Privacy Policy

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how Energy Connects collects, uses, discloses, and protects information obtained from visitors to our website and individuals who contact our advisory service by telephone. It applies to all information collected through energyconnects.us and through calls to (888) 719-0314.

By using our website or calling our phone number, you confirm that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to the collection and use of your information as described herein. If you do not agree, please do not use our website or services.

We take your privacy seriously. We do not sell your personal information to third parties, and we collect only what is reasonably necessary to provide our consulting and advisory services.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of information when you interact with our website or contact us by phone:

Information you provide directly:

• Your full name and contact details (phone number, email address)
• Your service address or general location (state, city)
• Your current utility provider
• General information about your energy usage or bill (monthly amount, account type, billing questions)
• Whether you are a residential or commercial customer
• Information submitted through our website contact form (name, phone, email, message)

Information collected automatically when you visit our website:

• IP address and general geographic location (city/region level only — not precise location)
• Browser type, version, and device information
• Operating system
• Pages visited on our website and time spent on each page
• Referring website or search query that brought you to our site
• Google Ads click identifiers (GCLID) and conversion tracking data
• Session duration and navigation behavior

What we do NOT collect: We do not collect utility account numbers, utility account passwords, social security numbers, payment card details, bank account information, or any sensitive financial credentials through our website or contact form. Our advisors are instructed never to request this information over the phone.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect strictly for the following purposes:

• To provide energy consulting, bill navigation, and advisory services to you over the phone
• To understand your energy situation and deliver relevant, accurate guidance during your call
• To respond to inquiries submitted through our website contact form
• To improve our website content, user experience, and service quality
• To measure and optimize the performance of our Google Ads advertising campaigns
• To comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations
• To detect, prevent, and address technical issues or fraudulent activity
• To refer you to vetted solar installation partners if you qualify and consent (see Section 6)

We do not use your personal information for automated decision-making, credit decisions, insurance scoring, or profiling. We do not use your information to make decisions about your utility account — all account-level decisions rest with you and your utility provider.

We will never use your information to contact you for unsolicited marketing purposes without your prior consent.

4. Phone Calls, Call Recording & TCPA Notice

Our primary service is delivered over the telephone. The following applies to all calls made to or received from (888) 719-0314:

Call Recording:

• Calls to and from Energy Connects may be recorded for quality assurance, training, compliance monitoring, and dispute resolution purposes
• By calling our number or accepting a call from us, you consent to the recording of that call
• If you do not wish to be recorded, please inform the agent at the start of the call — we will make reasonable accommodations where legally permissible, though we may be unable to provide certain services without recording
• Call recordings are stored securely and are accessible only to authorized personnel with a legitimate business need
• We retain call recordings for a period of up to 12 months (see Section 7 — Data Retention)
• We do not share call recordings with third parties except where required by law or court order

TCPA Compliance Notice:

Energy Connects complies with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). We do not initiate automated calls, robocalls, or pre-recorded message calls to consumers without prior express written consent. All outbound calls made by our team are placed by live agents. If you believe you have received a call from us in error, please contact us immediately at info@energyconnects.us.

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies. A cookie is a small text file placed on your device when you visit a website. We use the following types:

• Strictly necessary cookies — Required for the website to function correctly. These cannot be disabled and do not collect personal data.
• Analytics cookies (Google Analytics) — Help us understand how visitors interact with our website. Data collected is anonymized and aggregated. No personally identifiable information is stored.
• Advertising cookies (Google Ads) — Track which ads led visitors to our website and whether a phone call conversion occurred. These use Google's click identifier (GCLID) and do not identify you personally.
• Preference cookies — Remember your settings and preferences for a better experience on return visits.

How to control cookies: You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Instructions vary by browser:

• Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
• Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
• Edge: Settings → Cookies and Site Permissions

Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. To opt out of Google Analytics tracking specifically, install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. To opt out of Google Ads personalization, visit adssettings.google.com.

6. Third-Party Services & Data Disclosure

We use the following third-party service providers who may process data on our behalf. Each is bound by their own privacy policies and data processing agreements:

• Google LLC (Google Ads & Google Analytics) — Advertising performance measurement and website analytics. Data processed under Google's Privacy Policy.
• Hostinger International Ltd — Website hosting and infrastructure. Servers located in the European Union and United States. Data processed under Hostinger's Privacy Policy.
• Call tracking service providers — Used to measure inbound call volume from advertising campaigns. These services log call metadata (duration, originating number, timestamp) but do not record call content independently of our systems.
• Formspree or equivalent form processor — If you submit our contact form, your submission data is transmitted through a third-party form processing service to our inbox. No data is stored permanently by the form processor.

We do not sell, rent, lease, or trade your personal information to any third party for marketing purposes — ever.

