Selling your phone? Here's what you must do

When selling or giving away a used smartphone, it's crucial to go beyond simply deleting photos and apps. Experts warn that failing to properly wipe a device can leave sensitive personal information vulnerable to theft and fraud.

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Every third person gives their old phone to a family member or friend, every fifth sells it. It is often thought that deleting photos, contacts, and a few apps is enough before transferring the phone. However, today a phone stores significantly more sensitive information – from dozens of saved passwords to access to email or banking applications. Therefore, when transferring the device, it is important to delete all personal data on it and prepare it properly.

Andrius Archangelskis, an expert at "Bitė Lietuva," emphasizes that phones today store a wealth of sensitive data, including saved passwords and access to email and banking applications. He advises users to ensure all important data is backed up to a new device or the cloud before proceeding. This includes checking that essential apps like email and banking function correctly on the new phone.

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Check not only if photos and contacts are transferred. Also, make sure that email, banking applications, authentication tools, and other important applications work on the new phone. Only then prepare the old device for further use.

The recommended process involves signing out of all accounts, such as Apple ID or Google, and then performing a factory reset. This ensures that all personal data is removed from the device. Archangelskis cautions against manually deleting data, as this can create a false sense of security. Deleted files may still be recoverable for a period, and a manual deletion does not replace the comprehensive erasure provided by a factory reset.

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If you do not log out of the phone manufacturer's account before restoring factory settings, the device's anti-theft protection may activate, and the new owner will not be able to use the device.

Improperly prepared phones pose significant risks. Leftover login credentials or personal data can be exploited by fraudsters to take over accounts or perpetrate financial scams. Archangelskis urges users to dedicate a few minutes to properly prepare their device before transferring ownership, highlighting that this simple step can safeguard against serious consequences.

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When people manually delete photos, contacts, or applications, there is a false impression that the phone is already empty. However, saved passwords, data from other applications, or information that can be restored using certain tools may still remain on it. Manual data deletion should not replace factory reset. Finally, deleted information does not disappear completely for a while, it just goes to the trash. And you can still 'rummage' in it.