The PartsPlus (the “Website”) is operated by OEC on behalf of Ford Motor Company Limited (“Ford”, “we”, “us” or “our”). This Website Privacy and Cookie Policy will help you understand what personal information we collect through the Website, why we collect it and what we do with it.
Information we collect about you
We may collect information:
- you provide when you contact us with a query such as your name and email address
- you submit by completing forms on the Website such as your name and contact details in the Trade Account Application Form;
- when you apply for a Trade Account, from third parties such as Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs)
- relating to your use of our Website, collected via cookies;
Information relating to our use of cookies can be found below.
How we use your information
We use the information you provide to us to:
- if requested, contact you in relation to your query
- to assess and consider applications you make for a Trade Account and to make decisions about such applications, including making checks at CRAs, as described below;
Our legal basis for using your information
The UK’s data protection law allows us to use your personal information provided we have a legal basis for doing so. The legal basis that we rely on to use your information is that:
- we have a legitimate interest in creating and managing your trade account and, if requested, contacting you with further information.
- There may also be circumstances in relation to considering and managing your Trade Account where we believe it is necessary to use your personal information to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.
Sharing your information
We may share your information with third parties in the following circumstances:
- Service Providers. We may share your information with our service providers (such as OEC). Where we do this, we ensure they are subject to agreements that oblige them to use the information only as we instruct, and to keep it securely.
- CRAs. If you request a Trade Account, we will share information with CRAs as described below.
- Group Companies. Ford may also share your personal information Ford Motor Company and other Ford Motor Company Group companies worldwide. When we share your personal information, we will make sure that is used for purposes which are compatible with those described in this notice. A list of the companies within Ford Motor Company Group is available at www.ford.co.uk.
- Law enforcement and other government agencies. We may also share personal information obtained through the Website in order to comply with a legal requirement or requests from public authorities; to protect or defend our or another's rights or property; to protect individuals' personal safety; or to detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security, safety, or privacy issues.
- Asset purchasers: We may share your personal data with any third party that buys, or to which we transfer, all or some of our assets and business. In this case, we will make efforts to ensure that the buyer uses it in a manner that is consistent with this Privacy Policy.
Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs)
In order to process any Trade Account application, Ford and trusted third party providers will perform credit and identity checks on you with one or more Credit Reference Agencies (“CRAs”). We may also make periodic searches at CRAs to manage your account with us.
To do this, we will supply your personal information to CRAs and they will give us information about you. This will include information from your credit application and about your financial situation and financial history. CRAs will supply to us both public (including the electoral register) and shared credit, financial situation and financial history information and fraud prevention information.
We will use this information to:
- Assess your creditworthiness and whether you can afford to take the product;
- Verify the accuracy of the data you have provided to us;
- Prevent criminal activity, fraud and money laundering;
- Manage your account(s);
- Trace and recover debts;
- Ensure any offers provided to you are appropriate to your circumstances.
We will continue to exchange information about you with CRAs while you have a relationship with us. We will also inform the CRAs about your settled accounts. If you borrow and do not repay in full and on time, CRAs will record the outstanding debt. This information may be supplied to other organisations by CRAs.
When CRAs receive a search from us they will place a search footprint on your credit file that may be seen by other lenders.
If you are a business or a director, we will search the personal record of you, your partners and/or your directors and company secretary in addition to the record of your business at such CRAs and they will keep details of our search. Information held about you (and where you are a business, your partners and/or directors and company secretary) by these agencies may already be linked to records relating to other people with whom you have a financial association. In connection with your application, you may be treated as financially linked with them and assessed with reference to any such associated records. This information will be available to other businesses and organisations that make similar searches.
The identities of the CRA, the data they hold, the ways in which they use and share personal information, data retention periods and your data protection rights with the CRA are explained in more detail by clicking on the link:
Experian: www.experian.co.uk/crain
Overseas transfers
The IT systems on which we store your information may be located outside the European Economic Area, including in countries where the law provides less protection for personal information. If this is the case, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the personal information and to ensure it is kept securely. You may contact us for a copy of the safeguards which we have put in place to protect your personal information in these circumstances.
Cookies
What is a cookie?
Almost every website uses cookie technology. A cookie is a small file which a server downloads to your personal computer (PC) or mobile when you visit a website.
What Cookies do we use?
The cookies used on this Website are set out below:
|
Cookie |
Cookie’s Description |
|
Google Analytics |
These technologies allow us to improve our website functionality and conduct market research by tracking usage including what pages our users are visiting most frequently, the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage. |
If you would like to change how a browser uses cookies, including blocking or deleting cookies from the Websites (or any other website in fact) you can do so by changing the browser settings.
To control cookies, most browsers allow you to either accept or reject all cookies, only accept certain types of cookies, or prompt you every time a site wishes to save a cookie. It’s also easy to delete cookies that are already saved on your device by a browser.
The processes for controlling and deleting cookies vary depending on which browser you use. To find out how to do so with a particular browser, you can use the Help function or alternatively, you can visit http://www.aboutcookies.org which explains, step-by-step, how to control and delete cookies in most browsers.
Your Rights and How to Contact Us
You have the right as an individual to find out what information we hold about you and for what purposes, as well as to make corrections if necessary. You also have the right in some circumstances to object to our continuing to process your personal data, or to ask us to delete, restrict the use of, or port your information to another service provider.
If you are unhappy about how we use your information, we hope that in the first instance you will let us know so that we are able to address your concerns. However, you are also entitled to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
If you have questions or concerns regarding our use of your personal information, or would like to exercise any of your rights, please contact:
Email dpeurope@ford.com
Post Privacy Enquiry
PO Box 2318
GLASGOW
G33 9DD
How long do we keep your information?
We only keep your information in identifiable form for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy. This generally means holding the information for as long as one of the following apply:
- your information is reasonably required in order to manage your registration;
- your information is reasonably required in order to satisfy the purpose for which you submitted or we collected the information;
- your information is reasonably required in order to protect and defend our rights or property (this will generally be the length of the relevant limitation period in your jurisdiction); or
- we are otherwise required to keep your information by applicable laws or regulations.
We use appropriate systems, policies and procedures and technology to protect and maintain the security and accuracy of your information.
This Privacy Policy may be updated in order to reflect any changes to, our privacy practices and use of your information, or applicable law.