Privacy Policy

1. Controller

If you have concerns about any privacy questions, you can contact us by using contact details below:

Contact form at https://carscanner.pt
Email: carscannerua@gmail.com

2. Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to:

• visitors of carscanner.pt;
• users who browse, search, compare or calculate vehicle-related information;
• users who submit contact, purchase enquiry or test-drive request forms;
• dealers, partners or business contacts who communicate with CARSCANNER;
• users of AI-assisted search or recommendation-style features.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites, manufacturers, dealers, financing providers, insurers or external platforms linked from CARSCANNER. Those third parties process personal data under their own privacy policies.

3. Personal data we collect

We collect only the personal data reasonably necessary to operate CARSCANNER, handle user requests, improve the service, protect the platform and comply with legal obligations.

3.1 Data you provide through forms

When you submit a contact form, purchase enquiry, test-drive request or similar form, we may collect:

• name;
• email address;
• phone number;
• preferred language or locale;
• selected vehicle, brand, model, version, configuration, offer and/or dealer;
• availability or preferred test-drive timing;
• message content;
• consent status;
• form submission metadata;
• any other information you voluntarily provide.

You must not submit sensitive personal data through CARSCANNER. This includes health data, identity documents, bank card details, tax numbers, passwords or other highly sensitive information.

3.2 Vehicle search and preference data

When you use search, filters, comparison tools or best-car search, we may process:

• search queries;
• vehicle preferences;
• budget range;
• fuel type, gearbox, body type, colour or equipment preferences;
• intended use of the vehicle;
• shortlisted or viewed vehicles;
• follow-up answers provided in conversational search;
• interaction and usage metadata.

Some of this data may not directly identify you, but it may become personal data if combined with other identifiers such as your IP address, submitted form data or account/session identifiers. We use third-party services for analytics and statistics.

3.3 Ownership cost calculator data

When you use the ownership cost calculator, we may process inputs such as:

• vehicle type;
• fuel type;
• mileage assumptions;
• estimated fuel usage;
• IUC, IPO, insurance, maintenance and running-cost assumptions;
• calculation preferences.

The calculator is designed to provide general estimates. It is not intended to identify you personally.

3.4 Technical and usage data

When you access CARSCANNER, we may collect:

• IP address;
• browser type and version;
• device type;
• operating system;
• language and locale;
• pages visited;
• referring page;
• date and time of access;
• approximate location derived from IP address;
• cookie consent status;
• server logs;
• security logs;
• error logs;
• performance and diagnostic data.

We use this data to operate, secure, maintain and improve the website. Typically, all this data is anonymized and could not link to a specific user or person.

3.5 Dealer, partner and business data

If you represent a dealership, brand, partner or other business, we may collect:

• name;
• business email address;
• phone number;
• company or dealership name;
• role or job title;
• vehicle, offer or inventory information you provide;
• written communications;
• permissions, confirmations or supporting materials related to offers, images or vehicle data.

If you provide personal data about another person, you must have lawful authority to do so.

4. How we use personal data

We use personal data for the purposes described below.

4.1 Providing the website and services

We process data to:

• display and operate the website;
• provide vehicle search and filtering;
• provide catalogue and vehicle detail pages;
• provide vehicle comparison features;
• provide the ownership cost calculator;
• support language and locale preferences;
• maintain session, security and consent functionality;
• diagnose and fix technical issues.

Legal basis: legitimate interests in operating the platform.

4.2 Handling purchase enquiries and test-drive requests

When you submit a purchase enquiry, availability request or test-drive request, we use your data to:

• identify the relevant vehicle, offer or dealer;
• contact you about your request;
• forward the request to a relevant dealer, partner or business contact where necessary;
• help coordinate follow-up communication;
• maintain records of the request, consent and handling status.

Legal basis: taking steps at your request before a potential transaction, legitimate interests in operating a lead-routing platform, and consent where consent is specifically requested.

4.3 AI-assisted search and shortlist support

CARSCANNER may use AI-assisted features, including Google Gemini, Google Cloud AI or equivalent providers, to interpret search queries, structure user preferences and support vehicle shortlist responses.

