Privacy Notice & Terms

1. About FoneFix Account Safe

FoneFix Account Safe is an optional customer-care service provided by FoneFix Honiton. It allows you to ask us to retain selected device and account information so that we can assist you in the future if you forget those details or need help accessing or setting up your device.

The service is intended to provide additional support and convenience. It is not a general password manager and does not replace your own responsibility for maintaining appropriate backups and account recovery methods.

2. Information you may choose to provide

You decide what information, if any, you would like FoneFix to retain. Depending on your device and requirements, this may include:

• Your name and contact details
• Device manufacturer and model
• IMEI or serial number
• Device PIN, passcode or unlock pattern
• Apple Account email or username and password
• Apple Account recovery email or telephone number
• Google Account email or username and password
• Google Account recovery email or telephone number
• Ordinary email-account provider, username or email address and password
• Optional authorised helper or contact details

You do not have to provide every type of information. You can choose only the details that you want us to retain.

3. Information Account Safe is not intended to store

Account Safe is designed specifically for phone access and the accounts commonly required when using or setting up a device. It is not intended for unrelated or highly sensitive financial or authentication information.

We may refuse to record information that falls outside the intended purpose of the service.

4. Why we retain this information

Information provided to Account Safe is retained only so that FoneFix can assist you if you later forget the relevant details or require help accessing, replacing or setting up your device.

We will not use Account Safe information for unrelated marketing purposes or to access your accounts without a genuine reason connected with providing assistance to you.

5. Consent and your choice

Account Safe is entirely optional. Before creating an Account Safe record, you will be shown information about the service and asked to confirm that you would like FoneFix to retain the information you have chosen to provide.

Your agreement is recorded together with the date, the applicable version of this Privacy Notice & Terms, and your signature.

You may later ask us to view, update or delete your Account Safe record.

6. How sensitive credentials are protected

Sensitive credentials such as PINs and passwords are encrypted before they are stored.

Each Account Safe record uses its own unique encryption key. Sensitive credentials are protected using AES-256-GCM encryption, with record keys protected through FoneFix's public and private key security system.

Stored sensitive credentials can only be decrypted through the protected FoneFix Staff Vault. The FoneFix Account Safe master password itself is not stored within the Account Safe system.

No method of storing information can be described as completely risk-free. FoneFix uses technical and organisational measures designed to protect Account Safe information appropriately.

7. Access to your Account Safe information

Account Safe records are not made available through a public customer login. Access to existing Account Safe records is restricted to authorised FoneFix staff.

If you ask us to retrieve or use stored information, we will carry out appropriate identity checks before accessing sensitive credentials.

Depending on the circumstances, we may use the stored credential directly on your device while you are present rather than reading it aloud or sending it electronically.

If we cannot reasonably establish that a person is entitled to receive the information, we may refuse to disclose it.

8. Authorised helpers and other people

You may choose to provide details for an authorised helper or contact. This allows FoneFix to contact or involve that person where appropriate.

Being named as a helper does not automatically give that person the right to receive your passwords, PINs or other sensitive credentials.

A spouse, partner, child, parent, friend, carer or other relative does not automatically have authority to access your Account Safe information.

9. Disclosure to third parties

FoneFix will not routinely disclose Account Safe credentials to another person. Any request from a third party will be considered carefully and we may require evidence of identity, authority and legal entitlement before any information is provided.

A customer who is able to make their own decisions may specifically authorise disclosure to another person, subject to appropriate verification.

Where someone claims authority under a Lasting Power of Attorney or another legal arrangement, FoneFix may require documentary evidence and will consider whether that authority covers the information being requested.

The death of a customer does not automatically give another person the right to receive stored credentials and does not automatically cause the Account Safe record to be deleted.

Requests from police, solicitors, care providers, professionals or other organisations will not automatically result in disclosure. FoneFix may provide information where there is a verified legal obligation, court order, warrant, statutory requirement or another lawful basis requiring disclosure.

In exceptional circumstances involving an imminent and serious threat to life or safety, FoneFix may disclose the minimum information reasonably necessary where permitted by law.

Where disclosure is appropriate, FoneFix will aim to provide only the minimum information reasonably necessary for the particular purpose.

10. Keeping your information up to date

Account details can change. You should let FoneFix know if information held in Account Safe is no longer accurate or if you would like it updated.

FoneFix cannot guarantee that an old password, PIN or recovery detail will continue to work if you have changed it elsewhere without updating your Account Safe record.

11. How long we keep Account Safe records

FoneFix retains Account Safe information only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the service.

Records may be reviewed periodically to determine whether continued retention remains appropriate. A record will not necessarily be deleted simply because a particular device is several years old, as customers may continue using devices and accounts for extended periods.

You can ask us to delete your Account Safe record at any time, subject to appropriate identity verification and any legal obligation that may require us to retain limited information.

12. Deleting an Account Safe record

When an Account Safe record is deleted, the stored Account Safe record, including its encrypted credentials, is removed from the active Account Safe system.

FoneFix may retain a limited audit record showing information such as the Account Safe reference, customer name, date of deletion, staff member involved, reason for deletion and confirmation that identity was checked.

The deleted credentials themselves are not retained within that audit record.

13. Copies of your information

You can ask FoneFix for access to information held about you. Where appropriate and after suitable identity verification, we can provide a copy of your Account Safe information.

Because Account Safe may contain highly sensitive credentials, FoneFix may require stronger identity verification before providing a full copy.

Your rights under UK data-protection law are not affected by these terms.

14. Accuracy and availability

FoneFix will take reasonable care when recording information provided by you, but you remain responsible for checking that the details you provide are correct.

Account Safe is intended as an additional support service. FoneFix cannot guarantee that information retained through Account Safe will always restore access to a device or third-party account.

Apple, Google, Microsoft, email providers and other third parties may change their account-recovery procedures, security requirements or access rules at any time.

15. Your data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data-protection law may give you rights relating to your personal information, including rights of access, correction, deletion, restriction and objection.

You may also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner's Office if you believe your personal information has not been handled appropriately.

16. Changes to these terms

FoneFix may update this Privacy Notice & Terms where the Account Safe service, security arrangements, legal requirements or business processes change.

The version applicable when you enrol in Account Safe will be recorded with your consent information.

17. Contact FoneFix

If you have any questions about Account Safe, want to update or delete your record, or want to exercise your data-protection rights, please contact: