3 On Your Side: Wiping Your iPhone Clean
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With the release of every new iPhone, many people dump their old phone and upgrade to a new one. But before you get rid of your phone, have you checked to be sure you've removed all of your personal information? 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan has advice to keep that information safe.
For many, the introduction of the iPhone 6 means it's time to say goodbye to the old. But are you and your iPhone making a clean break? Shane Mericle, a cell phone tech says, "Customers come in and don't even realize that they need to reset their phone. They're not even thinking from a security prospective." One customer handed in a phone that Mericle says still had lots of data on it. He says "In this case he's got a PayPal account, there's a Chase card account. While I have this phone I could request a password reset on that account and while I have this phone before it's been reset make purchases on their behalf."
So what do you need to do before you upgrade? Make sure you do a factory reset on your phone. To do that on an iPhone go to settings, general, reset, and then reset all settings. You can also erase all content and settings from this screen.
CTIA, a wireless communications industry group says a factory reset may not wipe everything clean from all phones, it all depends on your phone maker and model. In addition to the reset, CTIA says we should all consider downloading a data eraser application to help wipe the phone or remove the SIM or SD card if the phone has one, before selling or returning it.
