How Collectors League Australia handles your personal information.
We operate a permanent ownership registry. That means some of the information we hold about you is designed to last — and to be produced as evidence of ownership. This policy explains exactly what we keep, why we keep it, who can see it, and what you can and cannot ask us to delete.
The short version
The detail matters, but here is the substance of it in plain terms.
- We are a registry. Ownership records are permanent by design. When you transfer an item, that transfer becomes part of the item’s history and cannot be erased on request.
- We record what you declare. Prices, dates and party details are recorded as you state them. Except for marketplace sales settled through us, we do not independently verify them.
- We record both sides separately. Buyers and sellers each declare a price without seeing the other’s figure. We record both and never merge them.
- We do not sell your data. Not to advertisers, not to data brokers, not to anyone.
- We log every report we produce that contains another party’s details, including who requested it and when.
Information we hold about you
What we collect depends on what you use. Browsing the site requires almost nothing. Registering ownership of an item requires considerably more, because the record is intended to prove who owns what.
Account information
- Name and email address.
- Mobile number and postal address, where provided.
- Account username and encrypted password.
- Communication and notification preferences.
Submission information
- Item details, images and scans you upload.
- Ling’rPrint™ forensic fingerprint data derived from your item.
- Declared acquisition details, where you provide them.
- Shipping and return delivery addresses.
Transaction information
- Orders, invoices and payment status.
- Declared sale and purchase prices.
- Marketplace listings, offers and settlement records.
- Wallet balances, payouts and commission records.
Identity verification
Where identity verification is required — for higher-value purchases and for payouts — we collect identity documents and verification results.
- Documents you submit for verification.
- Verification outcome and the date it was determined.
Technical information
- IP address, recorded against specific actions (see below).
- Browser and device information.
- Pages accessed and site usage data.
- Cookies necessary for login and cart function.
Attestation records
When you initiate or accept an ownership transfer, we record a written confirmation in your name, timestamped and stamped with your IP address.
- The confirmation text you agreed to.
- Date, time and originating IP address.
Why registry records are permanent
This is the most important section of this policy, and the part most likely to differ from what you expect from an online service.
The record outlives the account
A CLA registry entry is a chain of ownership. Each transfer records who held the item, who received it, when, and on what stated terms. If any link in that chain could be removed on request, the chain would no longer prove anything — and the value of every other entry would be diminished.
For that reason, once an ownership transfer has completed, the transfer record is permanent. Closing your account does not remove it. This works the same way a vehicle title history is not erased when a previous owner asks.
What stays, permanently
- That a transfer occurred, and on what date.
- The registered names of the parties to it.
- Amounts declared by each party.
- The confirmation text, timestamp and IP address recorded at the time.
- The item’s certificate, grade and Ling’rPrint™ identity.
What is not permanent
Plenty of what we hold is not part of the ownership chain, and is not treated as permanent.
- Your contact details, marketing preferences and saved addresses.
- Support correspondence and enquiry history.
- Site analytics and browsing records.
- Identity verification documents, which are retained only as long as required and then destroyed.
- Draft submissions that were never completed.
Public visibility
A public certificate page shows the item, its grade, its certificate number and the current owner’s general location — suburb, state and country only. It does not show your street address, email address, mobile number or the amounts declared.
What we do with your information
We use personal information for the purpose it was collected for, and for directly related purposes you would reasonably expect.
Providing the service
- Grading, authenticating and returning your items.
- Maintaining registry entries and ownership history.
- Processing payments, payouts and marketplace transactions.
- Issuing certificates and verification records.
Protecting the registry
- Detecting duplicate or fraudulent submissions.
- Investigating reported lost or stolen items.
- Resolving ownership and transaction disputes.
- Verifying identity where the risk warrants it.
Communicating with you
- Submission, grading and transfer notifications.
- Order confirmations and delivery updates.
- Service announcements and policy changes.
- Marketing, only where you have opted in and can opt out at any time.
Who else can see your information
We disclose personal information only in the circumstances set out below.
Registry transaction reports
We can produce records of registry transactions for owners, their advisers, and where lawfully required, for revenue authorities. Because these reports contain another person’s information, access to them is deliberately restricted.
Two tiers of report
Owner report
Available to you for your own transactions. Shows your details in full, and identifies the other party by registered name and a transfer reference only. Their address, mobile number and declared amount are not included.
Registry audit export
Contains both parties’ full details and both declared amounts. Produced only for dispute resolution or in response to a lawful request, never as a routine export.
Accuracy and evidence
Where you state a price, you confirm it is the true and complete consideration for the transaction. We may request supporting evidence of any declared amount, and may annotate a registry entry to record that an amount is unverified or disputed.
Blank values in a report mean no amount is on record. They do not mean an amount of zero, and must not be read that way.
Not tax advice
Registry transaction reports are records of information declared to and held by CLA. They are not tax advice, and we make no representation as to the tax treatment of any transaction. Obtain independent advice.
Verification
Issued reports carry a document reference that can be checked at collectors-league.com/verify-report/. Verification confirms a document is genuine and discloses no transaction detail.
Access, correction and deletion
You have rights over the information we hold. We will be straight with you about where those rights stop.
Access
You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. We will respond within 30 days. If we refuse, we will tell you why in writing.
Correction
You can correct your account details at any time. If you believe a registry record is factually wrong, contact us — we will investigate and, where it is wrong, annotate or correct it.
Deletion
You can ask us to delete your account and contact details, and we will. Completed ownership transfer records cannot be deleted, for the reasons set out above.
Marketing opt-out
You can unsubscribe from marketing at any time using the link in any such email, or through your account settings. Service and transaction notifications will continue.
Anonymity
You can browse the site and view public certificates without an account. Submitting items, transferring ownership and buying or selling all require an identified account.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, contact us first. If we do not resolve it, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access.
- Encrypted connections across the platform.
- Passwords stored using one-way hashing, never in readable form.
- Card details handled entirely by our payment provider and never stored by CLA.
- Administrative access restricted and logged.
- Two-factor authentication available on accounts.
No system is perfectly secure. If a data breach occurs that is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as required under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
Retention
We keep personal information only as long as we need it, except where a longer period is required by law or by the nature of the registry.
- Registry and transfer records — permanent.
- Financial and transaction records — at least seven years, as required by Australian tax and corporations law.
- Identity verification documents — retained only as long as necessary, then destroyed.
- Account and contact details — until you close your account.
- Support correspondence — up to two years.
- Site analytics — up to 26 months.
Cookies
We use cookies for function, not for advertising.
- Essential — login sessions, shopping cart and security. These cannot be disabled without breaking the site.
- Preference — remembering your display and currency settings.
- Analytics — aggregate usage statistics that help us improve the platform.
You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies will prevent you logging in or completing a purchase.
Children
Our services are not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16 without the consent of a parent or guardian. If you believe we have, contact us and we will delete it.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The effective date at the top of this page shows when it was last changed. Where a change materially affects how we handle your information, we will notify account holders directly. Continued use of the platform after a change takes effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Questions about your privacy?
Contact our Privacy Officer for access requests, corrections, complaints or any question about how we handle your information. We respond to privacy requests within 30 days.