Mkopo Express ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use our financial services across East and South Africa.
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the website or use our services.
Table of Contents
- 1. Information We Collect
- 2. How We Use Your Information
- 3. Information Sharing and Disclosure
- 4. Data Security
- 5. Your Data Protection Rights
- 6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
- 7. Third-Party Websites
- 8. Children's Privacy
- 9. International Data Transfers
- 10. Policy Updates
- 11. Contact Information
1. Information We Collect
We collect several types of information for the purpose of providing our lending services and improving your experience with Mkopo Express:
Personal Information
When you register for an account or apply for a loan, we collect:
- Full name
- Contact information (email address, phone number, physical address)
- Date of birth
- National identification numbers (ID, passport, etc.)
- Employment information
- Income verification details
- Banking information
- Mobile money account details
Financial Information
To assess your loan eligibility and process applications, we collect:
- Credit history and credit scores
- Bank account statements
- Current debt obligations
- Transaction history
- Payment records
Automatically Collected Information
When you visit our website or use our mobile app, we automatically collect:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Device information (type, operating system)
- Geolocation data
- Browsing patterns and interactions
- App usage statistics
Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from:
- Credit reference bureaus
- Identity verification services
- Public databases
- Financial institutions
- Mobile network operators
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for various purposes related to providing and improving our services:
| Purpose | Description |
|---|---|
| Account Creation and Management | To create and manage your Mkopo Express account, authenticate your identity, and provide customer support |
| Loan Application Processing | To assess your loan eligibility, verify your information, and process loan disbursements |
| Credit Assessment | To evaluate your creditworthiness and determine appropriate loan terms |
| Fraud Prevention | To detect, prevent, and address fraudulent transactions, unauthorized access, and other illegal activities |
| Legal Compliance | To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and reporting requirements in the countries where we operate |
| Communication | To send you important service information, updates, and marketing communications (where permitted) |
| Service Improvement | To analyze usage patterns, conduct research, and enhance our lending products and user experience |
| Debt Collection | To recover outstanding debts and manage late payments in accordance with our terms and conditions |
Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:
- Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary for the performance of our contract with you (providing loan services)
- Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with legal requirements
- Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as fraud prevention and service improvement
- Consent: Where you have provided explicit consent for specific purposes
3. Information Sharing and Disclosure
We may share your information with third parties under the following circumstances:
Service Providers
We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in:
- Identity verification
- Credit scoring and assessment
- Payment processing
- Customer support services
- Cloud hosting and data storage
- Analytics and performance monitoring
- Marketing and communications
These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes of providing services to us and in compliance with this Privacy Policy.
Credit Reference Bureaus
We share information with credit reference bureaus to:
- Verify your credit history
- Report your loan repayment behavior
- Contribute to credit scoring models
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information when required by law, regulation, or legal process, including:
- Responding to court orders, subpoenas, or warrants
- Complying with regulatory reporting requirements
- Cooperating with law enforcement investigations
- Protecting our legal rights and preventing fraud
Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction. We will notify you of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information.
Important: We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes without your explicit consent.
4. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, accidental loss, alteration, or destruction:
Technical Safeguards
- Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest using industry-standard protocols (SSL/TLS)
- Secure hosting environments with firewall protection
- Regular security updates and vulnerability assessments
- Multi-factor authentication for account access
- Intrusion detection and prevention systems
Organizational Measures
- Employee training on data protection and security practices
- Access controls and permissions based on need-to-know principles
- Background checks for personnel with access to personal data
- Regular security audits and compliance reviews
- Incident response procedures for potential data breaches
While we implement these security measures, no electronic transmission or storage system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information. If you have reason to believe your interaction with us is no longer secure, please contact us immediately.
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. The criteria used to determine our retention periods include:
- The duration of your active account with us
- Legal obligations to retain data for certain periods
- Statute of limitations for potential legal claims
- Regulatory requirements in the countries where we operate
5. Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:
Access and Information
You have the right to request information about what personal data we hold about you and how it is used.
Correction
You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information we maintain about you.
Deletion
You can request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances, subject to legal retention requirements.
Restriction of Processing
In certain circumstances, you can request that we restrict the processing of your personal information.
Data Portability
Where technically feasible, you may request to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, or to have it transferred to another service provider.
Objection to Processing
You can object to our processing of your personal information based on our legitimate interests, including for direct marketing purposes.
Withdrawal of Consent
Where we process your information based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on your consent before its withdrawal.
How to Exercise Your Rights: To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Information" section below. We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by applicable law (typically within 30 days).
We may need to verify your identity before processing your request. In some cases, we may have legal or regulatory grounds to decline your request, and we will inform you of such circumstances.
6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities on our website and mobile applications.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and provide information to the website owners.
Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Required for the operation of our website and services. They enable basic functions like page navigation, secure areas access, and account authentication.
- Analytical/Performance Cookies: Allow us to recognize and count the number of visitors and see how visitors move around our website. This helps us improve website functionality.
- Functionality Cookies: Used to recognize you when you return to our website, enabling us to personalize content and remember your preferences.
- Targeting Cookies: Record your visit to our website, the pages you have visited, and the links you have followed. We may use this information to make our website and advertising more relevant to your interests.
Third-Party Cookies
Our website may also use third-party cookies from services such as:
- Google Analytics (for website analytics)
- Facebook Pixel (for advertising)
- Hotjar (for user behavior analysis)
- Intercom (for customer support)
Managing Cookies
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings preferences. You can:
- Delete existing cookies
- Block cookies from being set
- Set notifications for when cookies are sent to your device
Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may impact your user experience and some features of our website may not function properly.
Do Not Track Signals
Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" feature that signals to websites that you visit that you do not want to have your online activity tracked. Due to the lack of a common understanding of how to interpret these signals, our website does not currently respond to "Do Not Track" signals.
Back to Top7. Third-Party Websites
Our website and applications may contain links to third-party websites and services that are not owned or controlled by Mkopo Express. This Privacy Policy applies only to our website and services.
We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. We strongly advise you to review the privacy policy of every website you visit.
Example: If you click on a link to a credit bureau's website, or use a third-party payment provider through our service, their privacy policy will govern the information collected by those parties, not this Privacy Policy.
8. Children's Privacy
Our services are not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18 (or the applicable age of majority in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 18, we will take steps to delete such information from our files as soon as possible. If you believe that we might have any information from or about a child under 18, please contact us using the information provided below.
Back to Top9. International Data Transfers
Mkopo Express operates in multiple countries across East and South Africa. As a result, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than the one where you provided the information.
When we transfer your personal information to another country, we will ensure that:
- The transfer is to a country that provides an adequate level of protection for personal data
- Appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses approved by relevant data protection authorities
- The transfer is necessary for the performance of a contract between you and us
- You have provided explicit consent to the transfer
By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries where we operate, which may have different data protection rules than your country of residence.
Back to Top10. Policy Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, and other factors. When we make material changes to this policy, we will:
- Post the updated policy on our website
- Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
- Notify you through email or app notifications (for significant changes)
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about our information practices and your privacy rights.
Your continued use of our services after the effective date of the updated Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to the revised policy, please discontinue use of our services.
Back to Top11. Contact Information
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:
Contact Our Data Protection Officer
privacy@mkopoexpress.com
+254 712 345 678
Mkopo Express Ltd.
Attn: Privacy Department
P.O. Box 12345
Nairobi, Kenya
We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.
Regional Data Protection Authorities
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority:
- Kenya: Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC)
- South Africa: Information Regulator
- Uganda: National Information Technology Authority (NITA)
- Tanzania: Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA)
- Rwanda: National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA)
- Zambia: Data Protection Commissioner