Who we are
HotCM is an online automotive marketplace that connects buyers with verified dealers and professional car brokers.
Website: https://hotcm.com
Jurisdiction: United States, State of New York
We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in a transparent and secure manner.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on the site, we collect the data shown in the comments form, as well as the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help detect spam and abuse.
An anonymized string (hash) created from your email address may be provided to the Gravatar service to determine if you are using it.
The Gravatar service privacy policy is available at: https://automattic.com/privacy/.
Once your comment is approved, your profile picture (if applicable) may be visible to the public in the context of your comment.
Media
If you upload images or media files to HotCM, please avoid uploading files with embedded location data (EXIF GPS).
Visitors to the website may be able to download and extract location data from images displayed on the site.
Cookies
HotCM uses cookies to improve user experience, functionality, and security.
Comment Cookies
If you leave a comment, you may opt-in to saving your name, email address, and website in cookies. These cookies last for one year.
Login Cookies
• Temporary cookies are set to determine whether your browser accepts cookies.
• Login cookies last two days.
• Screen preference cookies last one year.
• Selecting “Remember Me” extends login persistence to two weeks.
Logging out removes login cookies.
Editing Cookies
If you edit or publish content, an additional cookie is saved containing the post ID. This cookie expires after 24 hours and does not include personal data.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles and listings on HotCM may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, maps, social media posts).
Embedded content from other websites behaves exactly as if the visitor had visited the external website directly. These third-party sites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional tracking, and monitor your interaction with their content.
HotCM does not control these third-party privacy practices.
Who we share your data with
We do not sell personal data.
Your data may be shared only when necessary with:
• Spam detection and security services
• Hosting and infrastructure providers
• Payment processors (if applicable)
• Verified dealers or brokers only when you submit a request or inquiry
If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.
How long we retain your data
Comments and their metadata are retained indefinitely to improve moderation and prevent spam.
• Registered users (if applicable) may view, edit, or delete their personal data at any time (excluding usernames).
• Website administrators can also view and edit user information as required for platform operations.
We retain data only as long as necessary for operational, legal, and security purposes.
What rights you have over your data
If you have an account or have submitted information on HotCM, you may:
• Request an exported file of the personal data we hold about you
• Request deletion of your personal data
This does not include data we are legally required to retain for administrative, legal, or security reasons.
Requests can be made by contacting us through the website.
Where your data is sent
Visitor comments and form submissions may be checked through automated spam detection and security services.
All data is processed and stored in compliance with U.S. data protection standards and reasonable security safeguards.
Compliance & Legal Notice
HotCM operates under the laws of the State of New York, United States, and makes reasonable efforts to comply with:
• U.S. privacy regulations
• New York State consumer protection standards
• GDPR / CCPA principles where applicable
Contact Information
hotcm.com (https://hotcm.com/)
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact us via the website.
