Privacy Notice

This Policy explains how ‘KSM Investigations’ (We) collect, use and disclose information about you. By using your information, we can provide the product or service you’ve asked for. The use of your information helps us understand what your interests in us are and provide personalised information that meets your requirements.

KSM Investigations has been trading since 1989.

Address:
KSM Investigations, Dorset House
Duke Street, Chelmsford
Essex CM1 1TB

Correspondence Address: [email protected]

What is Personal Data

“Personal data” is any information about a living individual which allows them to be identified from that data (e.g., names, photographs, videos, email addresses or addresses). Identification can be directly using the data itself or by combining it with other information which helps to identify a living individual. The processing of personal data is governed by the legislation applicable in the United Kingdom including the General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”) and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Your Consent

By completing our forms (for example through our website or sent to you following your enquiry, or by the continued use of our services), you consent to the use of your personal information in accordance with this Policy. This includes any sensitive personal information that you may provide, such as details of any case history, medical conditions, sexuality, political affiliation or leaning, union membership etc that you may mention in a post or in an email to us in relation to a service you may require.

You may withdraw such consent at any time by email: [email protected]

We are an Investigation agency providing professional services and reports to both private and public bodies. KSM Investigations abides by standards set by the Association of British Investigators (ABI) for its conduct and activities in order to provide a safe environment for the public to be referred as a professional when in need for investigative, or litigation support services.

We will collect, use and disclose personal information in line with this Policy. We also reserves the right to make changes to this policy without notice, visitors are advised to revisit this policy on a regular basis to see our latest terms and conditions.

Privacy Policy

Registration, forums, forms and your dealings with us

We collect information about you when you provide it to us. For example, when you fill out our online forms, enquire about our products and services or participate in a reader forum (which could be online through our website or by email), by telephone or in person, or on paper. If you telephone us or if we call you, the call may be recorded for quality, training, and management purposes. We may also record customer enquiries via online chat for the same purposes.

Information from devices

We also collect information indirectly from you, from the device you may be using when you interact with our website or use our apps. This can include your geographic location, which for example may be required to provide services to you that have relevance. We may also collect information from cookies placed on your computer or your device. See our Cookie Policy below for more information about our use of cookies.

Social login

If you log in to our website or online services through a third-party site, such as Facebook, that site may pass information to us, such as, user ID, name associated with the ID, email address and location, plus other information permitted under the privacy policy for that website. Our website may also return information about you to that social networking site regarding your login.

Posts, comments, and interaction

When someone enters into a conversation with us, for example through the use of polls, comments, text messages, email, phone, registration or forms and letters we reserve the right to display this content indefinitely in any relevant context but will be anonymised in the case of testimonials or customer services.

Public information and posts

Any information about yourself or others that you submit on social media sites, including chat rooms, blogs, and forums, will be viewed by other people. As such, this personal data may be viewed, collected, and used by third parties, including search engines, over which we have no control. We are not responsible for either the information you submit/post or otherwise make available in such public areas or any use that may be made of such information by any third party.

Other sources

We may also obtain information about you from other companies that have your permission to share information about you, as well as from other online and offline sources. We may combine this information with information we collect directly or indirectly from you.

Information about other People

In the absence of a legitimate interest, by giving us information about another person, you confirm that they have appointed you to act for them, for you to provide us with their information, including sensitive personal data, and to the transfer of their information abroad and to receive on their behalf any data protection notices.

How we use and share your information

Deliver services, improve experience and personalisation

We will use your information to provide you with membership administration, the requested products and services or request for assistance, to provide a greater personalised experience and to manage our relationship with you, including allowing you to interact, comment, and participate in online surveys. We may use your information to monitor and improve and protect our products, content, services, and website, both online and offline. We may also provide you with help and support where we believe it is required. For example, we may contact you were a registration or application for membership is not completed, if you have provided your information.

The content on our website and in our communications with you may be adjusted depending on what we know about the content, products, and services that you may be interested in. We provide personalisation by using cookies, IP addresses, web beacons, URL tracking and app settings. See our Cookie Policy below for more information about how we use these.

Market research and analytics

We may use your information to conduct market research in order to improve the services we offer and to develop new products and services.

Deliver relevant advertising

We use targeted advertising to provide online or email promotions that we believe are more relevant to your interests.

Relevant communications

Unless you have told us otherwise, we may use your information to send you newsletters, bulletins and other information about us and our services, projects or campaigns.

Direct marketing

This may include communications by post, telephone, email and messages to your mobile phone and through social media (such as Facebook and Twitter) about us and our business partners’ products and services, events and offers, including for a reasonable time after you may have ceased a subscription or service with us.

Sharing with third parties

We will only disclose your information to associated or third-party companies for their purposes, including marketing, when we have your permission to do so.

Linked services

Our services may be linked to websites operated by third party companies, and may carry advertisements or offer content, functionality, games, newsletters, contests, sweepstakes, or applications developed and maintained by unaffiliated companies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of unaffiliated companies, and once you leave the services or click an advertisement you should check the applicable privacy policy of the other service.

Allowing social sharing functionality

By logging in with or connecting your account with social media, you are permitting us to share information we collect from and about you with that social media provider, other users, and your friends, and you understand that the social media service’s use of the shared information will be governed by the social media service’s privacy policy. If you do not want your personal information shared in this way, please do not connect your social media service account with your account, and do not participate in social sharing on our website or apps.

Disclosures required by law

Your personal information will be disclosed where we are obliged by law to do so. We may also disclose your personal information where we are allowed by law to protect or enforce our rights or the rights of others and for the detection and prevention of crimes, such as fraud.

Acceptable use of services

If you post or send offensive or objectionable content anywhere on or to our website, forums or apps, or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on our website, forums or apps, we may use the information that is available to us about you to stop such behaviour. This may involve informing relevant third parties such as your employer, known business associates, trade bodies and law enforcement agencies about the content and your behaviour.

Sale of our business

If we sell part or all of our business, customer information may be one of the transferred business assets. If this happens, your information may be disclosed to any successors of our business for them to use for the purposes set out in this Policy.

Payment and credit checks

Customer information will be used to take payment for products and services and may be used to verify credit details related to this payment. Permission to do so is implicit in providing financial details to process payment. Direct debit or PayPal information may be retained for ease of renewal of services.

If you request or are granted credit, then, in order to help us to make credit decisions about you, prevent fraud, check your identity, and prevent money laundering, we may search the files of credit reference agencies and other data suppliers who may record any credit searches on your file.

User Access and Control.

Controlling direct marketing

You can change your mind about receiving direct marketing from us by contacting us using the contact details on the KSM Investigations web site Contact page, or email us at: [email protected] You can control communications such as bulletins and other information about your chosen services by following the unsubscribe instructions in the communication or by simply replying and inserting “Unsubscribe” in the subject line. You may still receive other communications that are relevant to your chosen services but do not relate to that specific type of communication. Where this is the case, you will be able to unsubscribe from these communications in the same way.

Requesting copies of your personal information

You may request a copy of your personal information from KSM Investigations, that we may hold about you without charge. You can also ask us to correct any inaccuracies in your personal information (which is also free).

Retention of personal information

We will retain your information for as long as necessary for the uses set out in this Policy. Personal information that is not or no longer pertinent to us will be erased or shredded. If you ask us to delete your information before that time, we may not be able to do so, due to technical, legal, regulatory and contractual constraints but we will endeavour to meet your request.