It's hard to imagine life without a mobile phone. According to a 2019 survey, a whopping 94% of Americans own a mobile device. However, many people don’t realize what a vast amount of personal data is stored on our mobile devices. Even if you don’t own a smartphone, traditional cell phones can still contain a lot of personal info. Here is just some of the information that could be present on your mobile device:
The easiest way to erase your phone's data is to reset it, but before doing that, a good rule of thumb is back up the contents of your device. Backing up your data ensures that the information will not be lost. Once you’ve backed up your phone, use the following navigation to reset your device.
By taking the time to wipe your device of any personal or sensitive data, you’ll help to protect your identity and your financial well-being. With so much data at our fingertips these days, it’s critical to ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands!
- The location of your home or workplace, or locations of places you’ve visited in the past
- Contact information for everyone in your address book
- Phone call history including received calls, missed calls, voicemails, and outgoing calls
- Text messages or chat history
- Web browsing history
- Personal photos, videos and audio recordings
- Stored passwords and access codes
- Credit card and bank account information stored in mobile wallets or in apps
- Health information such as heart rate, exercise history or blood pressure
1.) Wipe the Device
You need to remove all personal and sensitive data from your device before you dispose of it. Whether you decide to donate your phone, recycle it, or exchange it, you don't want your personal data available to the next user. Unfortunately, simply deleting the data from your device is not enough. In most instances, deleted data can be recovered, which is why you should permanently erase all data from your device.The easiest way to erase your phone's data is to reset it, but before doing that, a good rule of thumb is back up the contents of your device. Backing up your data ensures that the information will not be lost. Once you’ve backed up your phone, use the following navigation to reset your device.
- For Apple devices, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings
- For Android devices, go to Settings > Privacy > Factory Data Reset
2.) Remove the SIM Card
A “Subscriber Identity Module”, or “SIM card”, is a small memory chip that stores information related to your phone. Typically, SIM cards contain information such as your mobile phone number, carrier information, your billing information, and your phone’s address book. SIM cards are often transferable, meaning you can move the SIM card on one phone to another device, however this is not always the case. If you are able to transfer your SIM card from an existing phone to a new one, your carrier will recognize you from the data on the SIM card regardless of the physical phone. Because your contacts and other personal information can end up being stored on your SIM card, it’s always a good idea to remove it before disposing of your mobile phone.3.) Remove SD Cards
Some mobile phones have a slot for an SD card (a.k.a a “Secure Digital” card). This is a very small memory card designed for high-capacity storage for cell phones and other portable devices. An SD card is an alternative to storing data in a remote location such as the cloud. If your mobile device has an SD card, it’s important to remove it before you get rid of your device. Otherwise, any data stored on it will be accessible to the next person using it.4.) Disconnect Your Device
Most cell phones are used for more than just making phone calls. They can be set up to automatically connect to WiFi or Bluetooth networks, and they may be used for user authentication on platforms like Online Banking sites or email accounts. You will need to ensure that these types of connections are severed before you dispose of your device. Here are some tips:- Confirm that all accounts and passwords have been removed from your device. They should be removed when you reset your phone, but it’s a good idea to double check.
- Remove any device pairings. If you use your phone to connect to things like security cameras, vehicles or smartwatches, make sure that the pairings have been removed.
- Remove your phone as a trusted device for multi-factor authentication on your external accounts. For example, if you use your device to verify your Apple ID account, you’ll want to remove it as a “trusted device” before you dispose of it.
- Unless you’ll be keeping the same phone number, remember to update your phone number on any websites or accounts where you may have it listed.
5.) Don’t Just Toss It
Once you’ve ensured that all personal and sensitive information has been removed from your device, it’s time to decide what to do with it. First off, you should never just toss your old phone into the garbage. Electronics contain many toxic materials that should never end up in a landfill. One option is to sell it or trade it in for a newer phone. You may also consider donating your phone to an organization like Cell Phones for Soldiers or Medic Mobile. If you’re interested in recycling your phone, more information can be found on the United States Environmental Protection Agency website. Most cell phone carriers and electronics stores will often accept used phones for recycling or repurposing as well, so if you take your device to the store where you purchased it, they may be able to assist you with disposing of it.By taking the time to wipe your device of any personal or sensitive data, you’ll help to protect your identity and your financial well-being. With so much data at our fingertips these days, it’s critical to ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands!