At ReferralMate, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use and share it, and the choices you have regarding your information when you use the ReferralMate platform — a marketplace where real estate agents can post, browse, and apply to referral opportunities.

By using ReferralMate, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you have any questions, please contact us at admin@referralmate.co.

1. Who We Are

ReferralMate operates an online marketplace that connects licensed real estate agents. Agents can post referral opportunities — such as clients they wish to refer to agents in other markets — and other agents can apply to receive those referrals. We facilitate the connection and may assist with referral agreement workflows.

2. Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide to Us

When you register, use, or interact with ReferralMate, you may provide:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, username, and password when you create an account.
• Professional Information: Real estate license number, brokerage name, state(s) of licensure, years of experience, and areas of specialty.
• Referral Postings: Details about referral opportunities you post, including client type, geographic area, transaction type, and preferred referral fee.
• Applications: Information you submit when applying to a referral, including a personal pitch, production history, and availability.
• Communications: Messages you send to other agents or to ReferralMate through the platform.
• Payment Information: Bank account or payment details for processing referral fees. Payment data is handled by our third-party payment processor and is not stored directly by us.
• Feedback and Reviews: Ratings, reviews, or feedback you provide about other agents or your experience with ReferralMate.
• Profile Content: Photos, bio, and any other information you choose to add to your public agent profile.

B. Information We Collect Automatically

When you access or use the ReferralMate platform, we and our service providers automatically collect certain data, including:

• Usage Data: Pages visited, listings viewed, searches performed, links clicked, and time spent on various sections of the platform.
• Device and Log Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and access timestamps.
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to maintain sessions, remember preferences, and analyze usage patterns.
• Location Data: Approximate location inferred from your IP address. We do not collect precise GPS location without your explicit consent.

C. Information from Third Parties

• Authentication Services: If you sign in using Google or another third-party service, we receive basic profile information (name and email) from that provider.
• Real Estate Databases: We may verify your license status using publicly available real estate licensing databases.
• Payment Processors: We receive confirmation data (e.g., transaction ID, success/failure status) from our payment processor.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your ReferralMate account.
• Display your agent profile and referral postings to other users of the platform.
• Match agents with relevant referral opportunities based on location, specialty, and preferences.
• Facilitate communications between agents regarding referral opportunities.
• Process referral fee transactions and send payment confirmations.
• Verify your real estate license and professional credentials.
• Send transactional emails and SMS messages (e.g., new application alerts, message notifications, account updates). We do not send marketing messages via SMS.
• Send marketing communications via email about new features or opportunities, subject to your preferences.
• Analyze and improve the platform's features, usability, and performance.
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms of Service.
• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal obligations.
• Respond to your support requests and inquiries.

4. How We Share Your Information

A. With Other Agents on the Platform

Your agent profile — including your name, photo, brokerage, license information, areas of specialty, and reviews — is visible to other registered agents on ReferralMate. When you apply to a referral, the agent who posted it will see your application details and profile. When you post a referral, agents who view or apply to it can see the details you provided.

B. With Service Providers

We share personal data with trusted vendors who help us operate the platform, including:

• Payment processors (for referral fee transactions)
• Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers
• Email and communication service providers
• Analytics and performance monitoring tools
• Customer support software providers
• Fraud prevention and identity verification services

We contractually require these providers to use your data only as needed to perform services on our behalf.

C. For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information to third parties when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with a law, regulation, or legal process (e.g., a subpoena or court order).
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of ReferralMate, our users, or the public.
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security issues, or technical problems.
• Enforce our Terms of Service or other agreements.

D. Business Transfers

If ReferralMate is involved in a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or similar transaction, your personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email or prominent notice on our platform before your data is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

E. With Your Consent

We may share your information with other parties when you have given us explicit permission to do so.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. We also retain data as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. If you delete your account, we will remove or anonymize your personal data within 90 days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes such as fraud prevention.

6. Your Choices and Rights

A. Account and Profile

You can access and update your profile information, contact details, and notification preferences at any time through your account settings.

B. Marketing Communications

You can opt out of marketing emails by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in any marketing email or updating your notification settings. You will continue to receive transactional messages related to your account and activity.

C. Cookies

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the platform.

D. U.S. State Privacy Rights

Depending on your state of residence, you may have additional rights under applicable privacy laws, including:

• Right to Know: Request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal data we have collected about you.
• Right to Access and Portability: Obtain a copy of your personal data in a portable format.
• Right to Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate information we hold about you.
• Right to Deletion: Request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal data for targeted advertising purposes.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, please submit a request to admin@referralmate.co or through the privacy settings in your account. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration. These measures include encryption of data in transit (TLS), access controls, and regular security assessments. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password for your account and to notify us immediately if you suspect any unauthorized access.

8. Children's Privacy

ReferralMate is intended solely for licensed real estate professionals and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, we will promptly delete that information. If you believe a child has provided us data, please contact us at admin@referralmate.co.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services (such as MLS systems or CRM tools). This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you use.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Continued use of ReferralMate after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: admin@referralmate.co