📦 Return & Refund Policy

1 Types of Cookies We Use

1.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for our website to function. They cannot be disabled. They include:

• Session management cookies (keeping you logged in)
• Security cookies (CSRF protection, fraud prevention)
• Load balancing cookies
• Shopping cart functionality cookies

Legal basis: Legitimate interest (essential for service operation)

1.2 Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. These cookies collect anonymized data including:

• Pages visited and time on site
• General geographic location (city level)
• Browser and device type
• Referral sources

IP addresses are anonymized before collection. You can opt out at Google Analytics Opt-Out.

1.3 Marketing & Advertising Cookies

With your consent only, we use advertising cookies for:

• Google Ads: Remarketing to visitors who viewed our trade-in pages
• Meta/Facebook Pixel: Custom audiences and conversion tracking
• Bing Ads: Search campaign conversion tracking

You can manage these through your browser or our cookie consent tool.

1.4 Affiliate Tracking Cookies

When you arrive at our website via an affiliate partner’s link, we set a tracking cookie to attribute the referral. This cookie:

• Contains only an anonymized affiliate ID, no personal data
• Expires after 30 days
• Is used solely to calculate affiliate commissions

1.5 Preference Cookies

These store your preferences (e.g., preferred payment method, remembered calculator selections) to improve your experience on return visits. Duration: 12 months.

2 Cookie Duration

3 How to Control Cookies

Browser Settings

You can control cookies through your browser settings:

• Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy
• Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security
• Edge: Settings → Cookies and Site Permissions

Third-Party Opt-Outs

• Google Analytics Opt-Out
• Facebook Ad Preferences
• NAI Opt-Out Tool (industry-wide)
• DAA Opt-Out Tool

4 California Compliance

In compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), California residents have the right to opt out of the “sharing” of personal information collected through cookies for cross-context behavioral advertising. Use our cookie preference center or email privacy@cellularheros.us with subject “Cookie Opt-Out.”

1 What Is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing arrangement where a business (us) pays third-party publishers (affiliates) a commission for sending customers to us. When an affiliate sends a visitor to cellularheros.us via a special tracking link and that visitor completes a qualifying transaction, the affiliate earns a commission.

Cellular Heros participates in this arrangement from both sides:

• As a merchant: We have an affiliate program where we pay others to refer trade-in customers to us
• As an affiliate: We may include affiliate links on our website for complementary products and services we recommend

2 Our Affiliate Program — For Publishers

2.1 How It Works

If you are an affiliate partner of Cellular Heros, you promote our trade-in service to your audience. When someone clicks your unique affiliate link and completes a phone trade-in or purchase on our website, you earn a commission.

2.2 Required Disclosure for Affiliates

Acceptable disclosure language includes:

• “I earn a commission if you trade in your phone through my link.” ✅
• “Affiliate link — I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.” ✅
• “Sponsored by Cellular Heros.” ✅ (for paid partnerships)
• “Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.” ✅ (placed at TOP of content)

Disclosures must appear:

• Before the affiliate link in written content
• Within the first 10 seconds of video content
• In the caption of social media posts, not just hashtags
• As visible text — not white text on white background or hidden behind “more” buttons

2.3 Prohibited Practices

• False claims about trade-in values or payment speed
• Fake testimonials or invented user experiences
• Claiming to be a Cellular Heros employee or official representative
• Misrepresenting the affiliate relationship
• Any advertising that violates FTC Act Section 5 (unfair or deceptive acts)

3 Affiliate Links on This Website

Cellular Heros may include links to third-party products, services, or resources on our website. Some of these may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you click and make a purchase.

Our commitment to you:

• We only recommend products and services we genuinely believe are valuable
• Affiliate relationships do NOT influence our trade-in pricing or device valuations
• We clearly mark affiliate content with disclosure language
• Commissions we earn support our operations and allow us to keep our service free for sellers

Any page or blog post on our website containing affiliate links will include the following or similar disclosure at the top:

4 Material Connections & Reviews

If Cellular Heros receives free products, services, or other compensation in exchange for reviews, endorsements, or testimonials, this will be clearly disclosed as required by FTC guidelines. This applies to:

• Product reviews on our website or social media
• Sponsored content from partner brands
• Testimonials from compensated customers

Customer testimonials displayed on our website represent genuine customer experiences. We do not compensate customers for positive reviews.

