Delete, Delete, Reset, Before Dumping Your Old Cell Phone
Most phones are still filled with personal info before they are resold, traded in
By LITA BECK
Updated 9:52 AM CDT, Thu, Oct 8, 2009
Many cell phone users store their life on their phone but don't delete that data before reselling or turning in old devices.
David Goldstein at eBay reseller Easy Sale said most phones are filled with sensitive information. Credit card numbers, passwords and even Web browsing history and text messages can often be found on old phones.
Goldstein said Easy Sale is seeing more and more people looking to sell their old phones for some extra cash.
"Sometimes they don't think about deleting their data at all," he said.
Used phones at dozens of pawnshops across North Texas were filled with personal data -- including risqué photographs.
"What they don't think about is things like the call logs, the Web browsing, the pictures of their kids, and maybe they have their birthdates in their phone book," Goldstein said.
He said Easy Sale makes sure each phone it sells is electronically wiped.
Before getting rid of old phones, people should perform a factory reset and cut up any old SIM cards.
First Published: Oct 7, 2009 10:33 PM CDT
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