Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information directly from you, automatically, and from third parties. Because MerchantScan operates in the merchant cash advance and small-business funding ecosystem, some of the information we collect may be sensitive financial and identification data.

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

a. Contact & Identity Information

• First and last name
• Business name and “doing business as” (DBA)
• Email address
• Mobile phone number and other phone numbers
• Physical mailing address and business address
• Job title, role, and contact preferences

b. Personal Identifiers for Underwriting & Verification

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Employer Identification Number (EIN)
• Date of birth
• Government-issued identification numbers (e.g., driver’s license, state ID, passport number), where applicable
• Copies or images of IDs you choose to upload

c. Business & Financial Information

• Business formation details (entity type, incorporation date, state of formation)
• Industry/NAICS or similar business classification
• Business ownership structure and ownership percentages
• Revenue information (monthly/annual revenue, average ticket size)
• Bank account information, including:
  • Bank name and account type
  • Routing and account numbers (if provided for funding or ACH purposes)
  • Bank statements (uploaded PDFs, CSVs, image files, or via connected data providers)
• Existing loan/MCA information (funders, balances, payment amounts, terms)
• Tax returns and financial statements, where provided
• POS/payment processor statements, where provided

d. Application & Eligibility Data

• Answers to intake questions and questionnaires
• Consents and acknowledgments you provide
• Information about funding goals, preferred structures, and credit needs
• Communications to our team (email, chat, SMS, web forms)

e. SMS/Text Program Information

• Your mobile number used to opt in to SMS programs
• Your consent status (opt-in, opt-out)
• Message content, responses (e.g., STOP, HELP), and delivery records

f. Support & Communication Content

• Support requests and tickets
• Feedback, survey responses, reviews, and testimonials
• Any content you voluntarily upload or submit through forms or tools

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Site or use our Services, we may automatically collect:

• IP address
• Device identifiers (browser type, operating system, device type)
• Referring URL and exit pages
• Time and date of access
• Pages viewed and links clicked
• Session information and usage analytics

We may use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar technologies to collect this data for analytics, security, and Service improvement.

1.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you or your business from:

• Data providers and aggregators (e.g., bank connectivity providers, credit bureaus, verification services)
• Merchant cash advance funders, ISOs/brokers, and financial partners (for prequalification, status updates, or performance data)
• Public records and regulatory or government databases
• Marketing or referral partners (if you were referred to us)

We treat this data according to this Privacy Policy, subject to any restrictions imposed by the source.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

2.1 Provide and Improve the Services

• Evaluate merchant eligibility for MCA or other funding products
• Generate cash-flow and financial health reports
• Analyze bank statements, transaction histories, and risk indicators
• Match merchants with potential funders or financial products
• Respond to inquiries, support requests, and customer service needs
• Operate, maintain, and improve our Site, tools, and algorithms

2.2 Compliance, Verification & Fraud Prevention

• Verify identity and prevent fraud or unauthorized access
• Conduct KYC/KYB, AML, and other compliance checks, where applicable
• Validate business and financial information used for underwriting
• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards

2.3 Communications

• Send administrative messages about your account, reports, or applications
• Provide updates on funding opportunities, status changes, and Service changes
• Send marketing and promotional communications (email, SMS, etc.) where permitted by law and with the appropriate consent
• Respond to questions, feedback, and support requests

2.4 SMS / Text Messaging Programs

If you opt in to receive SMS messages from MerchantScan, we may use your phone number to:

• Send reminders about funding readiness, document requests, or application status
• Send alerts, account notices, and Service notifications
• Send occasional promotional or educational content about merchant funding options

Additional SMS-specific details and required disclosures are provided in Section 8 (SMS / 10DLC Compliance).

2.5 Analytics, Research, and Product Development

• Analyze aggregated and de-identified data to identify trends
• Improve underwriting rules, scoring models, and risk analysis
• Test and develop new features, tools, and user experiences

2.6 Legal, Risk Management & Business Operations

• Enforce our Terms of Use and other agreements
• Protect our rights, privacy, safety, and property, and that of our users and partners
• Support business transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, or financings
• Meet legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory obligations

3. Legal Bases (for Users in Certain Jurisdictions)

Where required (e.g., under GDPR-style frameworks), we rely on one or more of the following legal bases:

• Performance of a contract (or steps taken at your request before entering a contract)
• Legitimate interests (e.g., fraud prevention, product improvement)
• Compliance with legal obligations
• Your consent (e.g., SMS marketing, certain email marketing)

4. How We Share Your Information

We may share information as follows:

4.1 With Funding Partners, Brokers, and Financial Institutions

With your consent and as part of the merchant pre-qualification and underwriting process, we may share information with:

• MCA funders and lenders
• ISO/broker partners
• Financial institutions and underwriters reviewing your application

These parties may use your information to evaluate, price, and offer funding or other financial products.

