Privacy Policy
Effective date: July 11, 2026 · Operator: Herman Stone INC ("Datipay", "we", "us")
This policy explains what information Datipay collects, why we collect it, how it is used and shared, and the choices you have. Datipay is a record-keeping and communication service for savings groups, delivered over WhatsApp and operated by Herman Stone INC, a California corporation.
1. Information we collect
- Identity and contact information: your name, WhatsApp phone number, preferred language, and the group(s) you belong to.
- Group financial records: contributions you report or confirm, fines assessed under your group’s rules, solidarity collection gifts, payout records, and the running balances derived from them.
- Payment references: when you pay through a third party (for example MTN Mobile Money, Orange Money, or a credit union) and forward the confirmation or receipt to us, we record the reference details needed to verify the event — amount, date, reference number, and channel. We never ask for and never store your mobile money PIN, banking passwords, or card numbers.
- Messages and media you send to Datipay: including photos of receipts you choose to submit for verification.
- Technical records: message delivery status, timestamps, and service logs used for security, troubleshooting, and fraud prevention.
2. How we use information
- To maintain your group’s shared financial record and issue receipts;
- To verify contributions against the payment channel your group uses;
- To send service messages: confirmations, receipts, due-date reminders, late notices, and reports — according to your group’s configuration and your notification settings;
- To apply your group’s own rules (for example, late-contribution fines) as configured by your group’s officers;
- To secure the service, prevent fraud and abuse, and comply with legal obligations;
- To improve the service, using aggregated or de-identified information wherever possible.
3. WhatsApp as our messaging channel
Datipay communicates through the WhatsApp Business Platform. When you message Datipay on WhatsApp, your communication is also processed by Meta Platforms, Inc. and its affiliates under WhatsApp’s own Privacy Policy and terms. We send you messages on WhatsApp only if you have opted in — by messaging Datipay first, by joining a Datipay-enabled group through your group’s officers, or by otherwise giving consent. You can opt out of non-essential messages at any time by replying STOP, and manage reminder preferences by replying SETTINGS.
4. Who can see your information
- Your group: the essence of Datipay is a shared record. Members of your group can see group-level information (for example, who has contributed for the current cycle), and your group’s elected officers (president, treasurer, secretary, auditor) can see the records their roles require, as configured by your group.
- Service providers: we use carefully selected providers to run the service — cloud infrastructure, the WhatsApp Business Platform (Meta), and messaging delivery — bound to process data only for us.
- Legal: we may disclose information when required by law, regulation, or valid legal process, or to protect the rights, safety, and integrity of Datipay, our users, or the public.
We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your group’s financial records with advertisers.
5. Data retention
Group financial records exist to be durable — that is their purpose. We retain contribution, fine, collection, and payout records for as long as your group uses the service and for a reasonable period afterward (or longer where the law requires), so that the record remains available to resolve disputes. Personal contact information is deleted or de-identified when no longer needed. You may request deletion as described below; note that entries in a group’s shared ledger may be retained in de-identified form to preserve the integrity of the group’s record.
6. Security
We protect information with encryption in transit, access controls with role separation, credential management, and audit logging. No system is perfectly secure; we work continuously to protect your information and will notify affected users of any breach as required by applicable law.
7. Your rights and choices
- Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you;
- Ask us to correct inaccurate information;
- Request deletion of your personal information, subject to the group-ledger integrity note in Section 5 and legal retention requirements;
- Opt out of non-essential messages at any time (reply STOP).
California residents have additional rights under the CCPA/CPRA, including the rights to know, delete, and correct, and the right not to be discriminated against for exercising them. To exercise any right, contact us using the details below.
8. Children
Datipay is intended for adults participating in savings groups. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18.
9. International use
Datipay serves users in Cameroon and the United States. Information is processed on infrastructure that may be located outside your country, including in the United States. By using Datipay you understand your information may be transferred to and processed in these locations, protected as described in this policy.
10. Changes to this policy
If we make material changes, we will notify users through the service and update the effective date above.
11. Contact
Herman Stone INC — Datipay Privacy
611 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 900 #1012, Los Angeles, CA 90017, United States
[email protected] · (213) 292-9002