Guide for Law Enforcement: Requesting User Information from Ko-fi
We take privacy and legal compliance seriously at Ko-fi. If you're a law enforcement agent seeking information about a user, please follow the steps below to request access through our legal request form.
How to Access the Legal Request Form
-
Request the form: Enter your work email address at this link - https://report.ko-fi.com/law-enforcement/request/ - and a secure link will be sent to your inbox.
- Whitelist requirement: Only approved law enforcement domains can receive this form. This ensures that only verified law enforcement agencies have access.
Didn't Receive the Form Link?
If you don’t receive the email link within a few minutes:
- Check your spam or junk folder.
- Verify your domain: Ensure you're using an approved law enforcement email domain. If your domain isn’t whitelisted, contact us to resolve the issue. Please provide your agency's details for verification.
Why Use the Legal Request Form?
Using our secure form ensures your request is processed swiftly and by the right team. It’s designed to:
- Keep your data secure and encrypted.
- Ensure we have all necessary details to handle your request efficiently.
- Prevent unauthorised access to sensitive user information.
Ko-fi and Know Your Customer (KYC) Information
Unlike many other platforms, Ko-fi does not process payments directly. Instead, the supporter (buyer) pays the creator (seller) directly through the creator’s own Stripe or PayPal. As a result, Ko-fi is not responsible for collecting Know Your Customer (KYC) information. We do collect some basic details during a user’s interaction with Ko-fi, but please be aware that most financial or identity data is held by payment processors, not Ko-fi.
Notification of the User
When submitting your request, please specify whether Ko-fi should notify the user. Unless instructed otherwise, we are legally obliged to inform the user about your request. Be sure to clearly indicate if you do not want the user to be notified.
Requesting Account Action (Suspension or Ban)
If your request includes asking Ko-fi to suspend or ban a user, please note that this action will automatically trigger a notification to the user. If you have issued a non-disclosure instruction, please consider whether this conflicts with the notification process. You must provide clear guidance on whether the user should be notified or not to avoid any unintended conflicts.
Pre-existing Suspensions or Bans
In some cases, a user’s account may already be suspended or banned prior to your request. If this is the case, we will inform you during our correspondence so you can decide whether further action is necessary.
Emergency Requests
If your request is urgent and involves life-threatening circumstances, please mention this clearly in your submission. Our team prioritises emergency requests for quicker processing.
What Happens Next?
Once we receive your completed form, we’ll review the request. We may follow up for more information to ensure compliance with legal requirements. After verifying your request, we will provide any legally required user information.