سياسة الخصوصية - حراج أستراليا

1. About this policy

In this policy, "Haraj", "we", "us" and "our" mean Haraj, based in Melbourne, Victoria, the operator of the website haraj.com.au (the "Platform").

We manage personal information in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This policy explains what personal information we collect, how we collect, hold, use and disclose it, and how you can access or correct it or make a complaint.

This policy applies to everyone who visits the Platform, whether or not you have an account. It is available in English and Arabic. If the two versions differ, the English version applies.

By using the Platform you acknowledge that you have read this policy.

2. Personal information we collect

We only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for the Platform to work. The kinds we collect are:

Account information: your name, email address, mobile number (if you provide one), username, password (stored encrypted) and preferred language.
Verification information: one-time codes sent by email, and whether you log in with your email and password or with your Google account.
Listing content: ad titles, descriptions, photos, price, category, suburb or approximate location, and any contact details you choose to show.
Messages: messages you send to or receive from other users through the Platform.
Support and reports: questions you send us, complaints, and reports you make about ads or users (or that others make about you).
Payment information: if you buy a paid feature, what you bought, the amount and the date. Card payments are processed by Stripe; we do not see or store your full card details.
Technical and usage information: IP address, device and browser type, operating system, pages viewed, searches, ads viewed or saved, and the date and time of your visits, plus crash logs.
Location: your approximate location from your IP address, or the suburb you choose. We collect your precise device location only if you allow it (for example, for the map view).
Cookie and advertising identifiers: cookie IDs and similar identifiers (see section 8).

Sensitive information. We do not ask for sensitive information such as health, religious beliefs, racial or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. Please do not include it in ads or profiles. If it is included, we will only handle it with your consent or as the law allows.

Anonymity. You can browse ads without an account or giving your name. To post ads or message users, we need you to register, because we must be able to contact you and deal with misuse.

Information about other people. If you give us information about someone else (for example, in a report), you must have their permission or another lawful reason to do so.

3. How we collect it

We collect most personal information directly from you when you:

create an account, log in or verify your email address;
post, edit or renew an ad;
send messages to other users;
contact us, report an ad or user, or answer a survey;
buy a paid feature.

We also collect information automatically when you use the Platform, through cookies and similar technologies (section 8).

Sometimes we receive information from third parties: other users (for example, when they message or report you), Google if you choose to sign in with your Google account (we receive your name, email address and profile photo), Stripe when you make a payment, and security services that help us detect fraud.

If we receive personal information we did not ask for, we will check whether we could have lawfully collected it. If not, we will destroy or de-identify it where lawful and reasonable to do so (APP 4).

4. Why we collect, hold, use and disclose it

We use personal information to:

create and manage your account and verify your identity or contact details;
publish your ads and show them to other users, including on the map and in search results;
let buyers and sellers contact each other;
process payments for paid features and keep transaction records;
send service messages, such as verification codes, ad expiry notices and security alerts;
answer your questions, handle reports and resolve complaints;
moderate content and detect fraud, scams, spam, prohibited items and breaches of our Terms and Conditions;
keep the Platform secure and fix technical problems;
understand how the Platform is used and improve it;
send you service messages about your account, ads and orders (section 9);
meet our legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from courts, regulators and law enforcement.

We will only use or disclose your information for another purpose if you consent, if you would reasonably expect it and it is related to the purpose above, or if the law requires or allows it (APP 6).

If you do not give us the information we ask for, we may not be able to create your account, publish your ad or respond to you.

5. Public ads and messages between users

Anything you put in an ad is public. Anyone on the internet can see it, and search engines may index it. This includes photos, your suburb, and any phone number or name you choose to show.

We cannot control what other people do with information they see or receive on the Platform, such as copying an ad or saving your number. To protect yourself:

share only what a buyer needs to contact you;
do not include your home address, ID documents, bank details or other people's faces in photos;
keep conversations on the Platform until you are confident the other person is genuine.

When you remove an ad, we take it off the Platform. Copies that others have already made, or that search engines have cached, are outside our control.

We may review messages manually to detect scams, spam and breaches of our Terms, and when investigating a report.

6. Who we disclose it to

We do not sell your personal information. We disclose it only to:

Other users, so we can show your ads and deliver your messages.
Hosting and IT providers that store data and help us run the Platform securely.
Communication providers that send verification codes, emails and notifications for us.
Analytics and advertising providers that help us measure how the Platform is used and show ads (see section 8).
Stripe, which processes card payments for paid features (Stripe Privacy Policy).
Professional advisers, such as our lawyers, accountants and auditors.
Police, courts and regulators, when the law requires or authorises it, or to prevent serious harm or fraud. These may include Australian police, the ACCC, the eSafety Commissioner and the OAIC.
A buyer of our business, if all or part of the business is sold or restructured. The new owner will be bound by this policy.

Our service providers may only use your information to provide services to us, and must protect it.

7. Overseas disclosure

Some of our service providers, including Stripe and Google, store or process information outside Australia, mainly in the United States.

Before we disclose personal information overseas, we take reasonable steps to make sure the recipient handles it in line with the APPs, usually through contract terms (APP 8). Any information you put in a public ad can be seen from anywhere in the world.

8. Cookies, analytics and advertising

Cookies are small files saved on your device. We and our partners use cookies and similar technologies (such as pixels and local storage) for these purposes:

Essential: keeping you logged in, remembering your language, and security. The Platform will not work properly without these.
Analytics: counting visits and seeing which pages and features are used, so we can improve them.
Advertising: showing ads on the Platform and measuring how well they work. Ad partners may use cookies to show ads based on your interests.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. If you block essential cookies, parts of the Platform may not work. To opt out of Google's personalised ads, visit Google Ad Settings.

9. Emails and messages from us

We send you service messages by email or notification where needed to run your account and the Platform. These include verification codes, password resets, security alerts, and notices about your ads, paid features, orders and refunds.

We do not currently send marketing emails or promotional offers. If we start sending them in future, we will do so only as the Spam Act 2003 (Cth) and APP 7 allow, with your consent, and every marketing message will tell you who sent it and how to stop receiving it. We will update this policy before we do.

We do not share your contact details with other businesses for their own marketing.

10. Automated decisions

Decisions to refuse or remove an ad, or to restrict or suspend an account, are made by our staff, not by automated systems alone.

We use automated tools only to rank search results and to suggest similar ads, based on your searches and the ads you view. These do not significantly affect your rights.

If you think a decision about you is wrong, contact us (section 15) and a person will review it.

11. Security, retention and data breaches

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, change or disclosure (APP 11). These steps include:

HTTPS (TLS) encryption for all data sent to and from the Platform;
encrypted (hashed) passwords and secure cloud hosting;
access to personal information limited to staff and contractors who need it;
monitoring for suspicious activity, and regular security updates.

No system is completely secure. Please use a strong password, keep your verification codes private, and tell us straight away if you think your account has been misused.

How long we keep it. We keep personal information only as long as we need it for the purposes in this policy or as the law requires:

Account information: for as long as your account is active.
Ads: until you delete them or they expire, and then for up to 6 months.
Messages: while either user's account is open, for up to 24 months.
Payment and tax records: 7 years, as Australian tax law requires.
Records of banned accounts: as long as needed to stop the person from registering again.

After that, we securely destroy or de-identify the information.

Data breaches. If a data breach is likely to cause you serious harm, we will notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, and tell you what you can do to protect yourself.

12. Children

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account or post ads. The Platform is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18.

If we learn that a person under 18 has registered, we will close the account and delete their information. We may keep a minimal record (such as an email address) only to stop them registering again. If you believe a child is using the Platform, please report it to us.

13. Accessing and correcting your information

You can view and update most of your account details and ads yourself by logging in. You can also delete your ads at any time.

To ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you, or to have it corrected, contact us (section 15). We will:

check your identity before releasing or changing anything;
respond within 30 days;
not charge you for making a request, and only charge a reasonable fee for giving access if it takes significant work (we will tell you first).

We may refuse access or correction where the Privacy Act allows, for example where it would affect someone else's privacy or is needed for a legal claim. If we refuse, we will tell you why in writing and how to complain. If we refuse to correct your information, you can ask us to attach a statement saying you believe it is wrong.

14. Complaints

If you think we have mishandled your personal information, please contact us first (section 15) and give us details. We will acknowledge your complaint within 7 days and aim to resolve it within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

website: oaic.gov.au
phone: 1300 363 992

Under Australian law you may also have the right to take action in court for a serious invasion of privacy.

15. Changes and how to contact us

We may update this policy when our services or the law change. We will post the new version on this page with a new "last updated" date. If a change is significant, we will also tell you by email or a notice on the Platform before it takes effect.

Contact our Privacy Officer

Email: info@haraj.com.au
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Online: Support page

You can contact us in English or Arabic.

Last updated: 7 November 2026