part of the request process, we may verify the information you provide or obtain omitted address or other contact or demographic information, from third parties.

When VAL does not have a dealership, lender or another provider of products or services available to assist you, we may forward your request information to a manufacturer or another referral service for transmission to a dealer, lender or other product or service provider. Your submission of the application authorizes us to do this. Any Consumer Request or Consumer Information forwarded in this way becomes subject to the security and privacy policies that are posted on the websites of those third parties.

Similarly, Consumer Requests and the Consumer Information included in the Consumer Requests transmitted to a dealer, manufacturer, lender, other product or service provider or fulfillment entity becomes the property of that dealer, manufacturer, lender, other product or service provider or fulfillment entity, in addition to being the property of VAL. The information is used to process your request and to provide you with information about products and services. Any request to opt-out of future dealer, lender, manufacturer, other product or service provider, fulfillment entity or other third-party communications must be made directly to that third-party.

3. Your Right To Decline Communications From Us and Others

We provide our users with the ability to choose whether to receive certain communications from us and whether to permit their information to be disclosed to third parties for marketing or related purposes.

Users who come directly to VAL Websites will not receive those communications or have their information disclosed to third parties for marketing or related purposes unless they affirmatively consent or are already receiving such communications.

Users whose Consumer Requests are submitted through third-party websites and are referred to us will receive those marketing communications, and their information will be shared with other third parties unless they elect to opt out of those communications and disclosures.

To opt out of a category of email from us, click on the remove or un-subscribe link at the bottom of the email.

In addition, we provide you the opportunity to indicate your preferences as to what types of offerings of products or services you wish to receive from third parties or - subject to the exceptions below - to opt-out of disclosures to those third parties altogether. Those third parties who receive your personal information prior to your opt-out will remain able to send you communications, subject to their privacy policies and practices. To opt-out from receiving third-party emails, you must contact those third parties directly.

In each case, even if you decide not to receive offers or other product or service information, VAL, and the dealers, manufacturers, lenders, other product and services providers, fulfillment third-parties and other referral services with which VAL has relationships, may use a phone number, mailing address or email address that you have provided to contact you regarding a request or content that you have submitted or in connection with other administrative matters, such as operation of any VAL Website. Additionally, phone numbers and email addresses may be used to conduct customer surveys regarding individual experiences with VAL, dealers, lenders or other product and services providers. Phone numbers and email addresses are made available only to VAL, its affiliates and dealers, manufacturers, lenders, other referral services, fulfillment third parties and other referral services who receive your Consumer Request.

The submission of a Consumer Request itself is permission for us to submit your Consumer Request and the Consumer Information included in your Consumer Request to third parties to fulfill your request. If you request to opt-out of receiving emails from us and subsequently submit a Consumer Request (either directly or submitted through third-party websites and are referred to us), we will assume that you wish to reinstate your relationship with us, and we will use your information as set forth herein, unless you subsequently request to opt-out. Each time you submit a Consumer Request, this process will restart.

4. Security

VAL understands the importance of security for our users. We follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during transmission and once we receive it. In particular, we use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption technology to protect personal data such as credit card information and finance or insurance information during transmission and maintain other commercially reasonable precautions to protect information that we store or retain.

No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. We cannot guarantee the protection of all information against interception, misappropriation, misuse, or alteration, or that your information may not be disclosed or accessed by accidental circumstances or by the unauthorized acts of others. Furthermore, we have no control over the security of other websites you might visit.

We restrict access to personal information about you to our employees and third parties who need to know that information in order to manage your account or provide you with services or information you requested. We review our safeguards from time to time and strive to maintain them in a manner consistent with applicable regulations if any, that may be in effect from time to time. Any of our employees who violate these policies and procedures are subject to disciplinary action.

5. Children

We do not intend, and the Website is not designed, to collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If you are under 13 years old, you should not register with or otherwise provide personal information to any VAL Website.

6. Corrections or Changes to Your Personal Information

You may also make corrections and updates to your personal information by contacting [email protected]

7. Cookies and Web Beacons

Cookies

What is a Cookie? A cookie, also known as a web cookie or browser cookie, is a piece of text stored by a user’s web browser that enables recognition of a user’s computer when the user visits websites. Data and information such as the IP addresses, email addresses, websites visited online and personally identifiable information about you can be stored using cookies. A cookie can be used for authentication, storing site preferences, tracking of website use and preferences, personalization and content customization. Online advertisers and website operators often use such information to build behavior profiles and for delivering targeted advertising and content to users based on user preferences. VAL places or “sets” VAL cookies on your computer when you visit VAL Websites and may also set cookies on your computer on behalf of third parties authorized by VAL or may enable certain third parties to set their own cookies on your computer. When a cookie is set, your browser will check it for length, an expiration date, and where it originated. Cookies without an expiration date exist until the browser terminates, while cookies with an expiration date may be stored by the browser until the expiration date passes.

Types of Cookies Set on Your Computer

VAL sets its own cookies on your computer when you visit any VAL Website. These VAL cookies collect data and information about you, including personally identifiable information. For information about our use of information and data collected by VAL cookies, see the section of this Privacy Policy entitled “Information VAL Collects and How We Use It.”

