Privacy Policy

📋 Overview

The Online Business Bureau ("OBB," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at onlinebusinessbureau.org or use our services.

By using our website or services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

📥 Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Business name, contact name, email address, and phone number when applying for accreditation
• Business details including website URL, category, description, and operational information
• Payment information processed securely through Stripe (we do not store full card numbers)
• Communications you send us via email or our contact forms

Information Collected Automatically

• IP address and browser type when visiting our website
• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• Referring URLs and device information

Information from Third Parties

• Payment processing information from Stripe
• SMS delivery confirmations from Twilio

🎯 How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and review your accreditation application
• Communicate with you about your application status
• Process subscription payments and manage your membership
• Send you accreditation certificates and embed code for your website seal
• Respond to complaints filed against accredited businesses
• Send you updates about your membership, billing, and accreditation status
• Send marketing emails and SMS messages if you have opted in
• Maintain and improve our services
• Comply with legal obligations

📤 How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with:

Service Providers

• Stripe — payment processing and subscription management
• Supabase — secure database storage
• Resend — email delivery
• Twilio — SMS messaging

Public Directory

If your business is accredited, your business name, website, category, and accreditation status are publicly displayed in the OBB directory so consumers can verify your accreditation.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

💳 Payment Information

All payment transactions are processed by Stripe, a PCI-compliant payment processor. We do not store your full credit card numbers on our servers. We store only the last 4 digits of your card and the card type for reference purposes.

📱 SMS Communications

By submitting your information through our lead form, you consent to receive SMS text messages from OBB at the phone number provided. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply.

• Reply STOP to unsubscribe at any time
• Reply HELP for help
• We will not share your phone number with third parties for marketing purposes

🍪 Cookies

Our website may use cookies to enhance your experience. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, some features of our website may not function properly without cookies.

🔒 Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:

• HTTPS encryption for all data transmission
• Secure database storage through Supabase
• Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
• PCI-compliant payment processing through Stripe

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

⚖️ Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your information (subject to legal obligations)
• Opt out of marketing communications at any time
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the email below.

👶 Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately.

🔄 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page with an updated date. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

📬 Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data: