🪔 Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Anukani Chits ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Diwali Chit Fund Management mobile application (the "App").

By using our App, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our App.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

• Phone Number: Required for authentication and user identification
• Name: To identify you within chit groups
• Email Address: Optional, for account recovery and notifications
• Firebase UID: Unique identifier from Firebase Authentication

2.2 Financial Information

• Payment Details: Transaction amounts, payment dates, and payment history
• Chit Group Information: Group memberships, weekly contribution amounts, and membership IDs
• Payment Gateway Data: Information processed through Razorpay (handled securely by Razorpay)

2.3 Technical Information

• Device Information: Device model, operating system, and app version
• FCM Tokens: For push notifications about payments and group activities
• Log Data: App usage, errors, and performance metrics

2.4 Automatically Collected Information

• Usage Data: Features accessed, time spent in app, and interaction patterns
• Authentication Tokens: Securely stored tokens for maintaining your session

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Account Management: Create and manage your user account
• Authentication: Verify your identity using Firebase Authentication
• Chit Group Operations: Manage group memberships, track payments, and calculate summaries
• Payment Processing: Process and record your chit fund contributions
• Notifications: Send important updates about payments, dues, and group activities
• Analytics: Improve app performance and user experience
• Security: Detect and prevent fraudulent activities
• Compliance: Meet legal and regulatory requirements
• Customer Support: Respond to your inquiries and support requests

4. Data Storage and Security

4.1 Data Storage

• Cloud Storage: Data is stored securely on MongoDB Atlas cloud servers
• Local Storage: Authentication tokens are stored locally using MMKV (Memory-Mapped Key-Value) storage
• Firebase: Authentication data is managed through Firebase services

4.2 Security Measures

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

5.1 Within Chit Groups

Your name, phone number, membership ID, and payment status are visible to other members within your chit groups. This is essential for transparent group management.

5.2 Third-Party Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party services:

• Firebase (Google): Authentication and push notifications
• Razorpay: Payment processing (subject to their privacy policy)
• MongoDB Atlas: Database hosting and management
• Render.com: Backend hosting services

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.

5.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Access and Update

You have the right to access and update your personal information through the App's settings.

6.2 Data Deletion

You can request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us. Please note that some data may be retained for legal or legitimate business purposes.

6.3 Opt-Out of Notifications

You can disable push notifications through your device settings or app preferences. However, critical payment reminders may still be sent.

6.4 Data Portability

You can request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.

6.5 Withdraw Consent

You can withdraw consent for data processing at any time, though this may limit app functionality.

7. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services and maintain your account
• Comply with legal obligations (e.g., tax records, financial audits)
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
• Maintain transaction history for chit group integrity

Active Accounts: Data is retained while your account is active
Inactive Accounts: Data may be deleted after 3 years of inactivity
Transaction Records: Retained for 7 years for compliance purposes

8. Children's Privacy

Our App is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside your country of residence. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy in the App
• Sending a notification through the App
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy

Your continued use of the App after changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

11. Third-Party Links and Services

Our App may contain links to third-party websites or services (e.g., Razorpay payment gateway). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

12. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our mobile app does not use browser cookies. However, we use:

• Local Storage: To store authentication tokens and user preferences
• Analytics: To understand app usage and improve performance
• Firebase Analytics: For crash reporting and performance monitoring

13. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information is collected
• Right to know if personal information is sold or disclosed
• Right to say no to the sale of personal information
• Right to access your personal information
• Right to equal service and price, even if you exercise your privacy rights

Note: We do NOT sell personal information.

14. GDPR Compliance (European Users)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Legal Basis: We process data based on consent, contract performance, and legitimate interests
• Right to Access: Request copies of your personal data
• Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data
• Right to Restriction: Limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your data
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority

15. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you within 72 hours via:

• In-app notification
• Email (if provided)
• SMS to your registered phone number

16. Consent

By using our App, you consent to this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the App immediately.