VAL uses third-party tracking services for which VAL sets cookies on your computer or enables the third-party tracking services to set cookies on your computer when you visit VAL Websites. These cookies track visits, page views and click stream behavior. Third party tracking services report this data to VAL in aggregated form so VAL can better understand our users and improve the VAL Websites. VAL does not authorize these third-party tracking services to store personally identifiable information about you in their cookies. VAL has no access to or control over these third-party tracking utilities. VAL shares such anonymous aggregated information obtained from these cookies with our advertisers, sponsors, promotional and business partners.

VAL may also use third-party network advertising providers that use cookies. Network advertising providers are third parties that display advertisements based on your visits to the VAL Websites and other sites you visit within the network advertising provider’s advertising network. Although the advertising providers do not have access to VAL’s cookies, VAL may set cookies on your computer on behalf of the third-party network advertising providers, which cookies can be accessed by the third-party network advertising providers. Cookies allow the third-party network advertising providers to serve you targeted advertisements or content in which you might be interested. VAL does not authorize these third-party tracking services to store personally identifiable information about you in their cookies.

Finally, VAL may also set cookies on your computer on behalf of third parties other than third-party tracking services and third-party network advertising providers. These third parties collect data and information regarding your internet use and the sites that you visit. They may use this data or information to (i) provide data or information products and services to VAL that we use internally or in turn offer for sale or distribution to third parties; (ii) to provide data and information products and services direct to third-party customers of the data collector; and (iii) for their own internal analytics. VAL does not authorize these third parties to store personally identifiable information about you in their cookies.

Opting Out of Cookies. You have the ability to accept or decline cookies by modifying your browser settings, and our websites are viewable even if you disable the cookie function on your browser. However, if you disable cookies, some advanced and customized features or offerings will not be available to you, including personalization features. If you prefer not to accept cookies, most browsers will explain how to view and disable cookies under the help portion of the toolbar or notify you when you receive a new cookie. Use of third-party cookies is subject to the privacy policies and opt-out procedures of these third parties and not VAL’s policy and procedures. Please visit the Network Advertising Website in order to learn more about the data and information collection and use practices of some of the third parties for which we set cookies on VAL Websites or for which we enable to set their own cookies. Please refer to the Network Advertising website in order to learn more about the “opt-out” procedures of some of these third parties. At times, not all of the third parties for which we set cookies on VAL Websites or for which we enable to set their own cookies are included in preceding link to opt-out from these cookies. Should you wish to opt-out of these cookies, you will need to access the third-party website to determine their opt-out procedure.

Web Beacons

VAL, third party network advertising providers or other third parties may place “web beacons,” which are also called single-pixel gifs, on VAL Websites and in email communications. A web beacon is a small, transparent electronic image placed in various sections of the VAL Websites or in Web-based documents or in email messages or newsletters to monitor user traffic. The web beacon records the number of click-throughs to the page where it resides and collects users’ IP addresses, the time the page was viewed, type of browser used, and the existence of cookies from a previous visit. Among other things, they help to better target advertisements on the VAL Websites. Web beacons placed in email messages may be linked to your personal information. Data and information collected by web beacons are used only by VAL, its affiliates, and authorized vendors.

8. Business Transfers and Other Transactions

Information about our users and the VAL Websites is a business asset of VAL. As we continue to develop our business, we might sell or buy websites, subsidiaries or business units. In such transactions, personal information generally is one of the transferred business assets but remains subject to the promises made in any pre-existing privacy policy. Also, in the event that VAL or substantially all of its assets are acquired, personal information will, of course, be one of the transferred assets. Also, personal information will be disclosed as part of any creation of a separate business to provide a VAL Website, or to provide other services or fulfill products; debt financing, sale or pledge of company assets, or insolvency, bankruptcy or receivership. We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that the acquirer of our users’ personal information respects the provisions of this Policy, although this may not be possible in certain legal settings (such as bankruptcy).

9. Changes or Revisions to This Policy

If we are going to use your personal information in a manner different from that stated in this Policy at the time of collection, we will notify you via email. You will have a choice as to whether or not to allow us to use your information in this different manner. In addition, if we make any material changes in our privacy practices, we will revise this Policy and update the date displayed at the top of this Policy to reflect that the policy has been changed. In some cases, we will also email users who have opted to receive communications from us, notifying them of the changes in our privacy practices.

10. Disclaimer

We take our commitment to the protection of your privacy, as set out in this Policy, seriously. Nevertheless, NOTHING IN THIS PRIVACY AND SECURITY POLICY IS INTENDED TO CREATE OR PROVIDE ANY RIGHT OF ACTION FOR VIOLATION.

11. Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding privacy, security, opting-out of email offers or understanding how your personal information is being used, please contact our Consumer Privacy Advocate at [email protected]

TCPA Compliance

By submitting your request for information on this site or any ValleyAutoLoan.com site, you hereby consent to receive information by email, auto-dialer and/or pre-recorded telephone calls, and/or SMS messages from or on behalf of ValleyAutoLoan.com and its Fulfillment Partners at your telephone number you provide, including any wireless number you provide, even if you are on a State or Federal Do-Not-Call list. You understand your consent is not a condition of purchase.