gtm.wise.com: How Wise Tracks Your Financial Moves

The domain gtm.wise.com is tied to Wise, a popular international money transfer service, and leverages Google Tag Manager to monitor your interactions on their platform. While Wise facilitates cross-border payments, this tracker collects a wide range of personal and behavioral data, posing a serious threat to your privacy. Here’s a breakdown of what it does and how to shield yourself.

What Is gtm.wise.com?

This tracker operates as a data collection tool for Wise, using Google Tag Manager to deploy scripts that log your activity on their website or app. It captures everything from your location to transaction specifics, building a detailed profile of your financial behavior. As Privacy Auditors, we’re concerned about how such tracking invades your personal space without clear consent.

Data It Collects

When you interact with Wise, gtm.wise.com grabs the following:

• Geolocation: Pulls location data from your IP or GPS, narrowing down your city or region.
• IP Address: Records your internet identifier, which can reveal your approximate location.
• Transaction Details: Logs money transfer specifics, including amounts and recipient info.
• User ID: Tracks you with a unique identifier tied to your Wise account.
• Session ID: Links all actions in a session to a single tracking code.
• Browser Type: Captures your browser details, like ‘Chrome 125.0’.
• Device Type: Notes if you’re on a phone, tablet, or computer, sometimes down to the model.
• Operating System: Records your OS, such as ‘Android 13’ or ‘Windows 11’.
• Page URL: Logs the exact page you’re viewing, including any parameters.
• Referrer URL: Tracks the site or ad that brought you to Wise.
• Timestamps: Marks every action with a precise time for detailed analysis.
• Cookie IDs: Uses cookies to follow your activity across multiple visits.
• Clicks: Monitors every button or link you press on the platform.
• Language Preference: Notes your browser’s language, such as ’en-US’.
• Screen Resolution: Captures your display dimensions, like ‘1920x1080("—") to ensure clarity.

This extensive data collection creates a comprehensive picture of your financial habits and online behavior, making it easy to identify and target you.

Who Gets Your Data?

Wise shares your information with several entities:

• Wise Internal Teams: Uses your data for transaction processing and user analysis.
• Third-Party Analytics Provider: Shares data via Google Tag Manager for tracking and profiling.
• Payment Processing Partner: Transfers data to facilitate money movement.
• Cloud Hosting Service: Stores data on platforms like AWS or Google Cloud.
• Legal Authority: Complies with government or law enforcement requests for user data.

How to Protect Yourself

At Privacy Auditors Institute, we’re dedicated to guarding your privacy. Here are actionable steps to reduce or block tracking by gtm.wise.com:

• Use Tracker Blockers: Install tools like Privacy Auditor’s paid service to stop scripts from gtm.wise.com. Check browser extensions for tracker-blocking features. Our free version lists active trackers.
• Deploy a VPN: Mask your IP address with a VPN like Mullvad to prevent location tracking. Connect before using Wise.
• Switch to Privacy Browsers: Opt for Firefox with strict tracking protection or Tor Browser for anonymity.
• Disable JavaScript: Block tracking scripts by disabling JavaScript in browser settings or using extensions like NoScript, though this may break some site features.
• Clear Cookies Frequently: Remove cookies to disrupt long-term tracking of your activity.

Combine these tactics for stronger defense. A VPN won’t stop trackers on its own, but it’s a vital component alongside Privacy Auditor’s services.

Sources

Here’s where this information was sourced:

• Wise Privacy Policy: https://wise.com/gb/legal/privacy-policy
• Google Tag Manager Privacy Information: https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/9323295?hl=en

This is a legal disclaimer. All information is provided for educational purposes only.