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Acceptable Use Policy

Last Updated: 17 July 2026

1. Introduction

This Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP" or "Policy") defines prohibited uses of the Carters Clear Car website and related services (the "Service"). This Policy protects all users and ensures the Service remains safe, legal, and functional.

This Policy forms part of our Terms and Conditions. Violation of this Policy may result in immediate restriction or termination of your access.

2. Scope

This Policy applies to everyone who uses the Service, including visitors, users of our free tools (AI car expert, direct lookup, lifestyle matcher, guides), and purchasers of vehicle history reports.

3. Prohibited Uses

3.1 Illegal Activities

You may NOT use the Service to:

  • Violate Laws — Engage in any activity that violates UK or applicable local laws
  • Commit Fraud — Commit or facilitate fraud, theft, or financial crimes
  • Money Laundering — Use the Service for money laundering activities
  • Identity Theft — Steal or misuse another person's identity
  • Copyright Infringement — Violate intellectual property rights
  • Data Protection Violations — Breach UK GDPR or the Data Protection Act 2018
  • Unauthorized Access — Access systems or data you're not authorized to access
  • Cybercrime — Engage in hacking, phishing, or other cybercrimes

3.2 Misuse of Vehicle Data

You may NOT use vehicle data or reports for:

  • Stalking or Harassment — Tracking or locating individuals without consent
  • Contacting Owners — Using data to identify, profile, or contact vehicle owners
  • Discrimination — Making decisions that violate discrimination laws
  • Unauthorized Sales — Reselling or redistributing our data or reports
  • Competing Databases — Creating competing databases or services
  • Mass Data Collection — Scraping or systematically downloading data
  • DVLA Impersonation — Claiming data is directly from or endorsed by the DVLA
  • Guaranteed Accuracy Claims — Representing our data as 100% accurate or complete

Vehicle data and reports are for PERSONAL USE ONLY unless you have a commercial licence.

3.3 Payment and Purchase Abuse

You may NOT:

  • Use Fraudulent Payment Methods — Use stolen, invalid, or unauthorized payment methods
  • Chargeback Fraud — File fraudulent chargebacks after receiving a delivered report
  • Circumvent Pricing — Attempt to obtain paid reports without paying

3.4 System Abuse

You may NOT:

  • Automated Access — Use bots, scrapers, or automated tools without permission
  • Denial of Service — Attempt to overwhelm or crash our systems
  • Security Testing — Conduct security testing without written authorization
  • Reverse Engineering — Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble our software
  • Vulnerability Exploitation — Exploit security vulnerabilities
  • Rate Limit Evasion — Use techniques to evade rate limits
  • AI Abuse — Attempt to misuse, manipulate, or extract underlying prompts/models from the AI car expert, or use it to generate unlawful, harmful, or abusive content

3.5 Spam and Unwanted Communications

You may NOT:

  • Send Spam — Send unsolicited commercial emails or messages using or referencing the Service
  • Post Fake Reviews — Post fake reviews or testimonials
  • Post Spam Content — Post promotional or spam content through any feedback channels

3.6 Harmful Content

You may NOT submit, transmit, or share through the Service:

  • Malware — Viruses, trojans, ransomware, or other malicious code
  • Phishing — Deceptive content designed to steal information
  • Hate Speech — Content promoting hatred based on race, religion, gender, etc.
  • Violence — Content inciting or glorifying violence
  • Child Exploitation — Any content exploiting minors
  • Terrorism — Content supporting terrorist organizations
  • Harassment — Content harassing, threatening, or bullying others
  • Defamation — False statements damaging someone's reputation

3.7 Commercial Use Without a Licence

You may NOT use the Service for commercial purposes without authorization, including:

  • Reselling Data — Selling vehicle reports or data
  • White-Label Services — Rebranding our Service as your own
  • Bulk Lookups — Conducting bulk vehicle checks for business purposes
  • Dealer Use — Using for car dealership operations without a commercial licence
  • Fleet, Insurance, or Finance Use — Using for business underwriting or operations without permission
  • Debt Collection or Investigation — Using to locate individuals or vehicles

Contact: commercial@cartersclearcar.com for licensing information.

