Privacy Policy

Last Updated: April 15, 2026

Hedge Scout, LLC ("Hedge Scout," "we," "us," or "our"), registered in the State of Connecticut, operates a subscription-based research platform for the hedge fund industry at HedgeScout.com. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your rights regarding that data.

This policy applies to:

  • Subscribers to Hedge Scout's Research Products
  • Prospective subscribers who inquire about or sign up for a trial
  • Visitors to HedgeScout.com

For California residents, please see our separate California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Privacy Notice at https://www.hedgescout.com/california-privacy-policy/.

Personal Data We Collect

When you register for a subscription, request a trial, or contact us, we collect the following categories of personal data:

Identity Data — First name, last name, salutation, job title

Contact Data — Email address, phone number, mailing address

Employment Data — Company name, employer, company size

Billing & Transaction Data — Payment method type, last four digits of card, transaction IDs, billing address

Technical Data — IP address, browser type, operating system, visit timestamps

Communications Data — Email open and click data, support correspondence

Consent & Preference Data — Marketing opt-in/opt-out preferences

We do not collect sensitive personal data such as government ID numbers, biometric data, or health information.

How We Collect Your Data

  • Subscription sign-up and account registration on HedgeScout.com, powered by Ghost Pro
  • Payment processing via Stripe, Inc. (primary) or Block, Inc. d/b/a Square (backup)
  • Direct communications with our team by email or telephone
  • Website activity through server logs and essential cookies

How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

Creating and managing your subscription account — Performance of contract

Processing payments and issuing receipts — Performance of contract

Delivering Research Products and service updates — Performance of contract

Maintaining billing records and resolving disputes — Legitimate interests / legal obligation

Sending product announcements and service notices — Legitimate interests (with opt-out right)

Monitoring website security and performance — Legitimate interests

Complying with tax, financial, and regulatory obligations — Legal obligation

Retaining records for audit and compliance purposes — Legal obligation

We do not sell your personal data. We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

Our Service Providers

We share your personal data only with the following service providers, each operating under a written data processing agreement with Hedge Scout.

Ghost Foundation (Ghost Pro)

Ghost Foundation operates Ghost Pro, the platform that hosts HedgeScout.com, manages subscriber accounts, and delivers our Research Products. Ghost Foundation acts as a data processor under our instructions.

Stripe, Inc. — Primary Payment Processor

Stripe processes subscription payments on our behalf. Stripe acts as both a data processor (processing payment data on Hedge Scout's behalf) and an independent data controller (for its own fraud prevention, compliance, and financial services obligations). Hedge Scout does not store full card numbers; we have access only to the last four digits of your card for verification purposes.

Block, Inc. d/b/a Square — Backup Payment Processor

Square serves as a backup payment processor when Stripe is unavailable. Like Stripe, Square acts as both a data processor for transaction processing on our behalf and an independent data controller for its own compliance and fraud-prevention activities. Hedge Scout immediately destroys any payment information not retained by Square directly.

We do not share your personal data with any other third parties except as required by applicable law or regulation.

International Data Transfers

Hedge Scout is based in the United States. Ghost Foundation, Stripe, and Square may process your personal data in the United States or other countries outside your jurisdiction.

Where personal data is transferred from the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or Switzerland to the United States, each of our processors relies on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission, or equivalent transfer mechanisms, to ensure an adequate level of protection for your data. Details of each processor's transfer mechanisms are available via the linked agreements above.

Data Retention

We retain personal data for the following periods:

Subscriber identity, contact, and employment data — Duration of subscription + 6 years

Billing and transaction records — 6 years (tax and regulatory compliance)

Email communications and support correspondence — 3 years

Technical / website log data — 12 months

Marketing preference and consent records — Until withdrawal of consent + 3 years

After the applicable retention period, personal data is securely deleted or anonymized. You may request earlier deletion subject to our legal and regulatory obligations (see Your Rights below).

Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal data, including:

  • Encryption of data in transit (TLS) and at rest
  • Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel only
  • Multi-factor authentication for internal systems
  • Regular security reviews and vulnerability assessments
  • PCI DSS-compliant payment processing via Stripe and Square — Hedge Scout does not store full card numbers

If you suspect unauthorized access to your account, please contact us immediately at info@hedgescout.com.

Cookies

We use two categories of cookies on the Site: (1) essential cookies, which are strictly necessary for core Website functionality including subscriber authentication, session management, and payment processing, and do not require consent under applicable regulations; and (2) analytics cookies, specifically Google Analytics (GA4), which we use to understand how visitors interact with our Website and which are loaded only upon your explicit consent via our cookie consent banner.

If you decline analytics cookies, Google Analytics will not be loaded and no analytics data will be collected from your session. You may withdraw or update your consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link in the Website footer.

For a complete list of all cookies in use, their durations, and how to manage your preferences, see our Cookie Policy.

Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Access — Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
  • Correction — Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Erasure — Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention obligations
  • Restriction — Request that we limit processing of your data in certain circumstances
  • Portability — Request transfer of your data in a structured, machine-readable format
  • Objection — Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Withdrawal of Consent — Withdraw any previously given consent at any time

To exercise any of these rights, email us at info@hedgescout.com with your name, contact details, and the specific right you wish to exercise. We will respond within one calendar month. For complex or multiple requests, we may extend this period by up to two additional months and will notify you within the first month if an extension is needed.

Right to Complain

EU and UK residents have the right to lodge a complaint with their local data protection supervisory authority. A directory of EU supervisory authorities is available at edpb.europa.eu. UK residents may contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Data Breach Notification

In the event of a personal data breach that poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, Hedge Scout will:

  • Notify the relevant supervisory authority within seventy-two (72) hours of becoming aware of the breach, where required by applicable law
  • Notify affected Subscribers without undue delay if the breach is likely to result in a high risk to their rights and freedoms
  • Cooperate with Ghost Foundation, Stripe, and Square in their respective breach notification obligations

If you believe your Hedge Scout account has been compromised, contact us immediately at info@hedgescout.com.

Email Communications

We may send you service-related emails such as subscription confirmations, renewal notices, and product updates. We may also track whether you open our emails and which links you click, to improve our communications.

To opt out of marketing emails or email tracking, contact us at info@hedgescout.com. You cannot opt out of transactional service emails while your subscription is active.

Children's Privacy

Our Research Products are intended solely for professional and institutional subscribers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under the age of 13. If we become aware that data from a child under 13 has been collected, we will delete it promptly and, where required, notify the parent or guardian.

Independent Data Controller Status

Hedge Scout and each Subscriber act as independent data controllers with respect to their own processing activities. Hedge Scout is not a data processor acting on behalf of Subscribers, and Subscribers are not data processors acting on behalf of Hedge Scout. Each party is independently responsible for its own compliance with applicable data protection laws.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated to active Subscribers by email at least thirty (30) days prior to taking effect. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy reflects the most recent revision.

Contact Us

Hedge Scout, LLC
info@hedgescout.com
www.hedgescout.com