Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 24 February 2001
Last Updated: 22 October 2024

1. Introduction

VERIDARC ("we", "our" or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of the personal information entrusted to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose and protect information when you visit our website, contact us, request our services or engage us to conduct an investigation.

Our services include blockchain tracing, cryptocurrency investigations, digital asset theft investigations, financial fraud analysis and forensic reporting. These services may require us to examine sensitive financial information, blockchain transaction records and supporting evidence. We handle personal information responsibly, transparently and only for legitimate purposes connected with our business activities, subject to applicable legal requirements.

By using our website or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have had the opportunity to review this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on your interaction with VERIDARC, we may collect the following categories of information.

2.1 Personal and Contact Information

When you contact us or request our services, we may collect:

Full name and preferred form of address.
Email address and telephone number.
Residential or business address, where necessary.
Company name, professional role and business contact details.
Information you provide through contact forms, emails or consultations.\

2.2 Financial and Transaction Information

When conducting investigations, we may collect information relevant to the matter under review, including:

Cryptocurrency wallet addresses and blockchain transaction identifiers.
Transaction histories, timestamps, asset types and transaction amounts.
Records of cryptocurrency exchanges and digital asset platforms.
Financial statements, payment confirmations and relevant account records.
Information relating to suspected fraudulent transactions or unauthorised transfers.
Documents and other evidence voluntarily provided by clients.

We seek to collect only information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant investigative purpose.

2.3 Investigative Information

Depending on the nature and scope of an investigation, we may process:

Transaction records obtained from publicly accessible blockchain networks.
Information relating to suspected scams, fraudulent schemes or digital asset theft.
Relevant communications, screenshots, reports and supporting documentation.
Information concerning wallet activity and potential relationships between blockchain addresses.
Investigative findings, analytical notes and forensic reports.

Some investigative information may relate to individuals other than our clients. We handle such information responsibly and in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection laws.

2.4 Technical and Website Information

When you visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically, depending on the website's configuration and your privacy settings. This may include:

IP address and general device information.
Browser type and operating system.
Pages visited and interactions with website features.
Referral sources and approximate location derived from technical information.
Cookies and similar technologies, where used.

We use this information to maintain website functionality, monitor performance, improve user experience and help protect our website against misuse.

2.5 Information from Third-Party Sources

Where appropriate and lawful, we may obtain information from:

Public blockchain explorers and blockchain analytics resources.
Publicly available records, websites and reports.
Cryptocurrency exchanges and digital asset service providers, where access is authorised or otherwise lawful.
Clients, their authorised representatives and professional advisers.
Legal professionals, relevant specialists and other parties involved in a case.

Information obtained from third parties is assessed in the context of the investigation and the reliability of the available evidence.

3. How We Use Your Information

VERIDARC may use personal information for the following purposes:

Providing investigative services: To assess cases, conduct blockchain tracing, analyse suspicious transactions, investigate digital asset theft and prepare forensic reports.

Tracing digital assets: To examine blockchain transaction histories, identify transaction patterns, assess potential connections between wallet addresses and develop investigative leads.

Communicating with clients: To respond to enquiries, arrange consultations, request relevant documentation and provide updates about ongoing investigations.

Preparing reports and evidence: To document investigative findings, organise supporting records and prepare reports for clients, legal advisers or other authorised recipients.

Assessing recovery options: To help clients understand the movement of their assets, evaluate potential investigative leads and identify possible avenues for further action.

Maintaining security: To protect our website, systems, records and communications against unauthorised access, misuse and other security threats.

Meeting legal obligations: To comply with applicable laws, respond to lawful requests and establish, exercise or defend legal claims where appropriate.

Improving our services: To evaluate our processes, maintain accurate business records and improve the quality and effectiveness of our services.

We will not use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the purposes described in this Policy unless permitted by applicable law or supported by an appropriate legal basis.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Where required by applicable data protection law, we process personal information on one or more lawful bases.

These may include:

Consent: Where you have given valid consent for a specific purpose.
Contractual necessity: Where processing is necessary to provide requested services or take steps before entering into a contract.
Legal obligations: Where processing is required to comply with applicable law.
Legitimate interests: Where processing is necessary for legitimate business or investigative interests and those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.
Legal claims: Where processing is necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims, where applicable.

The appropriate legal basis depends on the circumstances and the type of information involved. Where consent is relied upon, you may withdraw it subject to applicable legal requirements. Withdrawal does not affect processing lawfully undertaken before consent was withdrawn.

5. Blockchain Transparency and Public Records

Blockchain networks may maintain publicly accessible transaction records. Depending on the network, these records can include wallet addresses, transaction amounts, timestamps and transaction histories.

VERIDARC may analyse these records as part of its investigative services.

Although wallet addresses do not necessarily identify individuals directly, information associated with a wallet may become identifiable when combined with other available information.

We do not control the operation of public blockchain networks and cannot remove, amend or guarantee the confidentiality of information permanently recorded on them.

Our analysis may identify patterns, associations or potential leads. A connection between wallet addresses does not, by itself, establish the identity, ownership, intent or wrongdoing of any individual. Investigative conclusions must be considered in light of the available evidence and its limitations.

6. Confidentiality and Disclosure

We recognise that clients may share highly sensitive information when seeking assistance with financial fraud or digital asset investigations.

We treat client information confidentially and restrict access to authorised individuals who require it for legitimate business or investigative purposes.

