Privacy Policy
Last updated: 17 August 2026
This policy explains what personal information Terugo collects, why, who we share it with, and the choices you have. We handle your information in line with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
It applies both to customers who use the Terugo wallet and to the salons who run their loyalty programmes on Terugo. Most of it is about how we handle customer personal information. Salons should also read the Business Terms of Service, which cover a salon's own responsibilities for its customers' information.
Who we are
Terugo is a digital loyalty wallet that lets you collect stamps and earn rewards at beauty salons you visit. Terugo is operated by Michelle (business registration pending with CIPC).
Our Information Officer, responsible for how your information is handled, is Michelle. You can reach us about anything in this policy at terugo.admin@gmail.com.
What we collect
We only collect what we need to run your loyalty wallet:
- Your name — first name and surname, so salons can recognise you.
- Your mobile number — used to sign you in (by one-time code) and to send you loyalty notifications.
- Your birthday — optional. Only if you choose to give it, and only used to send you birthday rewards from salons that offer them.
- Your loyalty activity — which salons you've joined, your stamp counts, and rewards you've earned or redeemed.
We do not collect your email address, and we do not collect or store your payment card details — you don't pay Terugo anything as a customer.
Why we use it, and our lawful basis
We use your information to create and run your loyalty wallet, sign you in securely, show your stamps and rewards, and send you notifications about your rewards. Our lawful basis for this is your consent, which you give when you join. You can withdraw that consent at any time by deleting your account (see below).
Birthday rewards and WhatsApp offers are a separate, optional choice — you opt in to those, and you can opt out at any time.
Who we share it with
We never sell your information. We share it only with the service providers that make Terugo work, and only so they can perform their part:
- Bubble — hosts our app and securely stores your data.
- Twilio — sends the one-time code that signs you in.
- WATI / WhatsApp (Meta) — delivers your loyalty notifications via WhatsApp.
Information sent outside South Africa. Some of these providers store or process data on servers outside South Africa. Where that happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information is protected to a standard comparable with POPIA. By using Terugo, you consent to this cross-border processing.
How long we keep it
We keep your information for as long as your account is active. If your account is completely inactive for 24 months, we will delete it and the personal information in it. If you ask us to delete your account sooner, we do so straight away (see below).
Your rights
Under POPIA you have the right to:
- Ask what personal information we hold about you.
- Ask us to correct information that's wrong.
- Ask us to delete your information.
- Withdraw your consent and stop using Terugo.
- Object to how we use your information, or lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.
Deleting your information
You're in control. In the Terugo app, on your Profile, you can:
- Remove a single salon card — this deletes your loyalty history with that one salon.
- Delete your whole account — this permanently removes your profile, all your salon cards, and your rewards.
Deletions are permanent and take effect immediately — we can't undo them. You can also email us at terugo.admin@gmail.com if you'd prefer we handle it for you.
Keeping your information safe
We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect your information against loss, misuse and unauthorised access. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to keep your information safe and to limit who can see it.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we make important changes, we'll update the date at the top and, where appropriate, let you know in the app.
Contact us
Questions, requests, or complaints about your privacy? Email our Information Officer at terugo.admin@gmail.com.