Safeguarding

Vulnerable Persons Safeguarding Policy

How we aim to support customers experiencing vulnerability, digital exclusion, scam exposure or reliance on others.

Effective date: 26 June 2026

Important terms for current services

These terms apply to the current Your IT & Tech Mates and TheFixers.APP service features, including QuoteMe, Quick Help, customer support, referrals, student helper proof, service partner pathways, partner pathways, uploaded media, reviews, ratings and business/software/AI callback requests.

Nothing in these terms removes your rights under Australian law. If a law gives you a right that cannot be excluded, that right still applies.

Updated for the latest customer, student, helper, referral and local group features. These words are written for website visitors and service participants.

Extra care for vulnerable people and urgent safety concerns

When a request involves a child, older person, person with disability, scam concern, safety risk, family member, support worker, carer or urgent device access issue, extra care may be needed.

Updated for the latest customer, student, helper, referral and local group features. These words are written for website visitors and service participants.

Media, images, reviews and public proof

Uploaded images, screenshots, videos, profile photos, reviews and proof records must be safe, accurate and respectful.

Updated for the latest customer, student, helper, referral and local group features. These words are written for website visitors and service participants.

AI and assisted information disclaimer: Quick Help responses, AI-assisted suggestions, automated intake classifications, initial estimates, technician-preparation notes and summaries are general guidance only. They may be incomplete, inaccurate, outdated or unsuitable for your device, account, data, network, repair, scam, cyber-safety, website, email, hosting or software situation. They are not a final diagnosis, official quote, professional certification, safety assurance, legal/tax/financial advice, cyber-forensics report, guaranteed repair instruction or a substitute for team review. A Your IT & Tech Mates team must review and confirm the issue, scope, price, quote, invoice, warranty position and next steps before anything is treated as final.

1. Our commitment

We aim to provide patient, respectful and fair support. We do not pressure vulnerable persons to buy services they do not need. We encourage trusted support people to be involved where appropriate.

2. Who may be vulnerable?

A person may be vulnerable due to age, disability, cognitive impairment, grief, stress, domestic/family violence, financial hardship, language barriers, digital exclusion, scam victimisation, isolation, illness, reliance on another person or limited technology confidence.

3. Consent and authority

4. Scam and cyber safety

If a customer appears affected by scam, coercion, account compromise or urgent cyber risk, we may recommend safety steps such as contacting their bank, securing accounts, reporting to Scamwatch/ReportCyber, and involving a trusted support person.

5. Financial and service safeguards

6. NDIS, aged care and government funding

We do not claim to be an NDIS registered service partner, aged care service partner, care-service service partner, NDIS-approved service partner or government-endorsed service partner unless expressly and lawfully stated in writing. Customers, support workers, carers and organisations using funding must confirm their own eligibility, authority, consent and claim process.

7. Privacy and sensitive information

We collect only information needed to assist. We avoid collecting unnecessary sensitive information and do not request PINs, passwords, TFNs, MFA codes or banking codes through public forms.

8. Complaints

Concerns can be raised by the customer, a trusted support person or an authorised representative by contacting [email protected] or 0452 323 571.

Partner referrals and pickup services

service partner staff must not pressure or unduly influence residents, families, parents, students, staff, clients or vulnerable persons to make a referral, approve a quote or use our services. service partner referral incentives should be disclosed where relevant, and organisation service credit is preferred over personal staff reward payment.

For aged care, school, disability, community or service partner pickup services, only the information reasonably needed to identify the device/order should be collected. Medical details, care-plan details, unnecessary student-sensitive details, device passcodes and banking information should not be submitted through public or participant forms.

Campus, school, seniors and neighbourhood safeguards

Integrated 18 May 2026 Trusted helper Guidance and Directory Terms

Campus Help, Neighbourhood Help and Ambassador Network pathways may involve students, seniors, carers, vulnerable persons, school communities, families, NDIS-adjacent requests, home visits or other contexts where extra care is required.

NDIS, aged care and support-organisation technology requests

Your IT & Tech Mates and Quick Help are not NDIS registered service partners, aged care service partners, health service partners, personal care service partners, support coordinators, plan managers, transport service partners, crisis services or care-service service partners unless expressly and lawfully stated in writing.

Our role is limited to IT and technology help, device support, home technology support, repair, pickup/return coordination and related customer-service support. Where a request comes from an NDIS service service partner, aged care service service partner, support worker, carer, family member or organisation, we may assist that organisation and its client, resident, participant or customer with technology needs only, subject to consent, authority, privacy, safety and service partner suitability checks.

We do not provide disability supports, aged care services, health services, personal care, therapy, plan management, support coordination, care advice, emergency support or government-funded care services. The person or organisation requesting support remains responsible for confirming funding eligibility, authority to request the work, consent, care-service obligations and any NDIS, aged care, workplace, privacy or safeguarding requirements that apply to them.

Senior, support-organisation, accessibility and assisted-booking technology support

Our guided intake may provide dedicated pathways for seniors, clients or participants supported by NDIS service service partners, people with accessibility needs, carers, family members, support workers and people requesting help for someone else. We may ask who should be contacted first, whether a support person should be copied, whether consent has been confirmed, whether patient step-by-step support is preferred and whether accessibility or home-visit notes are needed.

