Terms & Privacy

Privacy Policy

The Collectors Club (“we”, “us”, “our”) is the data controller for the personal data collected through this Platform, whether you use our website or our iOS or Android applications. This policy explains what we collect, why, how long we keep it, and the rights you have over it. We have written it to be read, not skimmed past.

What we collect

• Your name, email address, and the details you provide when you apply to join
• Identity verification information you provide with your application — such as a photograph of an identity document and a proof of address — which we review manually
• Your profile, collection, and wishlist information, as you choose to enter it
• Messages you exchange with other members, stored encrypted so that we cannot read them
• Transaction records, which we are required to keep for accounting and legal compliance
• Technical and usage data, including IP address, browser or device type, and activity logs
• On our mobile apps, device identifiers and push-notification tokens, so we can send you notifications you have asked for

Where our app offers Face ID or Touch ID sign-in, that check is performed by your device. We never receive or store your biometric data.

Why we use it, and our legal basis

We use your data to operate the Platform and provide the membership you have asked for (performance of our contract with you); to verify identity, keep the Club safe, and prevent fraud and money laundering (our legitimate interests and legal obligations); to process transactions and keep proper records (contract and legal obligation); and to communicate with you about your membership. We send match and activity notifications as part of the service; any purely promotional message is sent only with your consent, which you may withdraw at any time. We do not sell your data, we do not share it with advertisers, and we do not use it to build advertising profiles.

Who we share it with

We currently verify identity ourselves and handle commission ourselves by bank transfer, rather than through a third party. We share data only with the service providers who help us run the Club, and only so far as they need it to do so. These include our email provider for transactional messages, the cloud services that deliver notifications to your device, and our hosting provider. Each acts under contract and on our instructions. We may also disclose data where we are required to by law. We do not otherwise share your personal data with anyone, and other members only ever see what you have chosen to make visible to them.

Where your data is held

The Platform is hosted on Amazon Web Services in the London region. We keep your data within the UK and the EEA wherever we can. On the occasions a provider processes data outside that area, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as the International Data Transfer Agreement or standard contractual clauses.

How long we keep it

We keep your data for as long as your membership is active. When you leave, we delete your personal data, save for the records we are legally required to retain — chiefly transaction records, which we keep for seven years for accounting purposes and anonymise rather than delete. Any identity documents you provided are held securely by us with restricted access, and are deleted once they are no longer needed for verification or to meet our legal obligations.

Cookies and analytics

We use only the cookies necessary to keep you signed in and the Platform working, and a modest amount of privacy-respecting analytics to understand how the Platform is used. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

Security

We treat security as a first-class concern. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Messages between members are end-to-end encrypted, and even we cannot read them. Identity documents are stored securely, with access restricted to the small number of people who review applications. We do not process card payments — commission is settled by bank transfer — so we do not hold card details.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to access your personal data, to correct it, to have it deleted, to receive a copy in a portable form, to restrict or object to certain processing, and to withdraw any consent you have given. Members can export their data or delete their account directly from account settings; our account deletion page explains how. For any other request, write to privacy@thecollectorsclub.com. If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk, though we would be glad of the chance to put things right first.

Children

The Platform is intended solely for adults. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under eighteen.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Where a change is material we will let members know. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised.

Contact

For any question about your privacy or this policy, write to us at privacy@thecollectorsclub.com.