Biometric Information Privacy Policy and Consent

West Michigan Credit Union recognizes the need to prioritize the privacy and security of your personal information. We have taken the utmost care in establishing and implementing policies and procedures to protect this information.

West Michigan Credit Union’s Biometric Privacy Policy PDF

Effective: 03/19/2024

Scope and Overview

This policy outlines how West Michigan Credit Union, its vendors, and/or the licensor of the West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software processes biometric data collected from you for identity verification and fraud prevention purposes.

Biometric Data Defined

As used in this policy, biometric data includes “biometric identifiers” and “biometric information”. “Biometric identifier” means a retina or iris scan, fingerprint, voiceprint, or scan of hand or face geometry. As the term is used in this policy, the selfie photograph you upload to the software for use in the biometric algorithm is considered a "biometric identifier." “Biometric information” means any information, regardless of how it is captured, converted, stored, or shared, based on an individual’s biometric identifier used to identify an individual.

Disclosure and Authorization Policy

To the extent that West Michigan Credit Union, its vendors, and/or the licensor of the West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software collect, capture, or otherwise obtain biometric data relating to a consumer, West Michigan Credit Union must first:

Inform each consumer that West Michigan Credit Union, its vendors, and/or the licensor of the West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software are collecting, capturing, or otherwise obtaining the employee’s biometric data, and that the West Michigan Credit Union is providing such biometric data to its vendors and the licensor of the West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software;
Inform the consumer of the specific purpose and length of time for which the consumer’s biometric data is being collected, stored, and used; and
Receive consent by the consumer authorizing West Michigan Credit Union, its vendors, and/or West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software to collect, store, and use the consumer’s biometric data for the specific purposes disclosed by the West Michigan Credit Union, and for West Michigan Credit Union to provide such biometric data to its vendors and the licensor of the West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software.
West Michigan Credit Union, its vendors, and/or the licensor of the West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software will not sell, lease, trade, or otherwise profit from employees’ biometric data; provided, however, that the West Michigan Credit Union’s vendors and the licensor of the West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software may be paid for products or services used by West Michigan Credit Union that utilize such biometric data.

This policy is intended to comply with all federal, state, and local laws.

Purpose for the Collection of Biometric Data

West Michigan Credit Union, its vendors, and/or the licensor of West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software collect, store, and use biometric data solely for identity verification and fraud prevention purposes.

Disclosure

West Michigan Credit Union will not disclose or disseminate any biometric data to anyone other than its vendors and the licensor of the West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software providing products and services using biometric data without/unless:

First obtaining consumer consent to such disclosure or dissemination;
The disclosed data completes a financial transaction requested or authorized by the consumer;
Disclosure is required by law or ordinance; or
Disclosure is required pursuant to a valid warrant or subpoena issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Security

West Michigan Credit Union shall use a commercially reasonable standard of care to store, transmit and protect from disclosure any biometric data collected. Such storage, transmission, and protection from disclosure shall be performed in a manner that is the same as or more protective than the manner in which West Michigan Credit Union stores, transmits and protects from disclosure other confidential and sensitive information, including personal information that can be used to uniquely identify an individual or an individual’s account or property, such as genetic markers, genetic testing information, account numbers, PINs, driver’s license numbers and social security numbers.

Retention

West Michigan Credit Union shall retain consumer biometric data only until, and shall request that its vendors and the licensor of West Michigan Credit Union’s consumer verification software permanently destroy such data when, the first of the following occurs:

The initial purpose for collecting or obtaining such biometric data has been satisfied, such as verification of consumer identity;
Request of consumer to destroy the biometric data; or
Within 30 days of consumer’s provisioning of biometric data.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about our use, storage, or security of your biometric data you can contact us at: cuinfo@westmichigancu.com