Privacy Policy
Effective as of January 1, 2024
Introduction
This Privacy Policy describes how RUFE Inc., (“RUFE”) a California corporation, will gather, use, and maintain your personal information. It will also explain your legal rights to control use of that information.
RUFE values the privacy of all of our communities. This Privacy Policy applies to users of RUFE’s services, including users of RUFE’s apps, websites, features, or other services (collectively, the “RUFE Platform.”) This Privacy Policy specifically applies to customers who request our services and our Independent Contractors (“Contractors'' or “Washers”) who provide services individually.
By using the RUFE Platform, you confirm that you have read and understand this Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Service, which can be accessed here, (together referred to herein as the “Agreement.”) The Agreement governs the use of the RUFE Platform. RUFE will gather, use, and maintain information consistent with the Agreement.
The RUFE Platform integrates Google Maps features and content. By using the RUFE Platform, you agree to be bounded by the current Google Privacy Policy, which can be accessed here, as well as the current Google Terms of Service, which can be accessed here, and the current Google Maps/Google Earth Additional Terms of Service which can be accessed here.
General Terms and Definitions
In This Privacy Policy:
RUFE, Inc. may be referred to as “RUFE”, “we”, “our” or “us.”
We call a user of the RUFE Platform a “User”, or collectively the “Users.”
“You” and “your” refer to an individual User of the RUFE Platform.
The community platform that we offer at our website (https://www.rufe.app) is referred to as the “Site.”
The platform and related services provided by RUFE, the Site and mobile applications (whether on iOS or Android), including without limitation, information provided by RUFE to potential and actual Users in relation to the services, together are called the “RUFE Platform.”
“Terms of Service '' refers to our Terms of Service which can be found at here. This Privacy Policy is incorporated into, and considered a part of, the Terms of Service.
Data Controller
We store data about you, including personal information, on servers located and operated within the United States. The data controller for the information you provide of that is collected by RUFE or its affiliates.
We store data about you, including personal information, on servers located and operated within the United States. The data controller for the information you provide of that is collected by RUFE or its affiliates.
Customer service: [email protected], 1-833-770-0678
The Information We Collect
Personal Information: RUFE collects personal information including your name, address, approximate geographical location of your computer or mobile device, telephone, email address, credit or debit card and other financial information that you voluntarily share with RUFE.
Device Information: RUFE collects information about the computer or device you’re using to access the RUFE Platform, including but not limited to, the type of computer or mobile device you use, your mobile device’s unique device ID, the IP address of your computer or mobile device, your operating system, the type of internet browser you use, and information about the way you use the RUFE Platform (“Device Information”). RUFE may use Device Information to monitor the geographic regions from which users navigate the RUFE Platform and for security and fraud prevention purposes.
Identity Verification: RUFE collects personal information such as your date of birth, taxpayer identification number, and address, in order to validate your identity or conduct background searches (“Identity Information”).
Financial Information: To help Washers set up a payment account we may collect financial information, including name, address, credit card number, bank routing numbers, tax information, and any other payment information (“Financial Information”).
Cell Phone Numbers: RUFE may use your cell phone number to call or send recurring text messages to you, using an auto-dialer or prerecorded voice, in order to provide you notifications about Services, order status, or for marketing purposes (with your consent where required by law), and to administer the RUFE Platform. You may be liable for standard SMS and per-minute charges by your mobile carrier. RUFE may also message you via “Push” messaging, which you may opt-in on your mobile device. Data rates may apply.
Location Information: When you visit the RUFE Platform via our mobile application we use GPS technology (or other similar technology) to determine your current location and display a location map to improve service for our Users (“Location Information”). We will not share your current location obtained in this manner with other Users. If you do not want us to use your location for the purposes set forth above, you should turn off the location services for the mobile application located in your account settings or in your mobile phone settings and/or within the mobile application
Cookies and Other Technologies: When you use a website, mobile application, or other internet service, certain internet and electronic network activity information gets created and logged automatically. This is also true when you engage with the RUFE Platform either by website or mobile app. Here are some of the kinds of information we collect:
Log Data: When you use RUFE, our servers record information (“log data”), including information that your browser automatically sends whenever you visit a website, or that your mobile app automatically sends when you’re using it. Log data includes your Internet Protocol address, searches, browser type and settings, the time and date of your login, and how you use the RUFE Platform.