When you use such features, your query and relevant preference data may be sent to the AI service provider for processing. Do not enter sensitive personal data into AI-assisted search fields.

AI-assisted search is used only to support vehicle discovery and comparison. It does not make legally binding decisions, approve financing, determine eligibility, produce official quotations or replace confirmation by dealers, manufacturers, insurers or financial providers.

Legal basis: legitimate interests in providing useful search functionality and taking steps at your request.

4.4 Communications

We may use your data to:

• respond to messages;
• follow up on forms;
• request missing information;
• provide operational notices;
• communicate about vehicle enquiries, test drives or availability;
• manage dealer or partner relationships.

Legal basis: legitimate interests, taking steps at your request, contract performance where applicable, or legal obligations.

4.5 Security, fraud prevention and abuse control

We may process technical and usage data to:

• detect spam, fake leads, automated abuse or suspicious activity;
• protect the website, database and users;
• prevent unauthorised access;
• enforce our Terms of Use;
• maintain audit logs where necessary.

Legal basis: legitimate interests in securing CARSCANNER and preventing misuse.

4.6 Analytics and service improvement

With your consent, we use Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to understand:

• traffic levels;
• feature usage;
• page performance;
• errors;
• conversion flows;
• user experience issues.

Google Analytics measures visits, sessions, page views, interactions, approximate location and browser or device information. Microsoft Clarity provides behavioural analytics such as session recordings and heatmaps so that we can identify usability and performance issues. These services may use cookies and pseudonymous identifiers to recognise a browser and associate interactions across pages or sessions.

Legal basis: consent.

Separately, CARSCANNER keeps its own anonymous counters of key interactions, such as opening a vehicle page, choosing a dealership or opening a request form. These counters do not use cookies or other identifiers stored on your device and do not record your IP address, browser details or contact data, so they cannot be used to recognise you.

Legal basis: legitimate interests in measuring and improving the service.

4.7 Marketing

With your consent, we use Meta Pixel to measure page views, attribute visits and conversions to advertising, build audiences and provide more relevant or customised experiences. Meta may receive information about your browser or device, the page visited, the time of the visit, referring information and identifiers stored in cookies or similar technologies. Meta may associate this information with a Meta account where permitted under its terms and your settings.

We may also send marketing communications only where we have a valid legal basis. You can withdraw consent or unsubscribe at any time.

Legal basis: consent.

4.8 Legal compliance and claims

We may process data to:

• comply with legal obligations;
• respond to lawful requests;
• keep legally required records;
• establish, exercise or defend legal claims;
• protect CARSCANNER's rights, users, partners and infrastructure.

Legal basis: legal obligation and legitimate interests.

5. Cookies and similar technologies

CARSCANNER may use cookies, local storage, session storage and similar technologies.

5.1 Strictly necessary technologies

We may use strictly necessary cookies or storage to:

• remember cookie choices;
• maintain security;
• operate forms;
• support basic website functionality;
• prevent abuse;
• route traffic;
• maintain technical sessions.

These technologies are necessary for the website to work and may be used without consent where permitted by law.

5.2 Non-essential cookies

If you accept tracking, the following services may place or read cookies and use similar technologies:

• Google Analytics: audience measurement and website usage statistics. Google Analytics commonly uses cookies including _ga and _ga_<container-id> to distinguish users and maintain session state. See the Google Privacy Policy.
• Microsoft Clarity: session recordings, heatmaps and website usability analysis. Clarity commonly uses cookies including _clck and _clsk, as well as Microsoft identifiers. See the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
• Meta Pixel: advertising measurement, attribution, audience creation and customised experiences. Meta may use cookies such as _fbp and receive device, browser and website activity information. See the Meta Cookies Policy.

These tools are not loaded until you give consent through the cookie banner. Rejecting them does not prevent you from using the core website.

5.3 Managing cookie choices

You can manage cookie choices through the cookie banner, cookie settings link or browser settings.

6. Sharing personal data

We do not sell personal data. We may share personal data with the following recipients.

