When you connect your bank account to donate, you deserve to know exactly how your information is protected. Plaid is a secure service trusted by over 150 million people to connect accounts across 12,000+ financial institutions.
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What is Plaid? | The Safeguards That Protect You | Why These Safeguards Matter
What is Plaid?
Plaid is a technology that securely links your bank account to the apps and services you choose to use, including ours. Millions of people already rely on Plaid every day to safely connect their accounts for budgeting apps, payment services, and donations like yours.
The Safeguards That Protect You
🔍 Transparent Data Requests
Before any connection is made, you'll clearly see Plaid's role in the process and exactly which bank accounts are being requested. Nothing is authorized without your full knowledge of what's being shared.
🧩 Minimal Data Sharing
Plaid only shares the data an app actually needs, even if your bank's systems could technically provide more. Your broader financial history and unrelated account details stay private.
- Example: If we only need access to your checking account to process your donation, Plaid won't share unrelated information, like details from a credit card account.
🛡️ Enforcement
Plaid puts guardrails in place, so that Overflow can only use the specific data that both you and Plaid have approved. We can't go back later and pull additional data you didn't authorize, and we can't access any accounts that weren't explicitly permissioned when you first connected.
🔒 Password Protection
Plaid never shares your bank password with us. Your login credentials stay securely between you and Plaid, encrypted and out of reach. We never see them, and we never store them!
🏦 Tokenized Account Numbers
Instead of sharing your actual bank account number, Plaid uses a secure, Virtual Account Number (VAN) to process your donation. Your real account details are never exposed to us. Even the number that appears in Overflow is a "stand-in," adding an extra layer of protection.
Why These Safeguards Matter
Donating should feel just as safe as it feels meaningful. With Plaid's consent-driven protections in place, you can support your organization knowing your financial information is handled with care at every step.