Selling can be an economical and environmentally friendly way to dispose of your old or outdated smartphone. Yet, for all its benefits, there are risks of selling your smartphone that are important to keep in mind when you decide to make a transaction.
The reason you should be careful selling your smartphone is this: Your mobile device is a major part of your identity. If you’re like most people, you probably use your smartphone to shop, manage social media, take care of work during emergencies and more. You have personal information on your phone that could be at risk if it leaks out to the wrong parties, while selling your phone to strangers leaves you open to scams, financial losses and even physical harm.
That said, there are many ways that you can minimize these risks and sell your phone without worries. Here’s how to sell a phone safely.
Can You Sell a Phone Safely on Craigslist?
Individuals often choose to sell mobile devices online using websites such as Craigslist due to convenience. It sounds easy enough to get in contact with a buyer, exchange your phone for cash and be on your way, right? But when you deal with a stranger from the internet to make a financial exchange, you have few options when it comes to verifying whether or not this person is trustworthy. Scam artists on Craigslist have been known to cheat people out of money with counterfeit cash or use their personal information to steal from them.
It’s crucial to be vigilant if you decide to use this method to sell your smartphone. For instance, divulging as little sensitive information as possible online and meeting with your buyer in neutral public places can help protect you from threats. Even if you do take precautions, using websites like these to sell your phone can open you up to financial and physical repercussions.
Remove All Phone Data
The internet is a powerful tool, but some individuals and organizations may use it to take advantage of others. Whatever type of phone you have, it likely comes with some security risks. These concerns can double, however, when you give other people access to the information on your phone.
You may already know that it’s best to make sure your phone is cleared of any personal information before you sell it or give it away. Bank information and social media accounts linked to the smartphone can compromise your security and could give scammers the perfect opportunity to steal your money and/or identity.
So when you prepare to sell your smartphone, your first order of business should be to back up all the data you have on your device. Usually, you can do so by syncing the phone to your account — either Apple if you have an iOS device or Google if you have an Android.
After you’ve made all your information safe and secure, you can go into your phone’s settings and clear all data from the system, as well as sign out of any accounts you may be logged into on the device. Additionally, make sure you go in and reset your phone to factory settings so that any other data or settings you have applied to it will disappear.
Another step you can take to prepare your phone for a new owner includes removing your SIM card, which could contain some of your information even after you’ve wiped all the data. This step will help ensure that the phone is ready to fall into the next pair of hands without any security risk to you.
Work With The Whiz Cells
If you’re looking for a way to safely sell a phone, you’ll be happy to know that The Whiz Cells offers quick cash offers for your old devices while using the highest level of safety measures. All you need to do is answer a few questions about your device, and we’ll send you a free shipping label so that you can ship it right to us! We can also provide packaging to you for any devices valued at $100 or more. By wrapping the phone or tablet in bubble wrap and filling up the rest of the box with packing material, you can protect the device so that it reaches us without risk of damage.
Sell with us for safe, fast payment on all your outdated or broken devices.