Cookie Policy
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, which cookies evestigate.com uses, why we use them, and how you can control or delete them.
May 1, 2025
May 1, 2025
evestigate.com
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that a website places on your computer or mobile device when you visit. They are widely used to make websites work correctly, to improve user experience, and to provide information to website operators.
Cookies contain a name and a value, along with attributes such as a domain, path, expiration date, and flags that control how the browser handles them. When you visit a website, your browser sends back any cookies that match the website's domain, allowing the server to recognize your browser on subsequent visits.
Similar technologies include:
- Local Storage and Session Storage: Browser storage mechanisms that function similarly to cookies but are not transmitted with every request.
- Pixel tags (web beacons): Tiny invisible images embedded in pages or emails that can signal when content has been loaded or viewed.
- Fingerprinting: Techniques that identify a browser by its technical characteristics. GDF does not use fingerprinting.
2. How We Use Cookies
Cookies on evestigate.com serve three distinct purposes:
Essential for the website to function. Cannot be disabled. No consent required.
Help us understand site usage and improve content. Require your consent.
Enable relevant advertising across sites. Require your explicit consent.
3. Cookie Categories in Detail
3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are required for the basic operation of evestigate.com. They enable core functions such as security, session management, and accessibility preferences. You cannot opt out of strictly necessary cookies while continuing to use the website, as doing so would prevent key features from working.
Strictly necessary cookies do not require your consent under GDPR or CCPA because they are essential to a service you have explicitly requested.
3.2 Analytics and Performance Cookies
Analytics cookies collect information about how visitors use our website: which pages are visited, how long visitors stay, where they came from, and whether they encounter error messages. This information is used in aggregate to improve the structure, content, and performance of evestigate.com. These cookies are placed only with your consent.
3.3 Marketing and Advertising Cookies
Marketing cookies track your activity across websites to enable advertising platforms to show you relevant advertisements based on your browsing behavior. These cookies are placed only with your explicit consent. If you do not consent, you may still see advertisements, but they will not be targeted based on your browsing history.
4. Cookies Used on evestigate.com
The table below lists the cookies currently in use on evestigate.com.
| Cookie Name | Category | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gdf_consent | Strictly Necessary | Stores your cookie consent preferences so the consent banner is not shown on every visit. | 13 months | evestigate.com |
| gdf_session | Strictly Necessary | Maintains your session state and security settings while you navigate the site. | Session (deleted when browser closes) | evestigate.com |
| gdf_theme | Strictly Necessary | Stores your light/dark mode preference. | 12 months | evestigate.com |
| _ga | Analytics | Google Analytics. Distinguishes unique users by assigning a randomly generated number. Used to calculate visits, sessions, and traffic sources. | 2 years | Google LLC |
| _ga_[ID] | Analytics | Google Analytics 4. Persists session state across pages and maintains engagement data for the current session. | 2 years | Google LLC |
| _gid | Analytics | Google Analytics. Distinguishes users. Stores and updates a unique value for each page visited. | 24 hours | Google LLC |
| _gcl_au | Marketing | Google Ads conversion tracking. Used to measure the effectiveness of advertising from Google Ads. | 3 months | Google LLC |
Note: Analytics cookies (_ga, _ga_[ID], _gid) and marketing cookies (_gcl_au) are set only if you have provided consent through our cookie preferences widget. We will update this table if we add new cookies to the site.
5. How to Control Cookies
5.1 Cookie Preferences Widget
When you first visit evestigate.com, a cookie consent banner appears allowing you to accept all cookies, reject non-essential cookies, or customize your preferences by category. You can update your preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Preferences" link in the website footer.
Revoking consent for a category of cookies will stop new cookies of that category from being set, but will not automatically delete cookies already placed on your device. To remove existing cookies, use your browser's cookie management tools (see Section 5.2 below).
5.2 Browser Cookie Controls
All major browsers allow you to view, manage, and delete cookies stored on your device. You can also configure your browser to block cookies from being set in the first place. Blocking all cookies may affect the functionality of websites you visit, including evestigate.com.
Instructions for managing cookies in major browsers:
- Google Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and Site Data
- Apple Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
- Microsoft Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Cookies and data stored
- Opera: Settings > Advanced > Privacy and security > Cookies
5.3 Opt-Out Tools for Analytics and Advertising
You can opt out of Google Analytics measurement by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
You can opt out of interest-based advertising from participating companies through the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) at optout.aboutads.info, or the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) at optout.networkadvertising.org. For EEA residents, use the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) opt-out at youronlinechoices.eu.
5.4 Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
Some browsers send a "Do Not Track" (DNT) signal when this preference is enabled. Currently, there is no universally accepted standard for responding to DNT signals, and evestigate.com does not currently respond to them differently.
We do honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal. If your browser sends a GPC signal, we will treat it as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information under applicable law.
6. Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies on evestigate.com are placed by third-party service providers, such as Google Analytics and Google Ads. These third parties have their own privacy and cookie policies, and we encourage you to review them:
We do not control how these third parties use data collected via their cookies. If you have consented to analytics or marketing cookies, third-party providers may process your data under their own terms. You can withdraw consent for third-party cookies at any time using our cookie preferences widget.
7. Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use or changes in applicable law. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
8. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Cookie Policy or about the cookies we use, please contact us:
- Email: info@evestigate.com
- Phone (U.S.): 1-800-868-8189
- Phone (International): +1.727.287.6000