Privacy Policy
In short: photos you upload are used to identify the bug and are not saved by us. If you request a free inspection, your details are sent to a pest control company so it can contact you. We do not sell your information.
1. Who We Are
Exterminator Says (the "Site," "we," "us") is an independently run website that helps people identify household pests, learn what is active in the Mid-Atlantic region (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware), and request a free inspection. The Site is run by an individual who works in the pest control field. The Site is not itself a pest control company, and it does not perform pest control services.
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, who we share it with, and the choices you have. Questions can be sent to support@exterminatorsays.com.
2. Your Consent
By using the Site you agree to this Privacy Policy and to our Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site. You can browse the guides and the seasonal home map without giving us any personal information.
3. Information We Collect
Photos and details you give the bug identifier
When you use the identifier, you upload a photo and may optionally type your city or where you found the bug. We send the photo and that text to an artificial intelligence service to produce the identification. We do not save your photo on our server. Photos can contain information you did not mean to share (for example, a background that shows part of your home, or location data embedded by your phone), so please crop out anything you do not want to share and do not upload photos of people.
Free inspection requests
If you ask for a free inspection, we collect the information you enter: your name, phone number, zip code, and whether the request is for a home or a business. Depending on the form, you may also provide an email address, street address, city, state, and notes. If you tell us what pest you are dealing with, we record it. If you submit the request after using the identifier, we also record the pest that was identified and the danger rating shown, so the inspector knows what you found. We also keep a record that you agreed to be contacted.
Messages you send us
If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you include in your message.
Technical information
Like most websites, our hosting provider and server automatically receive technical information when you visit: your IP address, browser and device type, pages requested, and the date and time. We use your IP address to limit how many identifications and requests can be made from one place in an hour (to prevent abuse). That rate-limit information is held temporarily in the server's memory and is not kept as a long-term record.
Information we do not collect
We do not ask for payment information, Social Security numbers, or government ID numbers, and we ask that you do not submit them. We do not require you to create an account.
4. Cookies and Similar Technologies
We do not currently use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party analytics on the Site. Your browser may store ordinary technical data needed to load pages. Fonts used on the Site are loaded from Google Fonts, which means your browser contacts Google's servers and Google receives your IP address and browser information when a page loads. You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings. If we add analytics or advertising tools in the future, we will update this Privacy Policy before doing so.
5. Service Providers We Use
We rely on outside companies to operate the Site. They process information on our behalf or as part of providing their service:
| Provider | What it does | Information involved |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | AI service that analyzes your photo and returns the identification | The photo and any city or location note you enter |
| Google (Google Sheets and Apps Script) | Stores free inspection requests in a private spreadsheet | The details you submit in an inspection request |
| Hostinger | Website hosting and email | Technical information, server logs, and emails you send us |
| Google Fonts | Delivers the fonts used on the Site | IP address and browser information |
Each provider handles information under its own terms and privacy policy.
6. How We Use Information
| Purpose | Information used |
|---|---|
| Identify a pest from your photo and show you guidance | Photo, optional city or location note |
| Process and follow up on your free inspection request, including passing it to a pest control company so they can contact you | Name, phone, zip, home or business, optional email, address, city, state, notes, pest identified, danger rating, consent record |
| Respond to your questions and requests | Email address and message content |
| Keep the Site secure, prevent abuse and spam, and fix problems | IP address, technical information |
| Comply with the law and protect our rights | Any of the above, when required |
7. How We Share Information
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with advertisers. We share information only as follows:
- Pest control company (inspection requests only). When you submit a free inspection request, the information in it is reviewed by the person who runs this Site and is provided to a pest control company, identified on the request form, so that the company can contact you about an inspection. Once the company has your information, its own privacy practices apply to how it uses it.
- Service providers listed in Section 5, only as needed to provide their services.
- Legal and safety. If required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our visitors, the public, or ourselves.
- Business changes. If the Site is sold or transferred, information may transfer to the new owner, who would be expected to honor this Privacy Policy.
We do not use inspection request information for any purpose other than handling your request.
8. Calls and Text Messages
When you submit a free inspection request and check the consent box, you agree that the pest control company named on the form may call or text you at the phone number you provided about your request, which may include contact using automated technology. Consent is not required to use the identifier or read the guides, and it is not a condition of buying anything. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt out at any time by telling the company during a call, replying STOP to a text, or emailing us at support@exterminatorsays.com.
9. Information You Share Publicly
The Site does not currently have public comments, forums, or profiles. If we add such features, anything you post there will be visible to others and will not be protected by this Privacy Policy.
10. How Long We Keep Information
- Photos: not stored by us. The AI provider may retain inputs for a limited period under its own policies.
- Inspection requests: kept in a private spreadsheet only as long as needed to handle your request and for reasonable record-keeping, then deleted.
- Emails to us: kept as long as needed to respond and for reasonable records.
- Server logs: kept by our hosting provider for the period set by its own practices.
11. Your Choices and Rights
You may ask us to tell you what personal information we hold about you, correct it, or delete it. You may also withdraw your consent to be contacted at any time. To make a request, email support@exterminatorsays.com from the address you used, or tell us enough about your request (such as the name and phone number you submitted) for us to find it. We may need to verify your identity before acting, and we will respond within a reasonable time and in any case within the time required by law.
Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under state privacy laws, such as the right to know, delete, correct, or opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. As stated above, we do not sell personal information or share it for advertising. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.
Deleting your information from our records does not delete copies already provided to the pest control company; you would need to contact the company directly, and we will help you do so if you ask.
12. Security
We use reasonable measures to protect information, including encrypted (HTTPS) connections, limiting who can access the inspection request spreadsheet, and sending only the information needed to each provider. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
13. Children's Privacy
The Site is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Inspection requests are for adults who can authorize an inspection. If you believe a child has given us personal information, email support@exterminatorsays.com and we will delete it.
14. Links to Other Sites
The Site may link to other websites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices, and we encourage you to read their policies.
15. Where Information Is Processed
The Site and our providers may process information in the United States and other countries where those providers operate. The Site is intended for visitors in the United States.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. If a change is significant, we will make a reasonable effort to notify visitors on the Site. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised policy.
17. Contact Us
Questions, requests, or concerns about this Privacy Policy: support@exterminatorsays.com.