Privacy policy

Last updated: 10 September 2026

Summary

Mail Alert does not collect, store, or transmit data to TecAv Software or third-party servers. The resident list, scan images, and specials photos remain on the device running the app.

Camera and scanning

• Scanning mail uses the device camera. Text on envelopes is read on the device using on-device text recognition — images are not uploaded for analysis.
• Scan images kept for review are stored only on the device.

Resident information

• The resident list (names, optional contact details, and searchable text) is entered by the app's operator and stored in a database on the device.
• The database is encrypted at rest with AES-256 (SQLCipher). The encryption key is generated on the device and held in the phone's secure hardware (iOS Keychain / Android Keystore) — it never leaves the phone.
• Operators can set a staff PIN; the resident list, message log, and Backing up and Syncing in store devices then require the PIN to open.
• The app records a consent timestamp for each resident entry. Operators should only add residents who have agreed to be notified.
• TecAv Software has no access to resident information.

Resident notifications

• When the operator notifies a resident, the message is sent using the operator's own services: the phone's mail or SMS app, the shop's own email account (SMTP), or an SMS gateway account (e.g. ClickSend) that the shop owner sets up directly with that provider.
• Any credentials for these services are stored only on the device. TecAv Software never sends, receives, or relays messages.
• A log of notification attempts is kept on the device only.

Backing up and Syncing in store devices.

No personal information can be exported from this app. Backing up and syncing between store devices is done using high security encryption. The resident list can never be opened outside the app. Encrypted backups stay inside the app's private storage on the device. Only the Mail Alert app can open these files, and any tampering makes a file unreadable. TecAv Software does not receive them.

A plain-English version of all this, written for residents, is at Your Privacy — for residents — the same page is built into the app so staff can show it at the counter.

What we do not do

• No analytics or advertising trackers
• No account registration or cloud storage by TecAv Software
• No personal information is given to third parties

Contact

Questions about this policy: support@tecav.com.au

© TecAv Software