1. Information we collect
Payment receipt data
When you verify a payment, you submit information from a payment confirmation, this may include a screenshot or photo of the confirmation, the transaction reference number, the amount, the date, and the sender/recipient details shown on that confirmation. We process this to check whether the payment is genuine.
Account & sign-in
You create your proof.et account with a phone number and a password. Your password is stored only as a secure hash. We do not collect an email address.
We verify your phone number through Telegram: instead of sending an SMS, we deliver your verification code via Telegram. When you verify this way, we may also receive and store your Telegram account ID and username.
Business information
- Business name, type, and address (for merchant accounts)
Technical & usage data
- Device type, operating system, and app version
- IP address and approximate location
- Usage logs (verifications performed, timestamps, results) for billing and fraud prevention
2. What we do NOT collect
We do not collect an email address. We also never ask for or store your bank password, PIN, or banking one-time password (OTP). proof.et does not log in to your bank account and does not move, hold, or transfer money. We only read the payment confirmation that you choose to submit.
3. How verification works
To confirm whether a payment is real, we check the details you submit against the bank's or wallet provider's own official confirmation channel using the transaction reference number. When you submit an image, automated text-recognition (OCR) may be used to read the receipt and route it to the correct provider. We do this only to produce your verification result.
4. How we use your information
- To verify payment confirmations and return a result
- To create and manage your account and credits/billing
- To detect, prevent, and investigate fraud and abuse
- To provide support and respond to your requests
- To improve the accuracy and reliability of our service
- To comply with legal obligations
5. Sharing your information
We do not sell your personal data. We share it only:
- With Telegram, to deliver your phone-number verification codes. Your use of Telegram is also governed by Telegram's own privacy policy.
- With service providers that operate our infrastructure (cloud hosting and automated image/OCR processing), under confidentiality obligations and only as needed to run the service.
- With banks and payment providers' official verification endpoints, to confirm the transaction reference you submit.
- When required by law or to protect our rights and users' safety.
6. Data retention
We keep verification records and account data for as long as your account is active and as needed for billing, fraud prevention, and legal compliance. You may request deletion of your account; some records may be retained where the law requires.
7. Security
We use technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including encryption in transit, hashed passwords, and strict access controls. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we work to protect your information.
8. Your rights
You may request to access, correct, or delete your personal data, or ask questions about how it is used, by contacting us at the address below.
9. Children
proof.et is intended for businesses and adults. It is not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect data from children.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. We will post the new version here and update the “Last updated” date above.
11. Contact us
Questions about this policy or your data? Contact us at support@proof.et. proof.et is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.