Effective Date: April 2026 | Last Updated: July 2026 | ABN: 35 414 180 295

OziShield is a free public safety initiative operated by Ozinexus Technologies Pty Ltd (ABN 35 414 180 295), Sydney, Australia. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use OziShield — including the website scanner, the RealCheck image check tool, and the Chrome extension.

Your privacy is not a policy checkbox for us — it is the foundation of everything we build.

1. What We Collect

We collect only the minimum data required to run a check and keep the service secure.

Data Type Purpose Retention
Link or message content you submit To check for phishing, malware, or scam patterns Deleted immediately after checking
Screenshot or image (optional) Checked for signs of AI generation or manipulation via RealCheck Not stored — processed in memory, discarded immediately
Scan metadata (timestamp, hashed IP, country code) Service usage monitoring and abuse prevention Retained ≤ 90 days, then anonymised
Chrome extension: page URL checked, image checked via right-click RealCheck To return a check result within the extension Not stored on our servers; your scan history is kept locally in the extension popup on your own device
Email address, submitter IP, and signup timestamp (newsletter, optional) To send blog and scam-alert updates if you choose to subscribe Retained until you unsubscribe

2. What We Never Collect or Store

  • Personal emails, names, or login credentials
  • Full IP addresses (only one-way hashed, never stored in plain form)
  • Original images submitted through RealCheck
  • Facial recognition data or biometric profiles — ever
  • Payment details, advertising cookies, or tracking pixels
  • Any data for profiling, advertising, or commercial sale

3. How We Use Your Data

  • To generate your check result and display your OziShield analysis
  • To improve detection using anonymised, aggregated data only
  • To monitor for abuse and protect the service
  • To provide aggregated transparency statistics — never individual records

We do not share raw scan inputs with any third party, under any circumstances.

4. Security

  • All connections use HTTPS + HSTS with TLS 1.3 encryption
  • System credentials and security tokens are encrypted using industry-standard practices
  • Access is restricted to authorised Ozinexus Technologies staff under a least-privilege principle
  • Our infrastructure is hosted on Cloudways with automated daily backups

5. Third-Party Services & APIs

OziShield integrates only with trusted providers for threat intelligence:

  • Google Safe Browsing — phishing and malware database lookups
  • PhishTank — community-reported phishing database
  • URLhaus — malicious URL database
  • AbuseIPDB — abusive IP reputation lookups

These APIs receive only the link or domain being checked — never your personal information, email, IP address, or identity.

OziShield does not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any advertising network tracking on this site.

6. Your Rights & Control

Under the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and GDPR (for EU users), you have the right to:

  • Unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time using the link in any email — this immediately removes your email from active sending
    • Request access to any anonymised scan record linked to your session
    • Request permanent deletion of any stored record
    • Opt out of analytics — we respect Do Not Track browser settings
    • Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au

    To exercise any right, email: privacy@ozishield.com

    7. Compliance & Jurisdiction

    • Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)
    • GDPR Articles 6 & 17 for EU users
    • Consumer Data Right (CDR) transparency guidelines

    All data is processed in Sydney, Australia. This policy is governed by the laws of New South Wales.

    8. Our Products Covered by This Policy

    • OziShield Scam Checker — free URL, link and message threat checker
    • OziShield RealCheck — image manipulation and AI-generation check
    • OziShield Chrome Extension — link, message, page and image checks in-browser

    For website engineering and consulting services for your business, visit Ozinexus Technologies.

    9. Contact

    OziShield Privacy Team
    Ozinexus Technologies Pty Ltd
    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
    ABN: 35 414 180 295
    📧 privacy@ozishield.com

    We review this policy every 90 days to keep it accurate and compliant.

    In Plain English

    • We don't track you, sell your data, or show you ads
    • We only check for scams and manipulation signals — safely, anonymously, and ethically
    • Your images are never stored
    • No facial recognition, no biometrics, no cookies for advertising
    • If you are in a safety emergency, contact eSafety Commissioner or call 1800 RESPECT — not us