4.2 With Service Providers and Vendors

We may share information with trusted third parties who perform services on our behalf, such as:

• Data and analytics providers
• Bank connectivity and transaction-data providers
• Customer support and CRM platforms
• Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers
• Payment processors
• Identity verification and fraud-prevention services
• Email and SMS delivery platforms

These providers are authorized to use your information only as necessary to provide services to us.

4.3 Compliance and Legal

We may share information when we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal process, or government requests
• Respond to subpoenas, court orders, or regulatory inquiries
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of MerchantScan, our users, or others
• Investigate suspected or actual fraud, security issues, or violations of our Terms

4.4 Business Transfers

If MerchantScan is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar transaction, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to confidentiality obligations.

4.5 Aggregated or De-Identified Data

We may use and share aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you or your business for research, analytics, and benchmarking.

5. SMS / 10DLC Compliance and Text Messaging

MerchantScan may operate SMS programs to communicate with merchants and prospects regarding funding readiness, reminders, and offers. To comply with 10DLC and carrier rules, we follow these practices:

5.1 SMS Opt-In

When you submit a form on the Site that includes your mobile number, you may be given the option to opt in to receive SMS messages from MerchantScan by checking a consent checkbox and/or clicking “Submit.”

A typical consent text may state:

“By checking this box, you consent to receive SMS messages from MerchantScan for marketing or promotional purposes. Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may also apply. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP. For assistance, reply HELP or contact us. For more information, please check the Privacy Policy.”

5.2 Required SMS Privacy Statements

In connection with our SMS programs:

• We do not sell, rent, or share your SMS opt-in information with third parties for their marketing purposes.
• You may receive up to 3 SMS messages per week. Standard message and data rates may apply as determined by your carrier.
• You may opt out of SMS messages at any time by replying STOP. For assistance, reply HELP or contact us at support@vantedgeai.com.

These commitments apply specifically to SMS opt-in data and are in addition to the broader data-sharing practices described elsewhere in this Policy.

5.3 Opt-Out & Support

• To stop receiving SMS messages, text STOP to any MerchantScan message.
• To get help regarding our SMS program, text HELP or contact us at support@vantedgeai.com.
• After you opt out, you may still receive non-marketing, transactional messages where permitted by law (e.g., critical account, security, or legal notices).

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to:

• Recognize you when you return to our Site
• Keep you logged in to secure areas
• Understand how the Site is used and improve user experience
• Personalize content and measure marketing performance

You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent. Some features of the Site may not work properly if cookies are disabled.

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your information, including:

• Encryption in transit (e.g., HTTPS/TLS)
• Access controls and role-based permissions
• Logging and monitoring of systems
• Vendor due diligence and confidentiality obligations
• Internal policies and training

However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal and business information as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Provide the Services
• Support underwriting, risk analysis, and funding relationships
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
• Maintain appropriate business and accounting records

When information is no longer needed, we may delete it, de-identify it, or aggregate it in accordance with our data retention policies.

9. Your Choices and Rights

9.1 Marketing Communications

• Email: You may opt out of marketing emails at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in the email or contacting us.
• SMS: You may opt out of SMS marketing by replying STOP to any message, as described above.

Even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send transactional or service-related messages.

9.2 Access, Update, or Delete Your Information

You may request to:

• Access certain personal or business information we hold about you
• Update or correct inaccurate information
• Request deletion of information, subject to legal/contractual obligations

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@merchantscan.com. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

9.3 California and Other State-Specific Rights (If Applicable)

If you are a resident of California or a state with similar privacy laws, you may have additional rights, such as:

• Right to know what categories of personal information we collect and share
• Right to request deletion of certain information
• Right to opt out of certain data sharing or “sale” of personal information (we do not sell SMS opt-in data)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

We will honor applicable rights consistent with the law. Additional state-specific notices may appear in a separate section or addendum to this Policy.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Site and Services are intended for business owners and authorized representatives, not for children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or under 16 in certain jurisdictions). If we learn that we have collected information from a child in violation of applicable law, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

11. Third-Party Websites and Links

Our Site may contain links to websites, services, or content operated by third parties (such as funders, brokers, or service providers). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information to them.

12. International Users

MerchantScan is primarily intended for use by businesses and individuals located in the United States. If you access our Site or Services from outside the U.S., you understand that your information may be processed and stored in the United States and other jurisdictions, which may have different data-protection laws than those in your country.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. When we do, we will revise the “Effective Date” at the top of this Policy. If we make material changes, we will provide additional notice as required by law (for example, by posting a prominent notice on the Site or sending you an email).

Your continued use of the Site or Services after any update constitutes acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at: