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The National Credit-reporting System,
and its affiliates ("NCS") recognize the
importance of protecting the privacy of business
information about its customers ("Benefit
Providers") and the Benefit Provider's customers
("Consumers"). Business information
includes all of the business related identifying
information that Benefit Providers provide to
NCS. NCS is sensitive to Benefit
Providers' privacy interests and believes that
protecting valuable business and/or financial
information is one of NCS's most significant
responsibilities. The policies outlined
below describe NCS's policies to protect Benefit
Providers' privacy.
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Use, Collection and Retention of Benefit
Provider Information
NCS
collects, retains and uses information about
Benefit Providers that is either required by law
or necessary to administer NCS's business and
provide high-level services to Benefit
Providers. NCS retains information no
longer than necessary to meet such objectives.
All information voluntarily submitted, becomes
property of NCS, with such submission
acknowledging and consenting to NCS's authority
to use Benefit Provider's name and/or address
for advertising and promotional purposes without
further consideration, unless prohibited by law.
Benefit Providers who do not want NCS to user
their business information for NCS's marketing
efforts, may opt-out by informing NCS of such in
advance.
Maintenance of Accurate Information
NCS has
established procedures so that its Benefit
Provider's business and/or financial information
is accurate, current and complete, in accordance
with reasonable commercial standards. Any
request to correct inaccurate information will
be responded to within a timely manner.
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Limiting Employee Access to Information
All of
NCS's employees are educated about the
importance of privacy and confidentiality.
Only those employees having a legitimate
business reason for knowing a Benefit Provider's
business and/or financial information have
access to such information.
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Protection of Information Via Established
Security Procedures
NCS
maintains rigorous security standards and
procedures regarding unauthorized access to
Benefit Provider's information.
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Restrictions on the Disclosure of Account
Information
NCs provides information about Benefit
Provider's accounts or other business related
identifiable data to third parties only when: 1)
the information is provided to help complete a
Benefit Provider initiated transaction; 2) the
Benefit Provider requires it; 3) the disclosure
is required by/or allowed by law; or 4) it is
necessary to process transactions and provide
services.
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Maintaining Benefit Provider Privacy in Business
Relationships with Third Parties
If it
is necessary to provide business related
identifiable Benefit Provider information to a
third party, NCS shall insist that the third
party adhere to similar privacy principles that
provide for keeping such information
confidential.
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Disclosure of Privacy Principles to Benefit
Providers
Benefit
Providers have the right to know what
information is kept about them and how the
information is used. Benefit Providers
have the right to have any inaccurate
information corrected or deleted.
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Security Issues
If a
Benefit Provider should have a compelling
privacy or security issue regarding information
retained by NCS, the Benefit Provider may
contact NCS for resolution. NCS shall make
every attempt to resolve the issue to the
satisfaction of the Benefit Provider.
If a Benefit
Provider's customer should have a compelling
privacy or security issue regarding information
reported by NCS to others, such customer may
contact NCS as is regulated by law. NCS
may refer the affected party to the US Internal
Revenue Service ("IRS") to determine how to
correct certain information in IRS records.
Such a process will help ensure that the
information is corrected at the source. (See
Consumer Privacy Policy for more information.)
Information
subject to change without notice.
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