Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to AutosPlug ("AutosPlug", "we", "our", or "us").

Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, protect, and share your personal information when you use the AutosPlug website, mobile application, and related services (collectively referred to as the "Platform").

By creating an account or using our Platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

2. Who We Are

AutosPlug is an online automotive advertising marketplace operating within the United Kingdom.

We provide a platform that enables private sellers, dealerships, commercial traders, and buyers to connect.

AutosPlug is the Data Controller of the personal information collected through the Platform.

3. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information.

Information You Provide

When creating an account or using our services, you may provide:

Full name
Email address
Mobile telephone number
Password
Profile photograph (optional)

If you register as a dealer or business, we may also collect:

Business name
Company Registration Number
Registered business address
Business email address
Business telephone number

Vehicle Listing Information

When advertising a vehicle, you may provide:

Vehicle registration
Make and model
Year
Mileage
Price
Vehicle description
Photographs
Service history information
Accident history (where applicable)
Modification details
Other information you choose to include.

Information Collected Automatically

When you use AutosPlug, we may automatically collect:

IP address
Browser type
Device type
Operating system
Time zone
Pages visited
Search activity
Listing views
Session duration
Referring website
Crash reports
Diagnostic information

This information helps us improve security and the performance of the Platform.

4. How We Collect Your Information

We collect information when you:

Create an account
Publish a listing
Contact another user
Contact our support team
Subscribe to newsletters
Browse the Platform
Complete verification processes
Participate in surveys or promotions
Use cookies and similar technologies

5. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Create and manage your account
Publish vehicle listings
Enable communication between buyers and sellers
Verify user identities where appropriate
Improve the Platform
Prevent fraud and abuse
Respond to customer support requests
Process listing payments
Send service-related communications
Comply with legal obligations
Analyse website performance
Improve user experience

Where you have given consent, we may also use your information to send marketing communications about new features, promotions, and services.

6. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we process personal information on one or more of the following legal bases:

Performance of a Contract: to provide the services you request, such as creating your account, publishing listings, and enabling communication between users.
Legal Obligation: where we are required to comply with applicable laws or regulatory requirements.
Legitimate Interests: to improve the Platform, detect fraud, maintain security, and develop our services, provided these interests do not override your rights.
Consent: where required, such as for marketing emails or optional cookies. You may withdraw your consent at any time.

7. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share your information with:

Payment service providers
Identity verification providers
Cloud hosting providers
Analytics providers
Professional advisers (such as legal or accounting advisers)
Law enforcement agencies or regulators where required by law
Service providers who help us operate the Platform

We require third parties to process personal information securely and only for the purposes for which it was shared.

8. Public Information

Some information you provide is intended to be visible to other users.

For example, when you publish a vehicle listing, the following information may be publicly displayed:

Vehicle details
Listing description
Vehicle photographs
Seller display name or business name
Contact options you choose to make available

Please avoid including unnecessary personal information in public listing descriptions or photographs.

9. Data Security

AutosPlug is committed to protecting your personal information.

We implement appropriate technical, organisational, and administrative safeguards to protect your information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

Our security measures may include:

Secure HTTPS/SSL encryption
Encrypted password storage
Secure authentication procedures
Firewall and network security controls
Access controls for authorised personnel
Security monitoring and logging
Regular software updates and security patches
Backup and disaster recovery procedures

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no website, application, or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You use the Platform at your own risk.

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as it is reasonably necessary to:

provide our services;
maintain your account;
comply with legal obligations;
resolve disputes;
prevent fraud;
enforce our Terms & Conditions;
maintain business records;
protect the Platform and its users.

When your information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised, or archived where legally permitted.

Certain information may be retained after account deletion where required by law or for fraud prevention, legal proceedings, or regulatory compliance.

11. International Data Transfers

AutosPlug primarily stores and processes personal information within the United Kingdom.

Where it is necessary to transfer personal information outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK data protection laws.

These safeguards may include:

UK International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs);
UK adequacy regulations;
Standard Contractual Clauses where applicable; or
other legally recognised transfer mechanisms.

12. Marketing Communications

We may send you important service-related communications, including:

account notifications;
security alerts;
listing reminders;
payment confirmations;
policy updates;
technical notices.

These communications are necessary for the operation of your account and cannot always be opted out of.

Where you have given your consent, we may also send marketing emails about:

new features;
promotions;
special offers;
new advertising packages;
AutosPlug news and updates.

You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by:

clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in our emails; or
updating your communication preferences in your account settings; or
contacting our support team.

13. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Subject to applicable law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right of Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that inaccurate or incomplete personal information be corrected.
Right to Erasure: You may request that we delete your personal information where there is no lawful reason for us to continue processing it. Please note that this right is not absolute. We may retain certain information where required by law or where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
Right to Restrict Processing: You may ask us to temporarily restrict the way we process your personal information in certain circumstances.
Right to Data Portability: Where applicable, you may request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your personal information where we rely on legitimate interests as our legal basis.
Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

14. Children's Privacy

AutosPlug is intended only for individuals who are at least 18 years old.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without appropriate legal authority, we will take reasonable steps to delete that information as soon as practicable.

15. Third-Party Websites

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services.

AutosPlug does not control and is not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of any third-party websites.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you choose to access.

16. Fraud Prevention

To protect our users and maintain a trusted marketplace, AutosPlug may process personal information for the purposes of:

detecting fraudulent listings;
preventing account misuse;
identifying duplicate or fake accounts;
investigating suspicious activity;
protecting buyers and sellers;
enforcing our Terms & Conditions;
complying with legal obligations.

Where required or permitted by law, we may share relevant information with law enforcement agencies, regulatory authorities, or other competent organisations.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:

changes in legislation;
new Platform features;
improvements to our services;
security enhancements;
changes in our business operations.

When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date shown at the top of this Policy and, where appropriate, notify users through the Platform or by email.

Your continued use of AutosPlug after any changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we process your personal information, please contact us:

AutosPlug
Email: privacy@autosplug.co.uk
Support Email: support@autosplug.co.uk
Website: www.autosplug.co.uk
Registered Address: Office 18647, 182 - 184 High Street North, East Ham London, England, E6 2JA

19. Your Acceptance of This Privacy Policy

By creating an account, using the Platform, publishing a listing, contacting another user, or otherwise interacting with AutosPlug, you acknowledge that:

you have read this Privacy Policy;
you understand how your personal information is collected and used;
you consent to the processing of your personal information where consent is required; and
you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

20. App Store & Google Play Compliances

To meet developer policies for the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, we provide the following specific disclosures:

Device Hardware Permissions: The AutosPlug mobile application requests hardware permissions for GPS Fine Location (to enable radius search filters and local vehicle listing matches) and Photo Gallery / Camera Access (to select and upload vehicle photographs for advertising listings). You can modify or revoke these permissions at any time via your device OS settings.
In-App Account Deletion: You have the right to request deletion of your account and all associated personal data directly within the application. To do so, navigate to the Profile tab in the app, select Settings, and tap Delete Account.
Web Deletion Requests: If you are unable to access the mobile application, you can submit an account and data deletion request online via our Delete Account Page or by emailing support@autosplug.co.uk. We will verify your identity and delete your profile, active listings, message logs, and tokens within 30 days.
UGC Safety & Moderation: To comply with Apple App Store Guideline 1.2 and Google Play policies for user-generated content, we collect and process report logs, blocklist records, and flagged content profiles. Action on objectionable content reports is taken within 24 hours.