5 Regulatory Framework

This disclosure is made in accordance with:

• FTC Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (16 CFR Part 255, as amended May 2024)
• FTC Act Section 5 (15 U.S.C. §45) — prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices
• CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. §7701) — for email marketing
• State consumer protection laws in all states where we operate

1 Federal Law Compliance

Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods

Under 18 U.S.C. §2315, it is a federal crime to knowingly receive, possess, or sell stolen goods that have traveled in interstate commerce with a value of $5,000 or more. Even at lower values, state laws apply. Cellular Heros takes active steps to prevent purchasing stolen property.

IMEI Tampering Prohibition

Under 47 U.S.C. §227 and the Protect Act, it is a federal crime to knowingly alter, remove, or tamper with a device’s IMEI/ESN number. Cellular Heros verifies the integrity of all device identifiers and will not purchase devices with tampered IMEI numbers.

Bank Secrecy Act Compliance

For large cash transactions, we comply with Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. §5311 et seq.) requirements, including filing Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) for transactions over $10,000.

2 State Secondhand Dealer Regulations

Cellular Heros complies with secondhand dealer laws in all states where we operate. Key requirements that apply to our transactions include:

Seller Identification

Most states require us to record: your full legal name, current address, government-issued ID type and number, and a physical description or photograph. This information is reported to local law enforcement as required by state law.

Mandatory Holding Periods

Many states require us to hold purchased items for a period before resale to allow law enforcement to check items against stolen property databases. Holding periods by state:

• California: Minimum 30-day hold; daily reporting to police required (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §21628)
• Texas: 72-hour hold required; electronic reporting to law enforcement (Tex. Occ. Code §1802.101)
• Florida: 15-day hold; thumb print required from sellers (Fla. Stat. §538.04)
• New York: 10-day hold; records available to police for 2 years (NY Gen. Bus. Law §55)
• Other states: Varying requirements — we comply with all applicable state laws

Record-Keeping Requirements

We maintain detailed records of all transactions as required by state law, including device descriptions, serial/IMEI numbers, seller identification, purchase price, and dates. These records are available to law enforcement upon lawful request.

3 Anti-Theft Device Verification

Before purchasing any device, Cellular Heros performs the following checks:

1. CTIA Stolen Phone Checker: Cross-reference IMEI against the national stolen device database
2. Major Carrier Databases: Check with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint blacklists
3. Insurance Claim Database: Check for reported insurance claims
4. iCloud/Google Account Lock: Verify devices are not activation-locked
5. Carrier Financing Check: Verify device is not subject to outstanding installment payments

4 IRS Reporting Obligations

As a business that pays individuals for goods, Cellular Heros has IRS reporting obligations:

• Payments to sellers totaling $600 or more in a calendar year require issuance of Form 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC
• We will request your Social Security Number (W-9 form) when payments reach this threshold
• Sellers are responsible for reporting income from device sales on their federal and state tax returns
• Note: Proceeds from selling personal-use property at less than original cost are generally not taxable

5 Environmental Compliance

Cellular Heros complies with all federal and state electronic waste (e-waste) regulations:

• EPA: We are registered as an EPA-compliant electronics handler under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
• State E-Waste Laws: We comply with state electronics recycling laws including California’s Electronic Waste Recycling Act (SB 20/SB 50)
• Data Destruction: Certified data wiping in compliance with NIST SP 800-88 guidelines for media sanitization

Devices that cannot be refurbished are sent to our EPA-certified recycling partners for responsible disposal. We maintain zero-landfill commitment for all electronic devices.

6 Your Rights as a Seller

• You have the right to decline any offer — your device will be returned at no cost
• You have the right to request a copy of your transaction record
• You have the right to know what law enforcement databases your device was checked against
• If your device is flagged incorrectly as stolen, we will assist you in resolving the discrepancy
• You have the right to file a complaint with your state consumer protection agency if you believe we have violated applicable law