6.1 Dealers and partners

If you submit a purchase enquiry, availability request or test-drive request, we may share your contact details and request details with the relevant dealer, dealership group, brand representative or partner so they can respond.

Dealers and partners act as independent controllers for their own follow-up communications, offers, records and legal obligations. Their own privacy policies may apply.

6.2 Hosting, database and infrastructure providers

We may use third-party providers for hosting, databases, deployment, image delivery, infrastructure, logging and storage.

This may include providers such as Vercel, Supabase, hosting providers, cloud providers, deployment providers and related infrastructure vendors.

6.3 AI service providers

If you use AI-assisted search, relevant query and preference data may be processed by AI service providers such as Google Gemini, Google Cloud AI or equivalent providers.

6.4 Email and notification providers

We may use email, messaging or notification services to receive form submissions, notify our partners, communicate with users and route requests.

6.5 Analytics, monitoring and security providers

With your consent, Google, Microsoft and Meta may process technical, usage and identifier data for the analytics and marketing purposes described in sections 4 and 5. Depending on their role and the processing involved, they may act as processors or independent controllers under their own terms and privacy notices.

6.6 Authorities and advisers

We may share data with public authorities, courts, regulators, lawyers, accountants, auditors or other advisers where necessary for legal compliance, claims, disputes or business administration.

7. International transfers

CARSCANNER is focused on Portugal and the European market. However, some providers may process data outside Portugal or outside the European Economic Area.

Where personal data is transferred outside the EEA, we rely on appropriate safeguards where required, such as:

• adequacy decisions;
• Standard Contractual Clauses;
• data processing agreements;
• provider security commitments;
• technical and organisational measures;
• other mechanisms permitted by applicable law.

Where practical, CARSCANNER should configure databases and infrastructure in EU or EEA regions.

8. Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Typical retention periods are:

• purchase enquiries and test-drive requests: up to 24 months after the last interaction;
• contact messages: up to 24 months;
• dealer or partner communications: up to 36 months after the last interaction, unless a longer period is needed for business records or claims;
• AI-assisted search logs: up to 90 days unless linked to a submitted request, debugging, abuse prevention or legal need;
• server and security logs: up to 120 days unless longer retention is necessary for security, investigation or legal claims;
• cookie consent records: for the period configured in the consent tool or until you update your choice;
• analytics data: according to the configured analytics retention period;
• legal and accounting records: for the period required by applicable law;
• dispute, abuse or claim records: as long as necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

If a specific retention period cannot be defined in advance, we determine retention based on the type of data, purpose, risk, legal limitation periods, user expectations and operational need.

9. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

These measures may include:

• encrypted connections;
• access controls;
• server-side form validation;
• database access restrictions;
• logging and monitoring;
• limited internal access;
• provider security controls;
• periodic review of technical configuration.

No website or online service can guarantee absolute security. If you believe your data has been compromised, contact us at privacy@carscanner.pt.

10. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

• access your personal data;
• correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
• request deletion;
• restrict processing;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• request portability;
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
• object to direct marketing;
• lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

Withdrawing consent does not affect processing carried out before withdrawal.

To exercise your rights, contact carscannerua@gmail.com. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

11. Automated decision-making

CARSCANNER does not use personal data to make solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

AI-assisted search and shortlist features are used only to help users explore vehicle options. They do not approve financing, determine eligibility, set prices, guarantee availability, issue official offers or make binding purchase decisions.

12. Usage

CARSCANNER is not intended for users under 18 years old.

13. Third-party websites

CARSCANNER may link to manufacturer websites, dealer websites, official sources, financing providers, insurers or other third parties.

We are not responsible for their privacy practices, terms, content, pricing, availability, offers or communications. Review their privacy policies before submitting personal data to them.

14. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

The updated version will be posted on this page with a new "Last updated" date. If changes are material, we do not notify users when this page is updated.

15. Contact

For privacy questions, requests or complaints, contact:

CARSCANNER Privacy Contact
Email: carscannerua@gmail.com