Privacy Policy — Benakel Inc.
This Privacy Policy describes how Benakel Inc. (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and shares your personal information when you visit or use our website https://www.benakel.io/ (the “Website”) and related services including Technology Solutions, Audit & Assessment, Compliance Management, Regulatory Licensing, Business Development, and Specialized Services (collectively, the “Services”).
Benakel Inc. operates as a fintech consulting and technology provider, offering comprehensive business solutions to organizations across various industries, with specialized expertise in financial technology, digital assets, and regulatory compliance.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Information You Provide to Us
We collect information you provide directly to us, such as when you:
- Create an account or business profile
- Engage our professional services
- Fill out forms, surveys, or compliance questionnaires
- Subscribe to our newsletter or communications
- Contact us for support or consultation
- Participate in interactive features or training
- Apply for jobs or submit business proposals
- Provide business verification documents
This may include:
- Name and contact information (email, phone, address)
- Business information and registration details
- Username, password, and security credentials
- Professional background and qualifications
- Financial and business data for service delivery
- Payment information (processed securely through third-party processors)
- Communications and correspondence with us
- Beneficial ownership and control person information
- Compliance and regulatory documentation
- Any other information you choose to provide
1.2 Information We Collect Automatically
When you use our Website or Services, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage, including:
- IP address and geolocation data
- Browser type, version, and operating system
- Device type, model, and unique identifiers
- Pages visited, time spent, and navigation patterns
- Referring website or traffic source
- API usage data and technical logs
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies
- System performance and error reports
- Security and access logs
1.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from third parties, such as:
- Social media platforms (if you connect your accounts)
- Business verification and identity services
- Analytics and marketing providers
- Technology integration partners
- Regulatory databases and sanctions lists
- Credit reporting agencies and financial institutions
- Other users who refer you to our services
- Professional advisors and service providers
1.4 Business and Compliance Data
For business clients, we may collect:
- Corporate structure and ownership information
- Financial statements and business records
- Regulatory licenses and compliance documentation
- Risk assessment and due diligence materials
- Transaction data and operational metrics
- Audit trails and compliance monitoring data
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, maintain, and improve our Services
- Process transactions and manage service delivery
- Conduct business verification and due diligence
- Perform compliance monitoring and risk assessment
- Send you technical notices, updates, and support messages
- Respond to your comments, questions, and service requests
- Communicate about products, services, and regulatory changes
- Monitor and analyze trends, usage, and service performance
- Detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent or illegal activities
- Personalize your experience and deliver targeted content
- Comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
- Protect our rights, property, and the security of our Services
- Facilitate business development and partnership opportunities
- Conduct research and development for service enhancement
2.1 Legitimate Business Purposes
We process information for legitimate business purposes including:
- Service delivery and customer relationship management
- Business operations and administrative functions
- Financial management and accounting
- Legal compliance and regulatory reporting
- Risk management and security monitoring
- Business development and strategic planning
2.2 Compliance and Regulatory Uses
We may use information for compliance purposes including:
- Anti-money laundering (AML) monitoring
- Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) verification
- Sanctions screening and regulatory reporting
- Audit support and regulatory examinations
- Suspicious activity monitoring and reporting
3. How We Share Your Information
3.1 With Your Consent
We may share your information when you give us explicit consent to do so.
3.2 Service Providers and Business Partners
We may share your information with trusted third parties who assist us in providing Services, including:
- Technology partners and integration providers
- Payment processors and financial institutions
- Cloud storage and infrastructure providers
- Analytics and marketing service providers
- Customer support and communication platforms
- Professional advisors (legal, accounting, consulting)
- Identity verification and compliance services
- Audit firms and regulatory consultants
3.3 Business Transfers and Corporate Transactions
If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, asset sale, or corporate restructuring, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
3.4 Legal Requirements and Regulatory Compliance
We may disclose your information when required by law or to comply with legal obligations, including:
- Complying with subpoenas, court orders, or legal processes
- Responding to lawful government requests and investigations
- Cooperating with regulatory authorities and examinations
- Reporting suspicious activities as required by law
- Protecting our rights, property, or safety
- Protecting the rights, property, or safety of our users or others
- Investigating potential violations of our terms of service
- Enforcing our agreements and policies
3.5 Authorized Partners and Resellers
We may share information with authorized implementation partners, resellers, and consultants who help deliver our Services to clients.
3.6 Aggregated or De-identified Information
We may share aggregated, anonymized, or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you for business intelligence, research, or analytical purposes.
