Protecting consumer data is a top priority for us all at Autotrader. That’s why we’re making an important update to the way lead notification emails work, helping to reduce the risk for both retailers and consumers.

We want to ensure that this change causes no disruptions to your day-to-day operations. If you need any support reviewing your setup, please contact your Account Manager or call our support team on 0345 111 0002.

What’s changing?

From the end of October, lead notification emails will no longer include personally identifiable information (PII) such as customer names, email addresses, telephone numbers, or message content.

All this information will still be available to view in Portal or in third-party systems via our API.

You’ll continue to see a “View your lead” button in every email. Clicking on this button will take you straight into Sales Hub in Portal (desktop or mobile), where you can securely view all enquiry details.

Image showing the difference between the current lead notification email (with PII) versus what the new email will look like at the end of October (without PII)

Why are we making this change?

The information we’ve historically included in lead emails is PII. Sending this kind of data over email carries a higher risk of being accessed, misused, or exposed in a data breach. By removing PII from lead notification emails, we’re taking proactive steps to safeguard consumer data and reduce risk across the board.

How will I get customer information?

We’re not removing any access to customer details or content. All enquiry information, including names, contact details, and buyer messages, will still be fully available to you in:

Portal - via Sales Hub on both desktop or mobile (see example below)
Our Leads/Deals API (if you already work with an integration partner or have a direct integration set up)

What do you need to do?

If you already manage your leads securely through Portal or via an API integration: no action is required.
We have been working with technology partners over the last few months to ensure that all API integrations will continue to work after the deadline.
If you or your systems currently pull or scrape customer details from lead notification emails, you’ll need to review and update your processes before the end of October to avoid disruption.
Ensure any team members who need to contact buyers directly have the right level of access in Portal.

Key dates to know

End of October – Lead notification emails will no longer include PII. All enquiry details will be available via Portal or API.

There will be no updates to your lead notification emails before the end of October, giving you and your team time to adjust before this change takes place.

Support if you need it

If you have questions about these changes, or need support reviewing your setup, please contact your Account Manager or call our support team on 0345 111 0002.

Protecting Consumer Data: Upcoming Changes to Lead Notification Emails