Don't Trade In Your Smartphone Before Wiping Your Data
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — With new smartphones coming on the market nearly every month, some become obsolete fairly quickly.
But before ditching that old model, there are things to do that can prevent identity fraud.
It's attached to your hip.
"This was my contact with the whole world when I was out on the road," said smartphone user Jeff Manning.
It goes everywhere you do. That is until you get a new phone. And then you wonder how much you can get for your old phone.
But before you count the money, cellphone expert A.J. Ingraham says remember what you have left on that phone.
I've heard some of the wildest stories from phones not being cleared."
Every day, he sees customers who leave pictures, contacts and other important information behind.
"They left it synced up and so you can see all of their contacts are on there, so if you are like me and store some important information that may not be a phone number, but it's in your contacts you've just given that away."
Yakety Yak clears that information for you, but when you mail that phone or turn it in through a kiosk, those on the other end are likely not going to log onto a Facebook account, but instead steal whatever banking, addresses or personal information.
"At the end of the day, you don't know where that phone goes. You mail it one place, and for all we know ends up in a giant box and sent to Mexico or some other country."
Wiping the phone clean and restoring it to factory settings will help prevent any identity theft.
But it's not just your old phone you need to worry about. Hackers are finding ways to sneak in through free apps.
"They are like, 'Hey we get this $5 app for free,' and you are thinking it's great, but you are not aware of what you are installing on your phone."
What you get with that app is spyware that is watching your every move. It is a problem mostly with teenagers who know the dangers, but download anyway as they are looking to save a few bucks.
