HSBC CREDIT CENTER, INC.
Member HSBC Group
Privacy Statement
Introduction – Our Commitment to You
HSBC Credit Center, Inc. (“HSBC”) is proud to be part of a financial services organization that has been providing superior products and services to its customers for more than 150 years. We greatly appreciate the trust that you and millions of customers have placed in us, and we will protect that trust by continuing to respect the privacy of all our applicants and customers even if our formal customer relationship ends.
If you have selected a credit-related insurance product, the privacy statement applicable to that credit insurance product is set forth at the end of this privacy statement.
How We Handle Information We Obtain
It is important for you to know that in order to ensure that our customers get the very best service and the highest quality products, HSBC collects demographic information (like your name and address) and credit information (like information related to your accounts with us and others). This information comes either directly from you, for instance, from your application and transactions on your account; or, it may come from an outside source such as your credit bureau report. In addition, if you visit our Internet web site, we may collect certain information about your Internet usage.
Because some of the information we gather is not publicly available, we take great care to ensure that this information is kept safe from unauthorized access, and we will not share the information in violation of any regulation or law. HSBC diligently maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with applicable federal standards to guard your private personal information and to assist us in preventing unauthorized access to that information.
How We Share Information with Companies Affiliated with Us
From time to time, for general business purposes such as fraud control, or when we think it may benefit you, we do share certain information with our affiliated companies, except as prohibited by applicable law. These affiliated companies all provide financial services, such as banking, consumer finance, insurance, mortgage, and brokerage services. Some examples include companies doing business under the names HSBC Bank Nevada, National Association, HSBC Retail Services Inc., HSBC Auto Finance Inc., HSBC Mortgage Services Inc., HSBC Insurance Services, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Household Finance Corporation of California, Beneficial California Inc., and Solstice Capital Group, Inc. We may also share certain information with non-financial service providers that become affiliated with us in the future (such as travel, auto, or shopping clubs), except as prohibited by applicable law. The information we share might come from your application, for instance your name, address, telephone number, social security number, and e-mail address. Also, the information we share could include your transactions with us or our affiliated companies (such as your account balance, payment history, and parties to the transaction), your Internet usage, or your credit card usage. Except for Vermont residents, the information we share could also include your assets, income, or credit reports.
How We Share Information with Other Third Parties
Except for California or Vermont residents, we also may share information with non-affiliated companies that are able to extend special offers we feel might be of value to you. These companies may be financial services providers (such as mortgage bankers or insurance agents) or they may be non-financial companies (such as retailers or marketing companies). These offers are typically for products and services that you might not otherwise hear about. The information we may provide them comes from the sources described above and might include your name, address, phone number, and information about your account with us. You may tell us not to share information with non-affiliated companies in this way by completing the form below. For California and Vermont residents, applicable law requires us to obtain your permission in order to share information about you in this way, and we have chosen not to share your information in this way.
We may also provide information to non-affiliated companies that perform operational, collection, or fraud control services related to your account. The sharing of information with these types of companies is permitted by law. Such a company might include a financial company (such as an insurance service provider) or a non-financial company (such as a data processor or Internet service provider) with whom we have a service agreement. The information we may share also comes from the sources described above and might include your name, address, phone number, and account experience with us.
Finally, we provide information about you to non-affiliated companies as permitted by law. These companies may include credit reporting agencies and companies which provide services related to your account.
We reserve the right to change our privacy practices at any time in accordance with applicable law. Notice of such changes will be provided if required by applicable law.
Your Choices to Limit Sharing
How to Opt-Out (non-affiliated companies) (Applicable to residents of all states except California and Vermont)
If you do not want us to share your private information with non-affiliated companies (unless we are permitted or required by law to do so), please let us know by simply mailing your request to HSBC Opt-Out, P.O. Box 9068, Brandon, FL 33509-6068. If you have previously informed us of your preference about this account, you do not need to do so again. We will be happy to comply with your “opt-out” request, which will only apply to the HSBC account you have designated on the form by account number. An opt-out request by any party on a joint account will apply to all parties on the joint account. Opt-out requests will not apply to information sharing that is permitted by law. Please allow sufficient time for us to process your request.