4. Reporting Violations

4.1 How to Report

If you become aware of any violations of this Policy, please report them immediately:

Email: abuse@cartersclearcar.com
Subject: "AUP Violation Report"

Include:

  • Description of the violation
  • Any account or contact information involved (if known)
  • Evidence (screenshots, links, etc.)
  • Date and time of the incident
  • Your contact information

4.2 Confidentiality and No Retaliation

We treat abuse reports confidentially and will not disclose your identity to the alleged violator unless required by law or with your permission. We prohibit retaliation against users who report violations in good faith.

5. Investigation and Enforcement

5.1 Enforcement Actions

Depending on the severity and frequency of violations, we may:

Warning: For first-time minor violations or good-faith mistakes.
Temporary Restriction: For repeated minor violations or pending investigation.
Permanent Restriction / Ban: For serious violations (fraud, illegal activity, harassment) or repeated violations after warnings.
Legal Action: For criminal activity, significant financial loss, intellectual property infringement, or harassment/threats.

5.2 Immediate Action

We may take immediate action without notice for illegal activities, security threats, serious violations, or activities that pose legal or financial risk to us or harm to others.

5.3 Consequences

Upon termination for Policy violations:

  • No refund is due for reports properly delivered before termination
  • Access to the Service may be permanently revoked
  • We may pursue legal action and/or report the matter to law enforcement where appropriate

5.4 Appeal Process

If you believe enforcement action was taken in error:

  1. Email: appeals@cartersclearcar.com
  2. Subject: "Appeal of Account Action"
  3. Include your contact email, the date of the action, why you believe it was incorrect, and any supporting evidence
  4. We will review and respond within 10 business days

Note: Some violations (fraud, illegal activity, serious harassment) may not be subject to appeal.

5.5 Cooperation with Authorities

We cooperate with law enforcement and may disclose user information when required by law, in response to valid legal process, to protect our rights or property, or to investigate fraud or abuse.

6. User Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

  • Reading and understanding this Policy
  • Complying with all applicable laws
  • Providing accurate information (including correct vehicle registrations)
  • Using the Service only for lawful, personal purposes
  • Reporting violations you discover
  • Treating our staff and other users respectfully

7. Third-Party Services

If you use third-party services integrated with our Service (e.g., our payment processor), you must comply with their terms and acceptable use policies.

8. Data Collection and Privacy

You may NOT collect personal data about other individuals through the Service, use vehicle data to identify or contact owners, or create profiles or databases of individuals. Our collection and use of your data is governed by our Privacy Policy.

9. Children's Safety

The Service is not intended for children under 18. Any content that exploits, endangers, or sexualizes minors is absolutely prohibited and will be reported to law enforcement immediately. If you become aware of a child under 18 using the Service, please report it to support@cartersclearcar.com.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may modify this Policy at any time. Changes will be posted with an updated "Last Updated" date. For material changes, we will provide notice on our website. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

11. Contact Information

Abuse Reports: abuse@cartersclearcar.com
Appeals: appeals@cartersclearcar.com
Commercial Licensing: commercial@cartersclearcar.com
General Support: support@cartersclearcar.com
Legal: legal@cartersclearcar.com

Mailing Address: Carters Clear Car Moor Street, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. DE14 3SZ United Kingdom

12. Governing Law

This Policy is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Summary: What You CAN and CANNOT Do

PERMITTED USES

  • Personal vehicle research before purchase
  • Checking your own vehicle's history
  • Using the AI car expert, lookup, lifestyle matcher, and guides as intended
  • Purchasing vehicle history reports for personal use
  • Providing feedback and reporting issues

PROHIBITED USES

  • Using data or reports for commercial purposes without a licence
  • Scraping or systematically downloading data
  • Using fraudulent payment methods or filing fraudulent chargebacks
  • Spamming, harassment, or posting harmful content
  • Violating laws or regulations
  • Reselling or redistributing data or reports
  • Using data for stalking, surveillance, or contacting vehicle owners
  • Hacking, security testing, or abusing the AI

BY USING THE SERVICE, YOU AGREE TO COMPLY WITH THIS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY.

Version: 1.0
Effective Date: 17 July 2026
Last Reviewed: 17 July 2026