Effective Date: May 9, 2026 · Last updated: May 9, 2026
What this means for you — in plain English
We do not sell, share, or advertise with your data or your customers' data — ever. The only reason any data enters our system is to assess whether a checkout request is a bot. That is the beginning and end of what we do with it.
Your customers' email addresses are never stored in plain text. We hash them with SHA-256 before processing — the original address cannot be recovered from what we store, by us or anyone else.
Checkout signal data is deleted after 90 days. IP addresses, device identifiers, and hashed emails are purged on a rolling 90-day cycle. We retain only what we need, for as long as we need it.
ChargeGuard ("we", "us", "our") provides a fraud detection API for WooCommerce stores. When you install our plugin, your store sends us checkout signals to assess fraud risk in real time.
For privacy questions: support@chargeguard.io
Here is exactly what we do process, and why.
ChargeGuard processes two categories of data:
A. Store Owner Data (you)
| Data | Purpose | Sold? |
|---|---|---|
| Email address | Account registration & communication | Never |
| Store URL | API key validation | Never |
| API usage logs | Service operation & abuse prevention | Never |
B. Your Customers' Checkout Signals (processed, not stored in plain text)
| Signal | How It's Handled | Sold? |
|---|---|---|
| IP address | Used for risk scoring, not linked to identity | Never |
| Email address | Hashed (SHA-256) before processing — original never stored | Never |
| Order total | Used as a fraud signal (unusually low amounts = bot indicator) | Never |
| Device fingerprint | Randomly generated per-session identifier, not tied to real identity | Never |
| BIN (first 6 digits of card) | Used to check card country vs. customer location — no full card data ever processed | Never |
We use collected data exclusively to:
We do not use your data or your customers' data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose unrelated to fraud detection.
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Checkout risk signals (IP, hashed email, device ID) | 90 days, then permanently deleted |
| Store owner email & account data | Duration of account + 30 days after deletion request |
| API access logs | 30 days for security monitoring |
ChargeGuard uses three infrastructure providers to operate. The table below specifies exactly what data each one receives — nothing reaches any provider beyond what is listed here.
| Provider | Role | Data They Receive | Their Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare Turnstile | Bot protection on the registration form | Your IP address and browser signals at the moment of registration. Not linked to your store or ongoing account activity. | Cloudflare Privacy Policy |
| Render.com | Cloud hosting for the ChargeGuard API | All API request data passes through Render's infrastructure — this includes checkout signals sent by the plugin. Render processes this data on our behalf and is bound by data processing terms; they do not have independent rights to use it. | Render Privacy Policy |
| Neon (PostgreSQL) | Database hosting | Store owner account data (email, store URL, API key) and hashed checkout signals. All data is encrypted at rest. Neon does not have access to the content of stored data. | Neon Privacy Policy |
You have the following rights regarding your data:
To exercise any of these rights, email support@chargeguard.io. We will respond within 30 days.
We implement industry-standard security measures including:
If ChargeGuard ceases operation or is acquired by another company, we will notify all registered store owners by email at least 30 days in advance.
If ChargeGuard is acquired, all store owner account data and checkout signal data will be permanently and irreversibly deleted before any transfer is finalized. The acquirer will receive no user data. If the service shuts down without an acquirer, the same applies: all data will be permanently deleted within 30 days of service termination. You will not need to take any action — deletion will happen automatically.
If you would prefer not to wait, you can request deletion of your data at any time by emailing support@chargeguard.io.
When you install ChargeGuard, checkout signals from your customers pass through our API for fraud risk assessment. Depending on where your customers are located, this may affect your own privacy policy obligations.
If your store serves customers in the European Economic Area (GDPR): ChargeGuard acts as a data processor on your behalf under Article 28 of the GDPR. We offer a standard Data Processing Agreement (DPA) under Article 28 of the GDPR — email support@chargeguard.io to request one. You should disclose the use of third-party fraud detection tools in your store's privacy policy. We can provide suggested language on request.
If your store serves customers in California (CCPA): ChargeGuard does not sell or share customer data, which means our use does not trigger CCPA disclosure obligations under the "sale" definition. However, we recommend disclosing the use of fraud detection tools in your privacy policy as a matter of transparency.
If you're unsure: Email us at support@chargeguard.io. We'll give you a straight answer about what applies to your store, not a referral to a lawyer you didn't ask for.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify registered store owners by email at least 14 days before material changes take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent version.
For privacy questions or to exercise your rights, email us at support@chargeguard.io — we read and respond to every message ourselves. If you want a faster answer, message us directly on Telegram at @ChargeGuardd.
— Amr, founder · support@chargeguard.io