Privacy Policy
Protecting the Confidentiality, Security, & Integrity of Your Information
We at Gateway Bank & Trust understand that you expect privacy and security for your personal and financial affairs. You have chosen to do business with us, and we recognize our obligation to keep the information you provide to us secure and confidential. We value your trust and handle your information with care. We maintain standards and procedures designed to prevent the misuse of this information, and are committed to protecting your information in accordance with federal and state laws.
Collection, Retention, and Use of Information About You
We collect, retain, and use information about consumers in the course of doing business, such as information provided directly by our customers, as well as information available from public records, market research, and consumer reporting agencies. The types of "nonpublic personal information" that may be collected include: (1) the fact that an individual is a current or former customer; (2) information provided on loan or deposit account applications, such as an individual's address, telephone number, driver's license number, social security number, date of birth, employer, and income information; (3) information included in credit reports; (4) information regarding a customer's loan payment history and overdraft history; (5) information about credit card purchases, real estate recordations, security interest filings; etc. We use this information to comply with certain laws and regulations, to administer your accounts, and to help us understand your financial needs so that we can provide you with quality products, superior service, and opportunities that we think will be of interest to you.
Limiting Employee Access to Information
At Gateway Bank & Trust, employee access to customer information is authorized for business purposes only, and is shared on a "need to know" basis with those who have a legal right to the information. Our employees are governed by a strict code of conduct, which includes the responsibility to protect the confidentiality of each customer's personal information. Our employees are educated as to the importance of this issue, and stern disciplinary measures are used to enforce it.
Security Procedures to Protect Information
Keeping your personal and financial information secure is one of our most important responsibilities. We maintain security standards and procedures to help prevent unauthorized access to confidential information about you. We also update and test our technology to improve the protection of our information about you and to assure the integrity of our information.
Maintenance of Accurate Information
We are committed to maintaining complete and accurate information about our customers, and we employ reasonable measures to ensure the accuracy, timeliness, and thoroughness of this information. If we become aware of inaccuracies in our records, we will take prompt action to make appropriate corrections.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have the right to notify us if you believe we have reported inaccurate information about your account to any consumer reporting agency. Such notices should be sent in writing and include your complete name, current address, social security number, telephone number, account number, type of account, specific item of dispute, and the reason why you believe the information reported is in error. Send your notice to: Gateway Bank & Trust, 5102 Alabama Highway, Ringgold, Georgia, 30736. We will investigate your concerns, correct any inaccuracies, and confirm our actions to you.
Disclosing Nonpublic Personal Information to Affiliated and Nonaffiliated Third Parties
Other than under the limited exceptions explained in this disclosure, we do not share confidential information regarding our current and former customers with any affiliated or nonaffiliated third parties. You do not need to request this confidentiality - it is our standard practice. The limited exceptions under which we share nonpublic personal information with third parties are described below. Be assured that under no circumstances do we disclose customer account numbers or access codes to unaffiliated third parties for telemarketing or other direct marketing purposes.
Companies Who Perform Services for Us or Function on Our Behalf
We may share nonpublic personal information with third parties outside the Gateway Bank & Trust organization that have been hired by us to provide operational support, products, or services. Gateway Bank & Trust is highly selective in choosing vendors and service companies that assist us in providing quality products and services to our customers. We may share certain customer information with these third parties to facilitate the offering, administration, collection, and delivery of these products and services under a contractual agreement designed to protect our customer's privacy. These companies are not permitted to use your information for anything beyond the intended service and are required to comply with strict standards regarding the security and confidentiality of such information. They are not permitted to release, use for their own purposes, or sell any customer information we share with them to any other party.
Consumer Reporting Agencies
We will exchange information about our customers with reputable information reporting agencies, financial institutions, and merchants, in accordance with standard banking industry practice, so we can verify the existence and condition of customers' accounts. We will not share nonpublic personal information with independent companies for any other purpose without your consent.
Federal, State, or Local Laws, Regulations, and Other Applicable Legal Requirements
We may share nonpublic personal information with nonaffiliated third parties with your consent or to protect you against potential fraud or unauthorized transactions. You should also be aware that there may be occasions where we are legally required to disclose information about you, such as in response to a governmental agency, federal regulator, subpoena, or court order. Under certain circumstances, various federal, state, and local laws and regulations impose mandatory disclosure requirements on financial institutions for customer information. We must comply with laws that require mandatory production or disclosure. If you are involved in a legal proceeding, both federal, state, and local law provide parties to the litigation the right to compel the production of records and information from banks and other third party record keepers in certain situations. We will only disclose customer information to third party litigants when we are required to do so by lawful judicial process or by court order.
Secondary Market Sales, Securitization, or Similar Transactions
Gateway Bank & Trust may occasionally sell business assets or a business line, such as mortgage servicing rights. In these unusual circumstances, we may transfer ownership of the related customer information to the purchaser.