How to Opt-Out (affiliated companies) (Applicable to residents of all states except Vermont)
If you do not want us to share your credit information (such as your credit bureau information) with companies that are affiliated with us, please let us know by simply mailing your request to HSBC Opt-Out, P.O. Box 9068, Brandon, FL 33509-6068. If you have previously informed us of your preference, you do not need to do so again. This request will not apply to information about your transactions or experience with HSBC (such as account information, account usage, or payment history), except as required by law. An opt-out request by any party on a joint account will apply to all parties on the joint account.
Your Choice To Limit Marketing
- Federal law gives you the right to limit some but not all marketing from our affiliates. Federal law also requires us to give you this notice to tell you about your choice to limit marketing from our affiliates.
- You may limit our affiliates in the HSBC group of companies, such as our credit card, insurance, and automobile finance affiliates, from marketing their products or services to you based on your personal information that we collect and share with them. This information includes your income, your account history with us, and your credit score.
- Your choice to limit marketing offers from our affiliates will apply for at least 5 years from when you tell us your choice. Once that period expires, you will receive a renewal notice that will allow you to continue to limit marketing offers from our affiliates for at least another 5 years.
To limit marketing offers simply mail your request to:
HSBC Opt-Out
P.O. Box 9068
Brandon, FL 33509-6068
HOUSEHOLD INSURANCE GROUP HOLDING COMPANY *
Privacy Statement for Customers with Insurance
This paragraph applies only to customers with insurance products provided by Household Insurance Group Holding Company (“HIG”). HIG respects and protects your privacy. To administer the insurance requested by you or provided in connection with your account, HIG collects demographic information (like your name and address) and information related to insurance coverage (like information related to your account with HSBC or information related to your health). This information comes either directly from you, for instance, from your application, or it may come from HSBC, such as information about your account, or it may come from a credit report or medical information bureau report. HIG takes great care to protect the privacy of this information. For example, the only employees or companies that can access such information are those who need it to provide services in connection with your insurance. Moreover, HIG maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect against unauthorized use or disclosure of that information. HIG does not disclose information about you to their respective affiliates or to third parties, except as permitted by law.
* Household Insurance Group Holding Company (also under the trade name of HSBC Insurance Services or HSBC Insurance) includes Household Insurance Group, Inc., Household Life Insurance Company, HSBC Insurance Company of Delaware (formerly known as Service General Insurance Company), First Central National Life Insurance Company of New York, Household Life Insurance of Delaware, BFC Insurance Agency of Nevada, HSBC Insurance Agency (USA) Inc., and such other companies Household Insurance Group Holding Company may subsequently acquire.
Atención clientes hispanohablantes: Esta Declaración sobre Privacidad proporciona información sobre cómo manejamos información personal no pública acerca de nuestros clientes, las circunstancias bajo las cuales podemos compartir tal información con otras personas y cómo usted puede pedir que no compartamos esa información con terceros que no sean afiliados nuestros. Si quisiera que le proporcionemos una traducción al español de la Declaración sobre Privacidad en su totalidad, sírvase comunicarse con nosotros escribiendo al P.O. Box 9068, Brandon FL, 33509.
For Texas Residents only
HSBC Credit Center, Inc. subsidiaries or affliates are licensed and examined under the laws of the State of Texas and by state law is subject to regulatory oversight by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. Any consumer wishing to file a complaint against the lender should contact the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner by: calling the Consumer Credit Hotline at (800) 538- 1579; through fax at (512) 936-7610; or by writing or visiting the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner at 2601 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78705-4207. E-mail: consumer.complaints@occc.state.tx.us. Web site: www.occc.state.tx.us.