We may disclose information in the following circumstances:

To authorised service providers: Where necessary, we may use third-party providers for secure hosting, communications, document storage, technical support or other business functions.

To legal professionals and relevant specialists: Where appropriate, we may share relevant information with legal advisers, forensic specialists or other professionals involved in a case, subject to applicable law and any necessary authorisation.

At the client's direction: We may provide information to a client’s authorised representative or another designated recipient where appropriate.

For legal compliance: We may disclose information where required by law, court order or another legally binding obligation.

To protect rights and security: We may disclose relevant information where reasonably necessary to investigate suspected unlawful activity, protect our legal rights or address a security incident, subject to applicable law.

During business changes: If our business undergoes a merger, restructuring, acquisition or transfer of assets, relevant information may be transferred where legally permissible and subject to appropriate safeguards.

We do not sell personal information to third parties as part of our ordinary business practices.

Where third-party providers process personal information on our behalf, we seek appropriate contractual and organisational safeguards consistent with the nature of the information and applicable legal requirements.

7. Data Security

VERIDARC takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure or destruction.

Depending on the nature of the information and our operational arrangements, safeguards may include:

Access controls and restricted permissions.
Secure methods of transmitting and storing information.
Appropriate authentication and account security measures.
Confidentiality requirements for personnel and authorised service providers.
Procedures for handling investigative records and sensitive documentation.
Periodic reviews of relevant security practices.

No method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. Although we take reasonable steps to protect information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

If a data breach occurs, we will assess and respond to the incident in accordance with applicable legal obligations.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including providing services, maintaining investigative records, resolving disputes and meeting legal or regulatory obligations.

Retention periods may vary depending on:

The nature and complexity of the investigation.
The status of an engagement or potential recovery process.
Contractual and legal recordkeeping requirements.
The need to preserve evidence or establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
Applicable security, compliance and operational requirements.

When information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely delete it, destroy it or anonymise it, where appropriate and legally permissible.

Certain records may need to be retained for longer periods where required by law or necessary for legitimate legal purposes.

9. International Data Transfers

VERIDARC may work with clients, professional advisers and service providers in different jurisdictions.

Where personal information is transferred across national borders or accessed from another jurisdiction, it may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction.

Where applicable, we will implement appropriate safeguards for international transfers and comply with relevant legal requirements.

Information may also be accessible through public blockchain networks operating internationally. We do not control the geographic distribution or accessibility of records maintained by those networks.

10. Cookies and Website Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support essential functionality, remember preferences, understand website performance and improve the user experience.

Where applicable, non-essential cookies or similar technologies will be used in accordance with relevant consent requirements.

You may be able to manage cookies through your browser settings or through any cookie preference tool available on our website. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

If our website uses third-party analytics, embedded content or other external technologies, those providers may collect information in accordance with their own privacy policies and applicable requirements.

11. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and the privacy laws that apply, you may have rights concerning your personal information.

These rights may include:

Access: Requesting information about the personal data we hold about you and, where applicable, obtaining a copy.
Correction: Requesting that inaccurate or incomplete personal information be corrected.
Deletion: Requesting the deletion of personal information where applicable.
Withdrawal of consent: Withdrawing consent where processing is based on consent.
Restriction: Requesting restrictions on certain processing activities where the law provides this right.
Objection: Objecting to certain processing activities, including processing based on legitimate interests where applicable.
Data portability: Requesting a transferable copy of certain personal information where applicable.
Complaint: Raising a concern with the relevant privacy regulator.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions, including obligations to preserve evidence, comply with legal requirements or protect the rights of others. Information recorded on public blockchains generally cannot be removed or altered by VERIDARC.

To exercise an applicable privacy right, please contact us using the details provided in Section 15. We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.

12. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may contain links to external websites, platforms or resources.

These third-party services operate independently and may have their own privacy policies, security practices and terms of use.

VERIDARC is not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites that we do not control. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal information or using their services.

13. Children's Privacy

VERIDARC's services are intended primarily for adults and businesses seeking professional investigative assistance.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through our website unless there is a lawful and appropriate reason to do so.

If we become aware that personal information has been collected from a child in circumstances where it should not have been, we will take appropriate steps in accordance with applicable law.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our services, business practices, technology or legal obligations.

When changes are made, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the beginning of this Policy. Where required by law, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent before introducing material changes to how personal information is used.

We encourage visitors and clients to review this Policy periodically.

15. Contact VERIDARC

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to make a privacy-related request or have concerns about how your personal information is handled, please contact us using the details below.

Organisation: VERIDARC
Privacy Enquiries: info@veridarc.org
Website: www.veridarc.org
Business Address: The Professional Centre, 120 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5H 1T1 Canada

We will review privacy enquiries and respond within the timeframes required by applicable law.

16. Governing Privacy Laws

This Privacy Policy is intended to support transparent and responsible handling of personal information. Its application depends on the jurisdictions in which VERIDARC operates, the location of its clients and the nature of the services provided.

Where applicable, our handling of personal information will be governed by relevant Canadian privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and applicable provincial privacy laws. Where VERIDARC processes personal data subject to UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, we will comply with the requirements applicable to that processing.

Nothing in this Policy is intended to limit privacy rights or legal protections that cannot lawfully be excluded.

VERIDARC — Privacy, Confidentiality and Integrity in Every Investigation.