Terms of Service

Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using BigShield ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you are using the Service on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have the authority to bind that organization to these terms. If you do not agree to these terms, do not use the Service.

Account Registration

To use the BigShield API, you must create an account and provide accurate, complete information. You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and API keys.
• All activity that occurs under your account, whether authorized by you or not.
• Notifying us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.

You may not share your API keys with unauthorized parties or use another user's account without permission. API keys that are compromised should be revoked and regenerated immediately through your dashboard.

API Usage and Limits

Each BigShield plan includes a monthly validation quota and rate limits. These limits are enforced automatically and vary by plan tier. Exceeding your plan's quota will result in API requests being rejected until your quota resets or you upgrade your plan.

Rate limiting is applied per API key to ensure fair usage across all customers. Sustained traffic that exceeds your plan's rate limit may be throttled or temporarily blocked.

We reserve the right to modify plan limits with reasonable notice. Any changes to your current plan's limits will be communicated via email at least 30 days in advance.

Acceptable Use Policy

You agree not to use BigShield to:

• Send spam, unsolicited messages, or bulk commercial email.
• Harvest, scrape, or collect email addresses for the purpose of sending unsolicited communications.
• Harass, threaten, or abuse any individual or organization.
• Validate email addresses for the purpose of targeting individuals for fraud, phishing, or social engineering.
• Attempt to reverse-engineer, decompile, or extract the underlying logic of our validation signals.
• Circumvent rate limits, quota restrictions, or other technical safeguards.
• Resell or redistribute BigShield's API responses without prior written consent.

Violation of this policy may result in immediate suspension or termination of your account without refund.

Payment Terms

Paid plans are billed monthly through Stripe. By subscribing to a paid plan, you authorize us to charge your payment method on a recurring basis until you cancel.

All fees are non-refundable unless otherwise stated. If you downgrade or cancel your plan mid-cycle, you will retain access to your current plan's features until the end of the billing period.

We reserve the right to change pricing with 30 days' notice. Price changes will take effect at the start of your next billing cycle after the notice period.

Intellectual Property

The BigShield service, including its API, documentation, website, validation algorithms, and branding, is the intellectual property of BigShield and is protected by applicable copyright and trademark laws.

You retain ownership of any data you submit through the API. By using the Service, you grant us a limited license to process that data solely for the purpose of providing validation results.

Limitation of Liability

BigShield is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. We make no warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of validation results.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, BigShield shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Service. This includes, but is not limited to, lost revenue, lost data, or business interruption.

Our total liability for any claim related to the Service shall not exceed the amount you paid to BigShield in the 12 months preceding the claim.

Termination

You may cancel your account at any time through the dashboard or by contacting support. Upon cancellation, your API keys will be deactivated and your access to the Service will end at the close of your current billing period.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time if you violate these terms, engage in abusive behavior, or fail to pay outstanding fees. In cases of serious violations, termination may be immediate and without prior notice.

Changes to Terms

We may revise these terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or by posting a prominent notice on our website at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

Governing Law

These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States. Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of the Service shall be resolved in the courts of competent jurisdiction within the United States.

Contact Us

If you have questions about these terms, please contact us at legal@bigshield.app.