PhoneLink

Privacy policy

Last updated 7 October 2026

This explains what PhoneLink does with your information when you sell a phone through this site, or use it as a trader. We keep it short and plain. If anything is unclear, email hello@phonelinkeast.com.

Who we are

PhoneLink is based in Lowestoft, Suffolk. We are the "data controller" for the information on this site, which means we decide how it's used and we're responsible for looking after it.

Contact: hello@phonelinkeast.com

What we collect from sellers

  • Your phone: model, storage, condition, any faults, your notes and the photos you upload.
  • You: your name, mobile number, postcode, email (optional), how you'd like to be paid and when you're available.
  • When your phone is collected: its IMEI number and the price paid.
  • Technical: our server keeps a basic log of visits (IP address, browser type, pages requested) to keep the site running and secure.

What we collect from traders

Name, business name, mobile number, your offers, and a record of your credit top-ups, lead fees, refunds and withdrawals. If you ask to withdraw credit we take your bank account name, sort code and account number, use them only to pay you, and delete them once the payment is done.

Why we use it, and our legal basis

  • To get you offers and arrange the sale. We show your phone's details to local traders, text you the best offer, and pass your details to the trader whose offer you accept. Legal basis: taking steps you've asked for before entering a contract (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b)).
  • To text you about your quote. Only messages about your phone: your offer, and confirmation when it's accepted. We don't send marketing. Legal basis: as above.
  • To help stop stolen phones being sold. We record the IMEI and price at collection and ask traders to check the phone and the seller's ID. Legal basis: our legitimate interests, and yours, in a safe, honest marketplace (Article 6(1)(f)).
  • To run the site safely and deal with problems, complaints or disputes between sellers and traders. Legal basis: legitimate interests.
  • Traders' payment records are kept because the law requires us to keep business accounts (Article 6(1)(c)).

The price estimate on the site is worked out automatically from public trade-in prices. It's only a guide; real offers come from people, and you're free to accept or decline any of them.

Who sees your information

  • PhoneLink-approved local traders see your phone's details, photos, and your area (the first half of your postcode only). They don't see your name, number or full postcode.
  • The one trader whose offer you accept gets your name, mobile number, full postcode and collection preferences so they can come to you.
  • Companies that help us run the site, only for that purpose:
    • Hetzner Online (Germany): hosts our server and stores the data.
    • Twilio: sends our text messages. Twilio may handle data in the USA; transfers are protected by the UK's approved data transfer agreements.
    • ntfy.sh: delivers instant alerts about new phones to us and to traders' phones.
  • The police or other authorities, if the law requires it or it's needed to investigate a stolen phone or fraud.

We never sell your information or use it for advertising.

How long we keep it

  • Photos: deleted automatically after 90 days.
  • Your name, number, email, full postcode and the IMEI: removed automatically after 2 years. We keep the phone model and price for our records.
  • Server visit logs: about 2 weeks.
  • Traders' payment records: 6 years, as required for tax.

When you upload photos we re-save them, which removes hidden data such as where the photo was taken.

Cookies

We use one essential cookie, which protects our forms from misuse and keeps admins logged in. There are no tracking, advertising or analytics cookies, and our fonts are hosted on our own server, so nothing about your visit is sent to other companies.

Your rights

You can ask us to:

  • give you a copy of the information we hold about you;
  • correct anything that's wrong;
  • delete your information, or stop or limit how we use it;
  • send your information to you or someone else in a usable format.

Email hello@phonelinkeast.com. We'll reply within one month. Some records (such as IMEI records for a completed sale) may need to be kept for the period above even if you ask us to delete them; we'll explain if that applies.

If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, please tell us first. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or 0303 123 1113.

Changes

If we change this policy we'll update it here and change the date at the top.