We do not provide medical, therapeutic, disability-support, aged care, personal care, transport, emergency, financial, legal or crisis services. Technology support for a person with disability, an NDIS participant, an aged care resident, a senior or a client of a support organisation is not a promise that we are an NDIS registered service partner, aged care service partner, health service partner, support coordinator, plan manager, care-service service partner or emergency responder unless expressly stated in writing.

Safeguards for tutoring, scam/security and home visits

For tutoring-related, student, senior, home-visit, pickup, scam/security or accessibility-sensitive requests, we may require additional review by us, verified service partner matching, family/support-worker involvement, guardian involvement where appropriate, evidence handling limits, privacy controls or service refusal. We may pause work where a person appears confused, pressured, at risk, unsafe, exploited or unable to provide informed consent.

Reports about poor conduct or unsafe behaviour

Customers and authorised support people may report poor performance, scam concerns, rude behaviour, inappropriate conduct, no-shows, unsafe behaviour, property concerns, tutoring safety issues or other concerning events. We may investigate, restrict a service partner, hide a profile, require further checks, decline a referral reward, remove a review, or recommend that the customer contact police, banks, ReportCyber, Scamwatch, IDCARE, NDIS complaints channels, eSafety or other specialist services where appropriate.

Guided support, seniors, NDIS/accessibility and assisted requests

Requests involving seniors, NDIS participants, accessibility needs, carers, support workers, family members or vulnerable customers may require additional consent, contact, access, safeguarding, service partner suitability and escalation checks.

Quick Help is not an emergency, medical, legal, financial, crisis, police or government service. Scam/security and safety guidance may be provided as practical support, but customers should contact their bank, emergency services, police, the relevant regulator or another qualified authority where appropriate.

We may prioritise, pause, restrict, decline or escalate requests where there are concerns about safety, coercion, abuse, privacy, consent, suitability, service suitability or risk to a vulnerable person.

support request safeguards for seniors, accessibility and help-for-someone-else requests

Where a support request relates to a senior customer, accessibility need, NDIS-related technology request, aged care client IT request or help-for-someone-else request, we may keep the support request under review by us before assigning it to a service partner. We may limit the information shared with service partners to what is reasonably needed for the technology-help task.

Customers, carers, family members, support workers and organisations should not send passwords, one-time codes, banking details, identity documents, medical records or care-plan information through general email or support request replies.

Student, guardian and vulnerable-person safeguards

Where a request involves a child, vulnerable person, aged-care setting, disability support context, school/campus program, guardian, carer or safety concern, we may require additional verification, guardian approval, authorised contact checks, service partner clearance review, supervision by us, evidence restrictions or refusal of service.

Trusted helper guidance, campus programs and customer portal terms

These terms are supplemented by additional service policies for Trusted helper/Campus partner identities, Student Guidance Requests, private Guidance Offers, Guidance Packages, Customer Room and My Help dashboard, service partner Store orders, Resolution Centre links, matching/service coordination, payment records and public Trusted helper Directory trust cards.

Read these additional policies where relevant: Student Guidance and Trusted helper Guidance Offer Terms, Trusted helper Directory and Trust Card Terms, Campus partner and Campus Partner Program Terms, Guidance Packages and Follow-up Program Terms, Guidance Rewards, Referral and amount Policy, Request Routing and Alerts Policy, Customer Room, My Help and Resolution Centre Terms, and Service Partner Orders and Resolution Centre Terms.

No automatic reward payments: Reward payment, referral, campus partner share and amount figures are estimated reward calculations only unless and until separately approved by our authorised team and processed under the applicable payment terms.
No bidding: Guidance Offers, service partner interest and Trusted helper assignments are not bids, auctions, counter-bids, lowest-price competitions or public price races.

Cross-linked terms and policy framework

These terms must be read together with the other Your IT & Tech Mates terms, policies, notices, quotes, invoices, service forms and written approvals that apply to the relevant service. Where a specific service term applies to a repair, software job, data recovery attempt, pickup, payment, warranty, referral, ambassador, service partner, partner, Quick Help request, website use or customer portal matter, that more specific term applies to that subject matter.

Nothing in any Your IT & Tech Mates term excludes, restricts or modifies any right, remedy, consumer guarantee or protection that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law or any other applicable law.

Related terms: Service Terms · Payment & Warranty Terms · Repair, Software & Data Risk Notice · Quick Help Terms · Referral Terms · Ambassador Terms · Service Partner Terms · Device Pickup Terms · Electronic Consent Policy · Fraud, Scam & Integrity Policy · Booking, Cancellation & No-show Policy · Dispute & Evidence Policy · Privacy Policy.

Fraud, Scam and Integrity Controls

All services, bookings, referrals, ambassador activity, service partner arrangements, payment claims, warranty claims, reviews and customer communications are subject to the Fraud, Scam and Integrity Policy. Your IT & Tech Mates may review service notes, booking records, quote records, invoice records, payment records, customer messages, photos, timestamps, referral records, device records and other available evidence when assessing fraud, scam activity, off-service payment, referral reward eligibility, disputes, chargebacks, warranty claims or policy breaches.

