Privacy Policy

CITY OF EVERETT ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY

The City of Everett (“we,” “us,” “our,” the “City”) collects information, such as name, address, email address, phone number, etc. about you in order to provide you with online services through our City website. Sometimes we may share this information with third parties. As a public agency we are subject to disclosure laws and regulations which may also result in the release of your information to a third party. This Online Privacy Policy applies to any information submitted throughout our website and online services.

Why, What and With Whom We Share Information

Sometimes we share information about you with third parties to provide you with products and services. Some examples are: (1) third-party vendors that support the City in offering services to our customers (i.e., online bill presentment and payment) and (2) credit and debit card payment transaction services (i.e., permit purchases, class registrations or donations).

To protect your privacy, we transmit data to third parties in a secure manner. We do not sell your personal information.

Information We Collect and Disclose About You

We may collect personal information about you from a variety of sources, like:

  • Information we receive from you on applications or other forms, such as your name, address, or email address.
  • Information about your transactions with us such as account balances, payment history, parties to transactions and credit card usage.
  • Information we receive from a consumer reporting agency, such as your credit history.
  • Information we obtain from verifications of employment or income, or other forms/applications that you provide.

We may need to disclose any or all of the information we collect to companies that perform services on our behalf or to other financial institutions that have joint agreements with the City. As a public agency, we also may disclose information we collect about you under other circumstances as permitted by or required by law. These disclosures typically include information to conduct the operations of the City, to follow your instructions or to protect the security of our financial records. This category may include, but is not limited to, law enforcement agencies, regulators and auditors and applies equally to current and former website or online services users.

How We Protect Your Information

We only allow access to information about you to City employees who have a specific need to know. Personal information may also be disclosed to a third party as required by law.

Website

When you visit our website, we collect personal information that you give us to process your requests for services (such as email address). We may use "cookies" on some pages of our Website for the purpose of serving you better when you return to our site. A cookie is a small text file placed on your hard drive by our host's Web page server. These cookies do not collect any personal identification information and may be used for administrative purposes, for example, to improve our Website design and content.

Online Payments and Services

When you use online payments and services offered by us, you may be required to provide personal identifying information, i.e., your account number and email address. This information enables the City and the companies we work with to provide secure access to your accounts. Information passed between parties as part of a transaction will be transmitted in a secure manner to assure the privacy and integrity of the information.

Linked Sites

You will find co-branded sites on our Website pages. Co-branded sites are those where you will see the City name and logo as well as the name and logo of the service provider. The City is not responsible for any information you provide to these sites, information gathered at a linked site, or for the content of any such site. We encourage you to read the Privacy and Security Statements of each site before providing personal information to the service provider. Our website also includes links to other various sites for the purpose of providing informational and/or community resources. Before providing personal identifiable information at any of these sites, we ask that you read their Privacy and Security Statements.

Internet Fraud: Phishing

Phishing is a scam where Internet fraudsters employ techniques that create a fraudulent website to lure personal and financial information from unsuspecting victims. One way phishers attempt to fool consumers is by sending fraudulent emails designed to look like they are coming from a business or institution, luring consumers to “take action” by clicking on a link that takes victims to a fraudulent website. Thinking that the website is authentic, consumers enter personal information compromising their privacy and security. The City does not and will not request personal information via email. Visit Antiphishing.org for the latest information about phishing scams.