Privacy Policy — YardScout

PRIVACY POLICY — YardScout
Effective Date: March 24, 2026 | Last Updated: March 24, 2026

1. Introduction
YardScout, Inc. ("YardScout," "we," "our," or "us") operates the YardScout mobile application and website (collectively, the "Platform"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our Platform. By creating an account or using YardScout, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our Platform.

2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Full name and display name
Email address
Phone number (optional)
Profile photo (optional)
Passwords and authentication credentials
Payment information (processed and stored by Stripe — we never store raw card data)
Government-issued ID (only if you voluntarily enroll in Verified Seller — see Section 8)
Sale listings, item descriptions, photos, and videos you upload
Messages and communications with other users
Reviews and ratings you submit
2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Device type, model, operating system, and version
Unique device identifiers (e.g., IDFA, Android Advertising ID)
IP address and approximate location
Precise GPS location (only when you grant Location permission)
App usage data: screens viewed, features used, time spent, taps and interactions
Session identifiers and crash/error reports
Network connection type and status
2.3 Information from Third Parties

If you sign in with Apple or Facebook, we receive your name and email address from those providers, subject to your privacy settings with them
Payment status and transaction data from Stripe
Location data and mapping from Google Maps/Leaflet
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:

Operate the Platform — Create and manage your account, display sales and items near you, process listings, and enable buyer/seller communications
Process Payments — Facilitate transactions, payouts, and refunds through Stripe
Send Notifications — Alerts about messages, new sales near you, offer updates, and account activity (you can manage these in Settings)
Calculate Trust & Reputation — Build seller ratings, buyer reliability scores, and Verified Seller status
Prevent Fraud & Abuse — Detect and block fraudulent listings, fake reviews, harassment, and policy violations
Improve the Platform — Analyze usage patterns, fix bugs, and develop new features
Legal Compliance — Respond to legal requests, enforce our Terms of Service, and protect user safety
Marketing (opt-in only) — Send promotional emails or push notifications about new features (you can unsubscribe at any time)
4. Sharing of Your Information
We do not sell your personal data to advertisers or data brokers. We may share your data only in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Other Users When you list a sale or send a message, your display name, city, sale details, item photos, and seller rating are visible to other users. Your exact address is only shown to users who are viewing your active sale listing.

4.2 With Service Providers We share data with trusted third-party providers who help us operate the Platform:

Stripe — Payment processing and payouts (stripe.com/privacy)
Google Maps / Leaflet — Location services and mapping (policies.google.com/privacy)
Firebase / Google Analytics — App analytics, crash reporting, and performance monitoring
Base44 — Cloud infrastructure and backend services
Apple / Facebook — Authentication (if you use Sign in with Apple or Facebook Login)
Twilio — SMS notifications, if applicable (twilio.com/legal/privacy)
These providers may only process your data as necessary to provide their services to us and are bound by confidentiality obligations.

4.3 For Legal Reasons We may disclose your information if required by law, subpoena, court order, or government request, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect user safety, prevent fraud, or enforce our policies.

4.4 Business Transfers If YardScout is acquired, merged, or sold, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your data is subject to a different privacy policy.

5. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active. Upon account deletion:

Your profile, listings, saved items, and messages are deleted within 30 days
Anonymized transaction records may be retained for legal and financial compliance purposes
Backup copies may persist for up to 90 days before permanent deletion
Reviews submitted by you may remain on the platform in anonymized form
6. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

Access — Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
Correction — Update or correct inaccurate information
Deletion — Request deletion of your account and associated personal data (go to Settings → Account Settings → Delete Account, or email privacy@yardscout.app)
Data Portability — Request your data in a portable format
Opt-Out of Location — Revoke location permission at any time in your device settings
Opt-Out of Notifications — Configure or disable notifications in Settings
Opt-Out of Analytics — Disable analytics tracking in Account Settings
California Residents (CCPA) — You have the right to know what data we collect, the right to delete, and the right to opt out of data sale (we do not sell data)
EU/UK Residents (GDPR) — You have the right to object to processing, restrict processing, and lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
To exercise any right, contact us at privacy@yardscout.app. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Device Permissions
YardScout requests the following permissions with your explicit consent:

Permission	Purpose	Required?
Location (Precise)	Show nearby sales, enable route planning	Optional
Location (Coarse)	City-level search results	Optional
Camera	Upload listing photos, scan QR codes	Optional
Photo Library	Upload item/sale photos and videos	Optional
Notifications	Alerts for messages, sales, offers	Optional
Microphone	Never requested	N/A
Contacts	Never requested	N/A
You can revoke any permission at any time in your device Settings. Revoking permissions may limit certain features.

8. Identity Verification (Verified Seller Program)
The Verified Seller program is entirely optional. If you choose to enroll:

Your government-issued ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport) is submitted solely to confirm your identity
We store only the verification result (verified/failed/revoked) and a masked reference token — your full ID image is deleted after the verification process completes
We do not use your ID for advertising, profiling, or any purpose other than identity verification
Verification results are retained while your account is active and deleted upon account deletion
You must be 18 years of age or older to enroll
You may withdraw consent and request deletion of verification data at any time by emailing privacy@yardscout.app
9. Children's Privacy
YardScout is not directed to children under 13 years of age, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it promptly. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with data, please contact privacy@yardscout.app.

10. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures including:

HTTPS/TLS encryption for all data in transit
Encrypted storage of sensitive data at rest
Stripe's PCI-DSS-compliant payment infrastructure (we never store raw card numbers)
Access controls and role-based permissions on our backend
Regular security audits and monitoring
No system is 100% secure. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

Posting a notice in the app
Sending an email to the address on your account (for significant changes)
Continued use of YardScout after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us
Privacy inquiries: privacy@yardscout.app

General support: support@yardscout.app

Mailing address: YardScout, Inc. 1631 N 26th St Fort Dodge, IA 50501 USA