We may disclose your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• To service providers listed above who assist us in operating our business, under written confidentiality and data processing agreements
• If required by law, valid court order, subpoena, or lawful governmental request
• To protect the rights, property, safety, or security of Energy Connects, our staff, our customers, or the public
• In connection with a business merger, acquisition, or sale of assets — in which case you will be notified
• With your explicit, informed consent

Solar referral partners: If during an advisory call you qualify for and consent to a solar installation referral, we will share only your name and contact number with the specific vetted installer partner. This sharing occurs only with your verbal consent during the call. You are never obligated to accept a referral.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Our general retention periods are:

• Call recordings — Retained for up to 12 months from the date of the call, then securely deleted
• Call metadata (logs) — Retained for up to 24 months for operational and compliance purposes
• Contact form submissions — Retained for up to 12 months from submission date
• Website analytics data — Retained for up to 26 months in aggregate, anonymized form (Google Analytics default)
• Advertising data (Google Ads) — Per Google's updated policy effective June 1, 2026: hourly, daily, and weekly performance data is retained for 37 months; monthly, quarterly, and yearly performance data is retained for up to 11 years. Prior to June 1, 2026, Google's previous standard retention policy applies. This data is aggregated and anonymized and does not identify individual users.

When retention periods expire, data is either permanently deleted or anonymized so it can no longer be associated with any individual. You may request earlier deletion of your personal data by contacting us at info@energyconnects.us (see Section 10 — Your Rights).

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable and appropriate technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• SSL/TLS encryption on all pages of energyconnects.us (HTTPS)
• Secure, access-controlled hosting infrastructure through Hostinger
• Role-based access controls — only staff with a legitimate need can access personal data
• Password-protected systems and two-factor authentication where applicable
• Regular review of our data handling practices and security posture
• Staff training on data privacy obligations and secure handling procedures

Despite these measures, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information. In the event of a security incident, we will follow the procedures described in Section 13 (Data Breach Notification).

9. International Data Transfers

Energy Connects serves customers located in the United States. Our website is hosted on servers located in the United States and European Union. Our business operations are managed internationally.

If you are located in the United States and contact us, your personal information may be accessed by our team members located outside the United States (including in Pakistan) solely for the purpose of delivering our advisory services. We ensure that any international access to your data is subject to appropriate confidentiality obligations and is used only for the purposes described in this policy.

We do not transfer personal data to countries that do not provide adequate data protection standards without implementing appropriate safeguards. All staff with access to customer data are bound by confidentiality agreements prohibiting unauthorized use or disclosure.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your state of residence, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@energyconnects.us with the subject line "Privacy Rights Request":

• Right to know — Request information about what personal data we hold about you and how it is used
• Right to access — Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to correction — Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to deletion — Request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
• Right to opt out of data sale — We do not sell personal data, but you may formally request confirmation of this at any time
• Right to opt out of targeted advertising — You can opt out of Google Ads personalization via adssettings.google.com
• Right to data portability — Request a copy of your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format
• Right to non-discrimination — We will never deny services, charge different prices, or provide a different quality of service because you exercised a privacy right

We will respond to all verified privacy rights requests within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing a request. In some cases, legal obligations may prevent us from fulfilling a deletion request in full — we will explain this clearly if it applies.

11. California Residents — CCPA/CPRA Rights

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

• Right to Know — You may request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you in the past 12 months, the sources of that information, our business purpose for collecting it, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it
• Right to Delete — You may request deletion of personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions
• Right to Correct — You may request correction of inaccurate personal information
• Right to Opt Out of Sale or Sharing — We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. You may request formal confirmation at any time
• Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information — We collect minimal sensitive personal information and use it only to provide our services
• Right to Non-Discrimination — We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights

To submit a CCPA request, email info@energyconnects.us with the subject line "CCPA Request" or call us at (888) 719-0314. We will verify your identity and respond within 45 days. We do not charge a fee for processing CCPA requests unless they are manifestly unfounded or excessive.

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information: Energy Connects does not sell or share personal information as defined under CCPA. To formally opt out or request confirmation, contact us at info@energyconnects.us.

12. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are intended exclusively for adults aged 18 and older. Our advisory services involve financial and utility account matters that require adult legal capacity.

We do not knowingly collect, solicit, or retain personal information from children under the age of 13 under any circumstances. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information immediately from our systems.

If you believe we have collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately at info@energyconnects.us or call (888) 719-0314.

13. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data security breach that affects your personal information, Energy Connects will take the following steps:

• We will promptly investigate the nature and scope of the breach upon discovery
• We will take immediate steps to contain the breach and prevent further unauthorized access
• Where required by applicable state law (including but not limited to California, New York, and New Jersey breach notification laws), we will notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay
• Notification will be provided via email to the address on file, or by written notice if no email is available
• We will notify relevant regulatory authorities as required by applicable law
• We will provide affected individuals with information about the nature of the breach, the data involved, steps taken, and recommended protective actions

If you suspect unauthorized access to your personal information related to your interactions with Energy Connects, please contact us immediately at info@energyconnects.us.

14. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in our practices, services, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Post the revised policy at energyconnects.us/privacy-policy
• Where required by law, provide direct notification to affected individuals

Your continued use of our website or services after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically. If you disagree with any changes, please discontinue use of our services and contact us to request deletion of your information.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, complaints, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data handling practices, please contact us through any of the following:

• Email (preferred for written requests): info@energyconnects.us
• Phone: (888) 719-0314

We aim to acknowledge all privacy-related inquiries within 2 business days and resolve them within 30 days. For CCPA-specific requests, the response window is 45 days as required by law.

If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy complaint, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with your state's Attorney General office or consumer protection authority.