Private Loan Consolidation

CFS Internet Privacy Policy

• Review our corporate privacy policy
• Review our information security statement

Our Internet Privacy Policy supplements our Company Privacy Policy and is designed to provide information regarding how we collect, use, and disclose personal information provided to us when you visit us online. To review our entire Company Privacy Policy [ click here ]. Collegiate Funding Services, LLC (CFS) is committed to keeping personal information about you private and secure.

Items you would like to know about our privacy policy governing our Internet sites:

• how we collect information
• how we protect information submitted by you
• how we share information
• how we link to third-party web sites

How We Collect Information

We use various tools in order to service your needs while visiting our web sites. We use these tools to process your requests, improve our web site offerings and navigation, respond to questions, and personalize your online services. Some of the tools that we may use include:

Web Site Tracking Software
Our web servers utilize a tracking software to capture your domain name address (the address of your Internet service provider, not your email address) for purposes of tracking web site statistics. Note that we only collect information about you when you voluntarily provide that information through an application, request form, or some other sponsored web site activity. The capture of your domain name is a common practice among web sites for measuring the number of hits, pages visited, and length of user session. We use this information to measure the effectiveness of our web site offerings in order to service you better.

Cookies
A Cookie is a bit of text code that we develop and store on your computer's hard drive. It helps us to identify your computer when you visit us again. An example of an assigned Cookie is when you register for a contest or other web site activity. After your register with our web site for the first time, we assign a Cookie to your computer's hard drive so that upon returning to our web site, we identify you as a registered user and link you directly to the page for registered users. The Cookie prevents you from having to reregister each time you visit our web site.

The Cookie is uniquely yours, and it can only be read by the web site that issued the Cookie. The Cookies are used to collect information from your computer. Some Cookies we may use are temporary, meaning that they expire once you close your browser. Some Cookies we may issue remain on your computer's hard drive so that when you return to our web site, we can identify your computer as a previous user and customize your unique web experience.

You can delete the Cookies from your computer's hard drive if you wish. If you delete our Cookie from your computer's hard drive, however, and then visit our web site again, you will be treated as a first-time visitor since we will not be able to identify your computer.

Current browsers allow you to accept or reject certain Cookies based on the Platform for Privacy Preferences (P3P). Through enhanced browser settings, users can manage Cookies and interactions with P3P-enabled web sites. There are limitations to P3P which can restrict your full Internet experience. We have therefore chosen not to implement P3P-enabled privacy at this time. Therefore you may receive privacy alert messages when visiting our web site if you a P3P-enabled browser. Please note that we are committed to providing a high standard of privacy as outlined in this privacy policy.

Request Forms
We support request forms on our web sites that allow you to contact us personally for additional information about our company, products, and service offerings, and other general information. These request forms require the submission of your name and contact information. Completion of such request forms is voluntary and is not required to visit or use our web site.

Online Registrations for Scholarships, Contests, and Other Online Activities
CFS will often sponsor web site activities that require registration in order to participate in our online activity. The most common use for registrations is for online scholarships, contests, and other online activities such as college entrance and exit interviews.

All scholarships, contests, and other online activities are strictly voluntary and are not required to visit other areas of our web site or to enter into a transaction with CFS. Information that we collect during registration may include your name, address, date of birth, gender, email address, telephone number, name of school, and other information. It is up to you to decide whether to participate in these activities and provide the required information.

Online Applications
We provide online application forms that allow you to enter into a service agreement with CFS. Our online applications are secured by state-of-the-art technology that is designed to protect all of the information that you submit. Understand that the information you submit is voluntary, but it will be required if you request CFS to perform a service for you. The application form will request your name, address, social security number, and other personal information.

Email Address
You may supply us your email address that authorizes us to:

• contact you either by phone and/or by email;
• provide information during the application process on steps to complete your application;
• inform you about new product services and product enhancements that may be of interest to you; and
• update you on all other information that may require your attention.

Surveys
At times we may sponsor online surveys or other data profile collections to measure our performance or product offerings. Your participation in surveys is strictly voluntary and is not required to visit or use other areas of our web site or to enter into a transaction with CFS.

Some of our online surveys may be marketing oriented surveys, collecting information about your likes, dislikes, purchasing habits, and web site activities. This information helps us deliver content and activities that are customized and relevant to your preferences. CFS may share demographics and other non-personal information with third party sponsors.

Other Activities
At times, we may make chat rooms, forums, message boards, and/or news groups available to our web site visitors. Again, your participation in these activities is strictly voluntary. You may choose to provide information to participate in these activities. Please be aware that any information that you disclose in these areas becomes public information, so you should exercise caution in disclosing personal information.

Information from Minors
We understand that the use by minors of the Internet cannot be controlled by us. Minors may visit our web site and attempt to enter into a transaction by submitting information or participating in some online activity. We understand that children have unique privacy needs. Therefore, we will not knowingly collect without verifiable parental consent any information from children we believe to be under 18 years of age, nor will we knowingly send them any direct email offers.

How We Protect Information Submitted by You

Personal information that you submit to us that includes your social security number and other identifying information will be behind our secured firewalls. In order to submit information about you, you must use Secured Socket Layer (SSL) enabled browsers. This is designed to protect the information you submit through our secured firewalls from unauthorized use.

In addition, we maintain safeguards designed to keep information confidential and secure. These include:

• We protect our systems and networks from the Internet with firewall systems which can be thought of as selective barriers that only permit specific types of traffic through our systems.
• We employ Intrusion Detection software and monitor for unauthorized access.
• We use encryption technology designed to protect certain sensitive information that is transmitted over the Internet.
• We provide Information Security awareness training to our employees to ensure Information Security standards are incorporated into their daily tasks.
• We limit access to personal information about you to authorized internal personnel.
• Our employees and contract vendors are required to comply with our security, privacy, and confidentiality standards and practices and agree to uphold our Code of Conduct.

How We Share

In order for CFS and its subsidiary companies to service your requests, process your applications, and conduct business from day-to-day, we must share submitted online information with other companies. These companies may include credit reporting agencies for approving loan requests, schools for verifying the applicant's attendance and financial loan status, student loan service providers for verifying the student's loan, and cost of attendance, lenders who will underwrite your loan and service your loan requests, and other companies that allow us to service your needs. At no time are these companies authorized to use your data for purposes other than processing your application or conducting business.

At times, we may aggregate data that has been collected for online statistical modeling purposes. Customer data may be shared with modeling companies that help us analyze and profile the data. At no time are these companies authorized to use customer data for purposes other than performing the work that we hired them to do.

At times, we may use aggregate contact data for purposes of sending you information on additional product and service offerings that may be of interest to you. Customer data may be shared with mail companies and other direct marketing companies for the purpose of preparing mail forms and other contact media. At no time are these companies authorized to use customer data for purposes other than performing the work that we hired them to do.

How We Link to Third-Party Web Sites

We often provide links to third-party web sites as a convenience to you. We do not control these third-party web sites, nor do we control how they collect or use information. We also do not warrant the information supplied by these third-party web sites. It is important that you review the privacy policy of each web site you visit to understand how they collect, use, and disclose information.

You may come across our web sites through a marketing relationship with another company. We will try to show clearly our logo or other information that identifies us as the provider of services. Please note that information submitted to us through these marketing programs may be collected and shared with our marketing partners.

Sometimes we may provide third-party links that allow us to collect a fee for certain actions completed by you. These fees allow us to cover the costs of providing online services. At no time will we engage in web site fee exchanges for purposes of sharing customer data without the express notification and permission from you.