Have you ever lost or donated an old Blackberry? Wondering where these devices are going and if you could actually still get money for them?
Well, old or stolen cell phones certainly are a tough sell in the open market in America or Europe, however, chances are you can still get a fair price for your old device in places like Nigeria where second-hand trade in Blackberrys and smart phones is currently booming. Average price is about $30.
The good news: You can double or triple the value of your old cell phone by leaving lots of personal information, emails, or even your passwords on it.
You think we’re joking? We’re not! Theregister, a UK-based website reports that second-hand Blackberry phones in Nigeria are priced according to the amount of personal information still on it. This private data is then being processed, organized, and resold for a profit to identity thiefs and other Internet crooks.
Obviously, selling your personal data is something you should avoid at any cost, so never mind about the “doubling your phone’s value” part. This little story is a good example though to illustrate how vulnerable our private information actually is. It teaches us that there is a good reason why so many people keep screaming for better encryption solutions for mobile devices and why you should make use of your built-in encryption feature, even though it may seem like a hassle.
Loading ...