How do we protect you?

Sistar Mortgage Company, Inc. features security measures such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), 128-Bit Domestic Grade Strong Encryption and industry standard products such as firewalls as well as carefully developed security procedures and practices to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of information placed under our control.

What is SSL encryption?

SSL protocol provides secure communications on the Internet. Essentially, SSL does three things:

1. SSL creates a secure communication channel by encrypting communication between the user and the server.

2. SSL authenticates that the server to which you are connected is indeed correct. You can be assured that you are actually communicating with us, and not a third party trying to intercept the transaction.

3. SSL conducts a cryptographic word count to ensure data integrity between the server and the user. The word count (or checksum) provides a count of the number of bytes in a document and ensures the exact number of bytes is transmitted and received. With SSL, even this check sum is encrypted so it cannot be modified. If a message is not received in its entirety, it is rejected and another copy of the message is sent automatically.

Does Sistar use cookies?  What are cookies?

Sistar's Web site uses "cookies" to enable you to sign in to our services and to help personalize your online experience.  A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your hard disk by a Web page server. Cookies contain information that can later be read by a web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer.

What information is collected by Sistar with cookies?

Sistar's Web site uses cookies to store your preferences and other information on your computer in order to save you time by eliminating the need to repeatedly enter the same information and to display your personalized content and appropriate advertising on your later visits to these sites.

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to sign in or use other interactive features of Microsoft sites and services that depend on cookies.

What information is collected?

You can engage a number of tools, planners, calculators and other interactive advisors, such as the online interviews, without providing us your identity. We will not ask you for personally identifiable information to use these features, and do not attribute the information that you provide to you as an individual.

However, if you want to exercise one or more of the loan options presented, we will ask you to register at the site and supply other identifying and supporting information needed to process your application.

We use your contact information to provide you with alerts and updates regarding your loan status. Sistar Mortgage does not share your information with outside companies for their promotional use. We may, however, use it to send you communications and special offers on other products or services offered. (See Opt Out/Opt In, below.)

We may also supply the information you provide, on a strictly confidential basis, to service providers, such as title companies, appraisers, credit reporting services, etc., who assist us in qualifying, processing, closing and servicing your loan.

We may collect information about your visit, including the pages you view, the links you click and other actions taken in connection with Microsoft sites and services. We also collect certain standard information that your browser sends to every website you visit, such as your IP address, browser type and language, access times and referring Web site addresses.

How is the information used?

Sistar collects and uses your personal information to operate and improve its site and deliver the services or carry out the transactions you have requested. These uses may include providing you with more effective customer service; making the site or services easier to use by eliminating the need for you to repeatedly enter the same information; performing research and analysis aimed at improving our products, services and technologies; and displaying content and advertising that are customized to your interests and preferences.

We also use your personal information to communicate with you. We may send certain mandatory service communications such as welcome letters, billing reminders, information on technical service issues, and security announcements. We may also occasionally send you product surveys or promotional mailings to inform you of other products or services available from Sistar and its affiliates.

What information is NOT protected?

Sistar Mortgage Company, Inc. offers chat rooms and bulletin boards. Please note that information that is disclosed in these arenas becomes public. Use caution in disclosing any personal information.

We may access and/or disclose your personal information if we believe such action is necessary to: (a) comply with the law or legal process served on Sistar Mortgage; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Sistar or it's subsidiaries (including the enforcement of our agreements); or (c) act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of Sistar Mortgage services or members of the public.

What do I do if my information changes?

If you've been dealing with a loan officer, let them know.  In all other cases, please use the contact information at the bottom of the page to notify us of any changes.

Who do I contact if I have questions about the use of my information?

You may ask your loan officer or send your questions using the contact information below.

Who do I contact if I have questions regarding my privacy and/or this policy?

It is important to us that you feel secure when visiting our site.  If you have any questions regarding privacy, our site, or this policy, please use the contact information at the bottom of the page.  We will respond as soon as humanly possible.

Credit Report:

By submitting a loan application or a request to be pre-qualified to us, you authorize us to share your credit report with our affiliates only to process your loan application.

Newsletters:

We provide you the opportunity to subscribe to e-mail newsletters and other e-mail communications. You may unsubscribe by following the instructions provided in each e-mail newsletter.

Contests, Sweepstakes, and Surveys:

From time to time, we may offer you the option to participate in contests, sweepstakes, or surveys. If you would like to participate, we may ask you for contact information, preferences or other information. This information may be used to conduct research, improve our offerings, or contact you regarding home financing or award prizes. Our contests or sweepstakes may have separate rules and we will identify how the information that you supply will be used in each case.

Opt in/out and unsubscribe:

Sistar Mortgage Company, Inc. allows users to opt out of receiving e-mail from us or our partners. To opt out of our mailing list you can send e-mail to a remove mailing list.

Service Providers:

In some cases, we will employ or use service providers such as title companies, appraisers, consultants, temporary workers, or third party software developers, to complete a business process or provide a service on our behalf. For example, we may use service providers to enhance our Web site technology, deliver products, or to send e-mails. When we employ service providers, we may need to share your personally identifiable information. Service providers are strictly prohibited from using your personally identifiable information for purposes other than to act on our behalf.

Changes to Our Privacy Policy:

If we plan to make significant changes to any of our privacy policies or practices with respect to how we use personally identifiable information, we'll post those changes to the Sistar Mortgage web site 30 days before they take effect.

This site contains links to other sites. Sistar Mortgage Company, Inc. is not responsible for the content or privacy practices of these sites.