Cookie Data: A cookie is a small data file that we transfer to your computer’s hard disk. We use “Persistent Cookies” that only RUFE can read and use, and access mobile device ID’s:
To save your login information for future logins on the RUFE Platform
To assist in processing transactions
To hold session information
Session ID Cookies: Unlike persistent cookies, session cookies are deleted from your computer when you log off from the RUFE Platform and then close your browser. You can instruct your browser, by changing its options, to stop accepting cookies or to prompt you before accepting a cookie from the websites you visit. If you do not accept cookies, however, you will not be able to use all portions or all functionalities of the RUFE Platform. We use Session ID Cookies and similar technologies to:
Enable certain features of the RUFE Platform
Better understand how Users interact with the website and RUFE Platform
Monitor usage by our Users and web traffic routing on the RUFE Platform
Identify visited areas on the RUFE Platform
Track number of entries and engagement with RUFE promotions
How RUFE Uses Your Information
The Personal Information that RUFE collects is essential to the operation of the RUFE Platform. We use the information provided by you for the following purposes:
Providing RUFE Services
Creation of User profiles. We use your Personal Information to verify your identity and create your account and user profile on the RUFE Platform from which you can access RUFE services.
Operation of the RUFE Platform. We use your Personal Information to connect your order with Washers and in order to enable the completion and payment for ordered services.
Processing Payments. RUFE may use your Personal Information to process payments for completed services between Users and service providers.
Location Tracking of Our Products. Your Personal Information may be used to track the status or completion of your contracted RUFE service.
Customer Support. RUFE may use your Personal Information to provide you with customer support in order to fulfill our service contracts with Users and Washers.
Complaint and Dispute Resolution. RUFE may use your Personal Information in the identification of complaints and disputes between Users and service providers and may assist in helping Users resolve their disputes
Safety and Security
Billing and Fraud Prevention: Your Personal Information allows RUFE to ensure a safe and secure environment in which RUFE Users and RUFE Washers can conduct business
Conducting Background Checks: RUFE may use your Personal Information to conduct identification, authentication, and background checks on Contractors in order to advance RUFE’s legitimate interests in ensuring the safety of all users of the RUFE Platform.
Legal Proceedings and Requirements: RUFE may use your Personal Information in any legal proceeding it is required to or as a means of cooperating with law enforcement with any legitimate investigation
Communication and Site Performance
To Contact Users: RUFE may use your Personal Information to contact you and deliver (via email, SMS, push notifications, or otherwise) administrative notices, marketing notifications, offers, and communications relevant to your use of the RUFE Platform and RUFE’s legitimate business interests in enhancing and improving the Platform and RUFE’s services.
Analyzing the RUFE Platform Usage: In our effort to improve the Platform, RUFE may use your Personal Information to analyze site usage.
Research, Advertising, and Marketing
Digital Advertising and Marketing. RUFE may use cookies and other technologies and Personal Information to purchase and place targeted digital advertisement on the Internet in order to reach new users or new service providers. Advertising and marketing is carried out as necessary for our legitimate interests in provide an engaging and relevant experience, promoting our services and growing our business.
Analytics and Market Research. RUFE may analyze your information and web navigational data based on your interests, and may use the analysis from this information in a way that doesn’t reveal a name, email address or other “real-world” identity (“Market Analysis”) in order to market the RUFE Platform, improve the likelihood of a sale to a group of potential Users, and increase the likelihood that a group’s experience with the RUFE Platform is relevant to its interests as a whole, as necessary for our legitimate interests in providing an engaging and relevant experience, promoting our services, and growing our business.
Research and Development. We at RUFE love hearing feedback from our Users about our service and the RUFE Platform. We also collect data and Personal Information for research and product development purposes. The information we collect allows us to improve the safety, security, and usability of our service. RUFE also uses the information to develop new features for the RUFE Platform.
With Whom RUFE Shares Your Information
Third Party Agents: RUFE relies on third-party agents to process transactions and provide the Services which requires RUFE to share your information with those contractors, service provides and representative of those agents, including:
Customer Relationship Management (“CRM”) services
Software as a service (SaaS) providers, and Google LLC, which provides the mapping capabilities of the RUFE Platform
Financial transaction fulfillment. RUFE’s credit card payments are processed through PCI compliant payment gateway services and their privacy agreement is located at https://www.paypal.com/myaccount/privacy/privacyhub
Fraud detection services
Identity and background check services in relation to Contractors which is carried out by our provider Checkr, and their privacy agreement is located at https://checkr.com/privacy-policy
Other Users: RUFE facilitates service between Users and Washers and reserves the right to share a Washer’s contact information (including phone number, email, and postal address) with our third-party transportation providers. For personal privacy, Washers are provided only with User’s first name and initial last name. This trafficking of information is a mandatory part of the RUFE Platform.