Prohibited conduct includes fake jobs, self-referrals, referral manipulation, duplicate claims, artificially splitting jobs, misuse of referral rewards, misleading reviews, payment bypassing, false identity or qualification claims, pressure selling, harassment, financial exploitation, suspicious account activity, misuse of customer data, and attempts to interfere with website records, payment controls or dispute processes.

Your IT & Tech Mates referral reward and referral model

Total service referral reward: The standard total service referral reward is 13.5% of the eligible paid job value, unless a different written program rule is approved by Your IT & Tech Mates.

Referral reward: The standard referral reward is 5% of the eligible paid job value. It is calculated as a percentage of the eligible completed and paid job value, not as a fixed dollar reward table.

Included inside the service referral reward: The 5% referral reward is included inside the 13.5% total service referral reward. It is not added on top of the customer price, and it does not create a separate extra charge unless a separate written written public offer says otherwise.

Referral rewards, ambassador rewards, partner referral rewards, service partner referral rewards, lead fees and incentives are not automatic and subject to eligibility checks. Payment is normally after a minimum 14-day hold after customer payment is confirmed, subject to anti-scam, anti-cheating, duplicate, self-referral, refund, payment-clearance, chargeback, dispute, attribution, customer-consent and team checks.

Referral rewards are not lifetime rewards, recurring rewards, ongoing referral rewards, employment wages, partnership profits, franchise payments or automatic entitlements. Each job is reviewed separately and must meet the applicable Your IT & Tech Mates terms.

Minimum withdrawal balance: Approved referral, ambassador, partner or referral reward payments are processed after review and generally require a minimum approved balance of $50 before withdrawal can be requested, unless Your IT & Tech Mates approves otherwise in writing.

Online service payment required: A referral, ambassador, partner, service partner, lead or referral reward payment only qualifies where the related job is properly recorded, approved, invoiced and paid by online payment through an approved Your IT & Tech Mates service payment process. Cash payments, direct technician payments, direct service partner payments, private bank transfers, PayID transfers made outside our service, cheques, cash-in-hand payments, personal payment links, side deals, split payments, payment redirection, off-service work and unrecorded payments do not qualify for referral reward, referral rewards, ambassador rewards, partner fees, lead fees or incentives.

This clause must be read with the Payment and referral reward Integrity Policy, Referral Terms, Referral Policy, Ambassador Network Terms, Service Partner Terms and Fraud, Scam and Integrity Policy.

Senior-friendly and vulnerable person referral safeguards

Referral rescue cards may include senior-friendly tech help, grandparent tech lifeline, scam support or home technology help. These tools must be shared respectfully and only with people who may reasonably want the information.

Current feature safety update

These terms are updated for current Your IT & Tech Mates and TheFixers.APP features, including QuoteMe, Quick Help, customer rooms, student proof, campus help, skill profiles, Live Resume, referrals, provider help, organisation handovers, uploaded media, reviews, ratings and business/software/AI callback requests.

Your legal rights still apply. Nothing in these terms removes rights, guarantees or remedies that cannot be excluded under Australian law.

Safeguarding and private information update

Students, helpers, customers, providers and organisations must stop and ask for help if a task becomes unsafe, unclear, private, pressured or outside the agreed scope.

Uploads must be safe to share and relevant to the request. Users must crop or remove private details before uploading proof images, task images or screenshots.

Free tools, checkers and guides

We provide some free online tools, checkers, calculators, guides, examples and templates to help customers understand common technology, repair, scam-safety and service questions.

These free resources are general information only. They are provided to help you think through an issue, not to make a final decision for you.

We take reasonable care when preparing and improving these tools, but we do not promise that every result is accurate, complete, current, suitable for your situation, safe to rely on, or free from errors. A tool may miss a risk, flag something incorrectly, estimate a price differently from a real quote, or give a result that does not fit your circumstances.

You are responsible for checking any result before relying on it. Important, urgent, high-risk or business-critical decisions should be confirmed with a suitably qualified professional.

Free tools and guides are not legal, financial, tax, medical, insurance, migration, employment, education, cyber incident response, forensic, safety, engineering or other professional advice. They are not a substitute for a proper assessment by a qualified adviser, technician, provider, regulator, bank, insurer or emergency service.

You use free tools and guides at your own risk. To the maximum extent allowed by law, we are not responsible for loss, delay, missed warnings, incorrect assumptions, business interruption, lost data, account compromise, financial loss or other damage arising from your use of, or reliance on, a free tool or guide.

Do not enter passwords, passcodes, one-time codes, banking details, card numbers, Medicare numbers, licence details, identity documents, private keys, recovery phrases, confidential business records or other sensitive personal information into any free tool or public form.

If you have paid money to a suspected scammer, shared banking details, entered a password, installed remote access software, lost access to an account, or believe a device or account is compromised, treat it as urgent and contact your bank, relevant provider, official authorities or a suitably qualified professional.

Your legal rights still apply. Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantee, statutory right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified under Australian law.