Who to sell your device to, is it risky?

  • Who to sell your device to, is it risky?

    Who to sell your device to, is it risky?

    So you want to sell your used phone, tablet or other device but are worried about risks.  Well, what risks could be involved?

    Protect your data

    Do your research and know how to reset/clear your device of any personal data.  The biggest issue and risk you could face selling a device is leaving compromising content or data on it for buyers or any individuals in the resale process to access. 


    What to do before you sell or give away your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

    Apple has provided guidance for apple devices here. 

    What to do if you use android?

    1.  Backup your data/settings to your google account
    2. Make sure you have copied over your files/photos/videos to a backup/cloud/computer
    3. if you care about texts/calls/voicemails get those too
    4. Encrypt your data before you wipe it. 
    5. Disable factory reset protection (learn more about FRP on our post here)
    6. Factory reset the phone (Settings> Backup & reset > Factory data reset

    Any other risks

    Once your data is safe and secure all that is left is exchanging your device for that sweet cash.  If you are using a company its a good idea to make sure they are reputable as some might show only a price of $45 for a phone but be very picky and only give $15-$20 when they have it in their possession.  If you use an app or craigslist to meet someone just do so in a public location.