Privacy Policy

This policy is designed to comply with Law No. 2024/017 of December 23, 2024 Relating to Personal Data Protection in Cameroon, and follows internationally recognized data protection principles including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable to users outside Cameroon.

🏢 1. Who We Are

FindAm is Cameroon's #1 online marketplace connecting buyers and vendors across the country. We operate the website at findam.market and the FindAm Vendors mobile application.

The data controller responsible for your personal data is FindAm. You can reach us at:

📊 2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account through our authentication provider (Clerk), we collect:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number (when you sign up as a vendor or save it for buyer contact)
• Password (stored as an encrypted hash by Clerk; we never see it in plain text)
• Profile picture (optional)
• Country and city

2.2 Vendor Verification Data

If you register as a vendor, we may additionally collect:

• Government-issued ID document (national ID, passport, or driver's license)
• Business name and description
• Shop location (city, neighborhood)
• Bank or mobile money payout information (when applicable)
• Tax/business registration documents (for premium tiers)

2.3 Listings and User Content

• Listing title, description, price, category
• Photos and images you upload
• Bundle configurations (groups of items sold together)
• Reviews and ratings you give or receive

2.4 Communication Data

• Messages you send through our Service
• Bookings you make for services or property
• WhatsApp redirect intents (we generate the link; we do not see WhatsApp conversation content)

2.5 Technical Data (Automatic Collection)

• IP address
• Device type, operating system, and browser information
• App version
• Approximate location (city-level, derived from IP address)
• Pages and listings you view
• Date and time of visits

2.6 Camera and Photo Library Access (Mobile App)

The FindAm Vendors mobile app requests permission to access your camera and photo library. This is used only to upload product images for your listings. We do not access your photos or camera in the background or for any other purpose.

⚙️ 3. How We Use Your Information

🤝 4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 With Other Users (Public Information)

When you post listings, your shop name, listing details, profile picture, and city are visible to other users. This is the core function of the Service. Do not include sensitive personal information in listings.

4.2 With Service Providers (Data Processors)

We use trusted third-party services to operate FindAm. These providers process your data on our behalf and are contractually bound to protect it:

4.3 Cross-Border Transfers

Most of our service providers are based in the United States. When your personal data is transferred outside Cameroon, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, in compliance with Articles 49-52 of Law No. 2024/017. By using FindAm, you acknowledge and consent to the cross-border transfer of your personal data to the countries listed above.

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal data if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of FindAm, our users, or the public.

💬 5. WhatsApp Communications

FindAm uses WhatsApp as the primary way for buyers and vendors to communicate. When a buyer clicks "Contact on WhatsApp":

• They are redirected to WhatsApp to message you directly
• We track the click for analytics but do NOT read your messages
• All conversations happen directly between you and the buyer

📅 6. How Long We Keep Your Data

• Account data: retained while your account is active. Deleted within 90 days of account closure (except where retention is legally required).
• ID documents: deleted within 30 days of vendor account closure.
• Listings: retained while active. Inactive or removed listings are kept for 90 days, then deleted.
• Messages and bookings: retained for 12 months after the last interaction.
• Technical logs: retained for 90 days for security and debugging.
• Analytics data: retained in aggregated, anonymous form indefinitely.

⚖️ 7. Your Rights

Under Law No. 2024/017 and applicable international data protection laws, you have the following rights:

• Access — Request a copy of all your data
• Rectification — Update inaccurate or incomplete data
• Erasure — Request deletion of your data, subject to legal retention requirements
• Restriction — Limit how we process your data
• Portability — Get your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Objection — Object to processing for marketing or based on legitimate interest
• Withdraw consent — Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent
• Lodge a complaint — File a complaint with the Cameroonian data protection authority once it is established

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at noelnkwain@gmail.com. We respond within 30 days.

🛡️ 8. Data Security

• All data is transmitted over HTTPS (encrypted)
• Passwords are never stored in plain text — we use Clerk for secure authentication
• Sensitive data (including ID documents) is encrypted at rest
• Images are stored securely on Cloudinary
• Access to personal data is limited to authorized FindAm staff on a need-to-know basis

🍪 9. Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to:

• Keep you logged in (session cookies)
• Remember your language preference
• Measure anonymous usage statistics (Vercel Analytics)

We do not use third-party advertising cookies or cross-site tracking. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but parts of the Service may not work correctly.

👶 10. Children's Privacy

FindAm is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us immediately and we will delete it.

📝 11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top
• Notify you via email or in-app notification for significant changes
• Continue to honor the version of the policy in effect when you provided your data, until you accept the new version

📬 12. Contact Us