Privacy Policy

Plain language version. Version 2.1, November 2026.

1. Who controls your data

TrustCheck is the data controller for most personal data processed on this platform.

2. Data we collect

Public data (visible on platform)

• Username, profile photo (if you upload one), and country.
• Review text, star rating, date, and business reviewed.
• Business replies to reviews.

Private data (not publicly shown by default)

• Email address, login details, and account security data.
• IP address, browser/device information, and activity logs.
• Support messages and moderation records.
• Verification documents when verification is required.

Car Check, car reports and deadline reminders

• Car Check. When you check a car we keep the VIN (or chassis number), the date, and the mileage, year and asking price you enter for it. The next person who checks the same car sees these as that car's history (for example, if the mileage went down). If you enter the seller's phone number, we check it against our scam reports and keep it only as a scrambled code, so we can count how many different numbers advertised the same car; we cannot turn the code back into the number. Your IP address and a device code are also kept only as scrambled codes, to merge repeat checks and to count free checks. If you are signed in, the check is linked to your account.
• Report this car. If you report something about a car, we keep your report, the photos you upload, the date and mileage you give, your account if you are signed in, and your phone or email if you choose to give it. Photos are re-saved when uploaded, which removes the location and other hidden data your phone adds. Your contact details are only seen by our moderators. An approved report is shown publicly with the car, without your name or contact.
• Business deadline reminders. If you sign up, we keep your email address, the type of business you chose, and, if you give them, your interest in tax reminders and your Data Protection Commission expiry date. We use them only to send these reminders. Each email has a one-click stop link.

3. Why we use your data

• To create and manage your account.
• To publish reviews and maintain platform integrity.
• To prevent fraud, abuse, and fake review networks.
• To answer support requests and enforce our policies.
• To improve product quality, speed, and security.

4. Legal bases we rely on

• Contract: to provide your account and platform services.
• Legitimate interest: to protect safety and prevent abuse.
• Legal obligation: where laws require processing.
• Consent: for optional marketing and optional cookies.

5. Who we share data with

• Trusted service providers (hosting, analytics, support tools).
• Authorities, only when legally required.
• Business account owners, but only for relevant review context.

We do not sell private personal data to data brokers.

To answer a Car Check, we ask outside data sources about the car: the US government's NHTSA and EPA (vehicle details, recalls, owner complaints, crash ratings and fuel use), API Auctions (auction records and photos), auto.dev (listing photos), Wikimedia Commons (photos of the model) and Jiji (prices, fetched by your own browser through our relay). We send them only the VIN, or the make, model and year. We never send them your name, email, phone number or the seller's number.

6. Data retention

We keep data only for as long as needed for service delivery, security, legal obligations, and dispute handling. When data is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it.

• Car Check history (the VIN and the claims entered for it) is kept as part of that car's history. Answers from the paid auction and photo sources are kept for up to 30 days so the same car is not looked up twice.
• Car reports are kept while they are useful to buyers; rejected reports are kept for our moderation records.
• Deadline reminder sign-ups are kept until you stop the reminders. After that we keep your email marked as stopped, so we never email you again by mistake.
• You can ask us to remove a car report or a Car Check entry you made by contacting support.

7. Security

We use technical and operational safeguards to protect data. No online system is perfect, so always use strong passwords and avoid posting sensitive personal information in public reviews.

8. Your rights

• Access: ask what personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: fix inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: request deletion where legally possible.
• Objection/restriction: object to specific processing.
• Consent withdrawal: stop optional processing at any time.

9. Cookies

Essential cookies keep core features working. Optional cookies help with analytics and product improvement. You can manage optional cookies from Cookie Preferences.

An essential first-party cookie (tc_did) gives your device a random code. We use it to stop abuse of free features: one free car check before an account is needed, and one free number investigation per person. It is stored on our side only as a scrambled code.

How we measure visits

When you use TrustCheck we record how the site is used: the pages you open, how long you stay on each one, how far you scroll, the links and buttons you click, your device, browser, screen size and network type, your approximate country, your IP address, and your account if you are signed in. A first-party cookie (tc_vid) tells visits from the same browser apart. We never record what you type into forms or passwords (a search you submit is part of the page address, so the address is recorded). We use this to improve TrustCheck and to stop abuse, it is only seen by our team, and it is deleted after 90 days.

10. Children

TrustCheck is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18.

11. Cross-border processing

Some trusted providers may process data outside Ghana. We apply safeguards and contracts to protect your data.

12. Updates to this policy

We may update this policy over time. Material changes will be reflected on this page with an updated date.

13. Contact and complaints

If you have privacy questions, contact TrustCheck support. If unresolved, you may contact the appropriate data protection authority under applicable law.