May 22, 2013
You're looking for extra cash, so you decide to sell your cell phone...
You go online, put up an ad, and find someone to buy it.
However it's this simple process that could easily give away all your personal information.
“The problem is if you do remove your memory card there still can be a lot of internal memory on the smart phone. Or worse yet, if you send the memory card with the phone, a tremendous amount of data may be there.” Public safety coordinator for Troy University Jim Smith said.
If you have ever used your phone to go onto your email, or even log into your bank account, all of those passwords can be accessed, if you don't take the steps to secure them.
“I would suggest you talk to someone at one of the cell phone vendors who is a cell phone expert and make sure that phone is completely wiped. Or make sure that person is an IT person who's familiar with how to wipe that phone.” Smith said.
“Smart phones are like little computer and if you have your information on the phone the biggest and the smartest thing to do is a factory reset on the phone to take it back when it was a brand new phone.” Owner of Wiregrass Wireless Allen Sands said.
Sands says it’s also important that you don't save passwords on your phone when logging into an app.
“It’s just like your computer you could lose everything on your phone.” Sands said.
But if you still don't feel comfortable doing a factory reset…
“They can do what I do, I never sell a laptop, computer or Smartphone I physically destroy them.” Smith said.
And although that's a bit messier, smith says it allows you to be in control of your private information.
Sands says if you want to sell your phone to a store, most places will be able to wipe it clean for you right there.