Business Affiliates: RUFE reserves the right to transfer, sell, and/or distribute all information collected through the RUFE Platform to any RUFE affiliate, subsidiary or third-party in the event of a merger, sale, reorganization, joint-venture, assignment, transfer, or other disposition of any or all of our business, assets, or stock. In such an event, any new entity will be required to follow this Privacy Policy with respect to your Personal Information as to the extent required by law.
When Compelled by Legal Obligations: RUFE may disclose personal information including location data or communication data, to a third party if required to do so by law or pursuant to a court order, warrant or subpoena. RUFE reserves the right to disclose personal information from both private and public areas of the Site and the RUFE Platform in the absence of a court order warrant or subpoena if we are given reason to believe, in our sole discretion, that someone is causing injury to or interfering with the rights of Users, the general public, or RUFE or its partners, parents or affiliates. It is RUFE’s policy to provide notice to Users before producing their information in response to law enforcement requests unless (i) we are prohibited by law or court order from doing so, (ii) we have reason to believe the User’s account has been compromised such that the notice would go to the wrong person, or notice would otherwise be counterproductive or would create a risk to safety, or (iii) it is an emergency request and prior notice would be impractical (in which case we may provide notice after the fact).
Choice / Opt Out
You may opt-out of receiving communications from us and our partners, remove your information from our database, choose to not receive future communications related to the RUFE Platform, or cancel your account by logging into your Account or by contacting us at [email protected].
You can opt out of receiving promotional communications from RUFE sent via text message at any time by following the instructions provided in those messages to text the word, “STOP”. Please note that your opt-out is limited to the phone number used and will not affect subsequent subscriptions. If you opt-out of only certain communications, other subscription communications may continue. Even if you opt-out of receiving promotional communications, RUFE may, subject to applicable law, continue to send you non promotional communications, such as those about your account, transactions, servicing, or RUFE’s ongoing business relations.
Reviewing and Changing User Information
RUFE gives you the ability to review, edit, and delete your RUFE User information at any time, including whether you want RUFE to contact you about specials and new products, by contacting the RUFE Help Center at 1-833-770-0678.
RUFE Information Retention Policy
RUFE retains your personal data for as long as you are a User in order to meet our contractual obligations to you, and for such a longer period as may be in our legitimate interests and to comply with our legal obligations. We may also retain aggregate information beyond this time for research purposes and to help us develop and improve our services. You cannot be identified from aggregate information retained or used for these purposes.
RUFE's Security of Collected Information
Your RUFE account is protected so that only you and authorized RUFE staff have access to your account information. In order to maintain this protection, do not give your password to anyone. Also, if you share a computer, you should sign out of your RUFE account and close the browser window before someone else logs on. This will help protect your information entered on public terminals from disclosure to third parties.
RUFE takes reasonable precautions to ensure that your information is secure on its system by backing up data in separate backup drives and using public key access encryption and firewalls on both our main and backup servers. RUFE has staff dedicated to maintaining this Privacy Policy and other privacy initiatives, periodically reviewing security, and making sure that every RUFE employee is aware of our security practices. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, RUFE cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk. While RUFE will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure the security of all credit card and all other Personal Information, we expressly disclaim any liability for any unauthorized access to or use of our secure servers and/or any and all Personal Information and/or Financial Information stored therein, and you agree to hold RUFE harmless for any damages that may result therefrom.
RUFE expressly disclaims any liability that may arise should any other individuals obtain the information you submit to the RUFE Platform.
Children's Privacy
RUFE does not knowingly or intentionally collect personal information from children under the age of 18 years old. The RUFE Platform is not marketed or directed towards children under 18 and those under the age of 18 are not permitted to use the RUFE Platform. If RUFE becomes aware that we have unknowingly collected the personal information of a child under the age of 18, RUFE will delete the user profile and all of the personal information associated with it.
Notifications of Changes to RUFE's Privacy Policy
As RUFE updates and expands the RUFE Platform, RUFE’s Privacy Policy may be periodically reviewed and enhanced as necessary. RUFE will endeavor to notify you of any material changes by email and we will update the “Effective as of” date above to indicate when those changes were made. You are also encouraged to review RUFE’s Privacy Policy periodically.
Contact RUFE
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of the Site, your dealings with the RUFE Platform, or if you have technical problems, you may contact RUFE Customer Support at [email protected] or by calling 1-833-770-0678.
RUFE will respond to all requests sent through mail or email from Users and parents of Users with questions about privacy or the types of personal information stored on the RUFE database, or requests to nullify such personal information.
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