Legal

Refund & Cancellation Policy

Effective date: April 24, 2026 · Last updated: April 24, 2026

We want you to feel confident that every dollar you spend with ShieldMyData ("we," "us") is doing real work on your behalf. This policy explains when we issue refunds, how to cancel, and what happens to your data after you stop using the Services.

This policy supplements our Terms of Service. If there is any conflict, the Terms control. Capitalized terms not defined here have the meaning given in the Terms.

1. Summary

2. Privacy Audit — $49 One-Time

2.1 Refund window

You may request a full refund of the Privacy Audit fee within 7 calendar days of your purchase, so long as we have not yet delivered your audit report. The audit report includes personalized breach exposure findings, data broker enumeration, and pre-filled CCPA opt-out letters. These deliverables require paid third-party API queries and staff time; once delivered, the work is complete and the fee is non-refundable.

2.2 Credit toward subscription

If you purchased a Privacy Audit and subsequently subscribe to Individual or Family within 30 days of the Audit purchase, we apply a $49 credit to your first subscription period. You do not need to request this credit — it is applied automatically. The credit is not transferable or redeemable for cash.

2.3 Delivery delays

If we fail to deliver your audit report within 72 hours of purchase due to a problem on our side (not due to missing information from you), you may request a full refund regardless of the 7-day window.

3. Monthly Subscriptions

3.1 Cancellation

You can cancel your monthly subscription at any time:

• From your account dashboard (when available), or
• By emailing support@shieldmydata.io from the email address associated with your account. Include "Cancel subscription" in the subject line.

Cancellation stops future renewals. Your access and ongoing removal work continue through the end of the current paid month. We do not issue pro-rated refunds for the unused portion of a monthly billing cycle.

3.2 Refund eligibility

Monthly subscription fees are generally non-refundable once the billing period has begun, because we initiate paid third-party broker opt-out filings on your behalf at the start of each cycle. Refunds may be granted at our discretion for:

• Duplicate or accidental charges
• Material service failure (e.g., we failed to initiate removals for an extended period)
• Unauthorized charges that we cannot verify against a legitimate account

4. Annual Subscriptions

4.1 14-day money-back guarantee

If you purchase an annual Individual ($169) or Family ($249) plan and change your mind within 14 calendar days, we will refund the full amount in exchange for cancellation — provided we have not yet initiated opt-out filings on your behalf. Once we begin the removal process (typically within 24-72 hours of purchase), the full annual fee becomes non-refundable but you retain access for the remainder of the paid year.

4.2 After the 14-day window

Annual plans are non-refundable after the 14-day window. You may still cancel at any time to stop the next year's auto-renewal. Your access and ongoing removal work continue through the end of the paid year.

4.3 Mid-term refund exceptions

We may issue a pro-rata refund for the unused remainder of an annual term in the following cases:

• Material breach of these Terms or our Privacy Policy by us
• Death or incapacitation of the account holder (documentation required)
• Service discontinuation by ShieldMyData

5. Family Plan Considerations

Family plans cover up to five household members. Cancellation or refund applies to the entire plan — we cannot issue partial refunds for individual family members who stop using the Service. You can add or remove family members within the plan at any time without affecting billing.

6. How to Request a Refund

1. Email support@shieldmydata.io from the email address associated with your account.
2. Include "Refund Request" in the subject line and provide the Stripe transaction ID, purchase date, and reason for the request.
3. We confirm receipt within one business day and issue eligible refunds within 5-10 business days. Refunds are returned to the original payment method.

Refund processing times depend on your card issuer or bank. Stripe processing is typically instant on our side; your statement may show the credit within 3-10 business days after we initiate the refund.

7. Chargebacks

If you have a concern about a charge, please contact us first. We resolve the overwhelming majority of disputes within 48 hours. Initiating a chargeback through your bank without first contacting us can result in:

• Immediate suspension of your account and ongoing removal work
• Permanent ban from re-subscribing to the Services
• Referral to a collections agency if the chargeback is reversed in our favor and the underlying debt remains

We commit to good-faith dispute resolution through the arbitration process described in our Terms of Service. A direct conversation almost always resolves the matter faster than a chargeback.

8. Data Retention After Cancellation

When you cancel or request a refund, we stop all future removal work within 24 hours. We retain your personal information for up to 90 days after cancellation to complete in-flight opt-out filings, process any outstanding refunds, and comply with legal obligations. After 90 days, we delete your personal information unless applicable law requires longer retention. You may request earlier deletion by emailing legal@shieldmydata.io with "Delete my data" in the subject line.

Note: we cannot "un-remove" your information from data broker sites after opt-out requests have been filed on your behalf. If you want to return to a listed state (e.g., for background check purposes), you must re-list yourself with each broker individually.

9. Trial Periods and Promotions

From time to time we may offer free trials, promotional discounts, or other incentives. Terms specific to an offer (including refund eligibility) will be disclosed at the time of the offer and take precedence over this policy for that transaction. Promotional credits are non-refundable for cash and expire according to the terms of the offer.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Refund & Cancellation Policy from time to time. Material changes are effective for new purchases made after the "Effective date" above. Existing subscribers retain the refund terms in effect at the time of their most recent purchase or renewal.

11. Contact