4. Data Security and Protection
We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction, including:
4.1 Technical Safeguards
- Encryption of data in transit and at rest
- Secure API authentication and access controls
- Regular security assessments and penetration testing
- Network security monitoring and intrusion detection
- Secure software development practices
- Regular security updates and patch management
4.2 Administrative Safeguards
- Employee background checks and security training
- Access controls based on job responsibilities
- Regular security awareness training
- Incident response and breach notification procedures
- Third-party security assessments and vendor management
4.3 Physical Safeguards
- Secure data centers with controlled access
- Environmental controls and monitoring
- Secure disposal of physical media and equipment
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Specific retention periods include:
5.1 Business Records
- Client engagement data: Duration of relationship plus 7 years
- Financial and payment records: 7 years after final transaction
- Compliance and regulatory data: As required by applicable regulations
- Audit trails and logs: 5–7 years depending on regulatory requirements
5.2 Technical Data
- Account information: Duration of account plus 2 years
- Usage logs and analytics: 3 years from collection
- Security logs: 1–3 years depending on purpose
- Marketing communications: Until unsubscribe plus 2 years
When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymize it according to our data retention procedures.
6. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location and applicable laws, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:
6.1 Access and Portability
You may request access to the personal information we have about you and request a copy of that information in a portable format.
6.2 Correction and Update
You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information or update your account information.
6.3 Deletion and Erasure
You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal and regulatory retention requirements.
6.4 Restriction and Objection
You may request that we restrict the processing of your personal information or object to certain types of processing.
6.5 Marketing Communications
You can opt out of receiving promotional emails by following the unsubscribe instructions or by contacting us directly.
6.6 Data Processing Consent
Where we rely on consent for processing, you may withdraw your consent at any time.
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the “Contact Us” section below. We will respond to your request within the timeframes required by applicable law.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and use personal information about you. Our use includes:
7.1 Essential Cookies
These are necessary for the Website and Services to function and cannot be disabled. They enable basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas.
7.2 Analytics Cookies
These help us understand how visitors interact with our Website by collecting and reporting information anonymously, including:
- Google Analytics for website traffic analysis
- Performance monitoring and error tracking
- User behavior and engagement metrics
7.3 Functionality Cookies
These enable enhanced functionality and personalization, such as:
- User preferences and settings
- Language and regional preferences
- Login status and session management
7.4 Marketing and Advertising Cookies
These may be used to deliver relevant advertisements and track advertising effectiveness across platforms.
You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling certain cookies may limit your ability to use some features of our Website.
8. Third-Party Links and Services
Our Website and Services may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not owned or controlled by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through our platform.
8.1 Integrated Services
Our Services may integrate with third-party platforms for enhanced functionality. When you use these integrations, your data may be shared with and governed by the privacy policies of those third-party services.
8.2 Analytics and Marketing Partners
We may use third-party analytics and marketing services that collect information about your use of our Website and Services for their own purposes.
9. International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States. We ensure that any such transfers comply with applicable data protection laws and include appropriate safeguards such as:
- Standard contractual clauses approved by relevant authorities
- Adequacy decisions by applicable regulatory bodies
- Binding corporate rules for intra-group transfers
- Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms
10. Children's Privacy
Our Website and Services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
11. Regional Privacy Rights
11.1 California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), including:
- The right to know what personal information we collect and how we use it
- The right to delete personal information we have collected from you
- The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information
- The right to correct inaccurate personal information
- The right to limit the use of sensitive personal information
- The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights
We do not sell personal information as defined by the CCPA. We may share personal information for business purposes as described in this Privacy Policy.
11.2 European Privacy Rights (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Union or European Economic Area, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the rights described in Section 6 above.
11.3 Other Regional Rights
We comply with applicable privacy laws in all jurisdictions where we operate and will honor privacy rights as required by local regulations.
12. Business and Professional Client Data
12.1 Business Client Relationship
When providing professional services to business clients, we process personal information about employees, officers, and representatives of client organizations as necessary to deliver our Services.
12.2 Data Controller vs. Processor
Depending on the nature of our Services, we may act as either a data controller or data processor with respect to personal information. Specific data processing roles and responsibilities are addressed in our service agreements.
12.3 Client Responsibilities
Business clients are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate legal bases for sharing personal information with us and for complying with applicable privacy laws in their own operations.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or business operations. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting the updated Privacy Policy on our Website
- Updating the “Last Updated” date
- Sending email notifications for significant changes
- Providing notice through our Services or other communication channels
Your continued use of our Website and Services after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.