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Cell phone unlocking, SIM cards, and resale
rndmhero
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I have an old Windows phone, a Lumia 900, that I'm looking to sell. As this is the first time I've actually sold a one of my old phones, I ran into a couple of (somewhat silly) questions I was hoping folks here might be able to clarify.
The phone is no longer active on my account, and I've reset it to the factory defaults. Still, since it has the original SIM card and storage in place as when I used it, is there any risk of people being able to recover personal data off of the device? I'm familiar with the need to format (or remove altogether) a PC hard drive before it changes hands, but I don't know if there's a similar risk for a phone. It's a unibody design, so I can't easily open it to take anything out.
Second, I'm in the process of getting it unlocked through ATT. I assume that once it's unlocked, if I reset it to factory defaults (again), the unlocked status persists, yes? It does not have to go through the unlocking process again?
The phone is no longer active on my account, and I've reset it to the factory defaults. Still, since it has the original SIM card and storage in place as when I used it, is there any risk of people being able to recover personal data off of the device? I'm familiar with the need to format (or remove altogether) a PC hard drive before it changes hands, but I don't know if there's a similar risk for a phone. It's a unibody design, so I can't easily open it to take anything out.
Second, I'm in the process of getting it unlocked through ATT. I assume that once it's unlocked, if I reset it to factory defaults (again), the unlocked status persists, yes? It does not have to go through the unlocking process again?
rndmhero on
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Generally, a factory reset wipes the device. There's always a remote chance someone can recover your data, but it wouldn't be easy. I'm not, however, exactly familiar with the process on Windows phones, so you may want to Google "data wipe lumia 900 windows phone" or some such first.
My office got a refurbed iPhone of some sort in a "lost-and-found" situation (left in the ladies' room) something like three months ago. Nobody's come to claim it, and i'm thinking of selling it, not that i think i'll get much, although it was running well enough at the time. I just don't know if above-board resale places (does Gamestop still do that? I'll just trade the thing towards Splatoon) will take it without taking my information or something and then i could get in trouble?
Don't want to get in any trouble over something like this, although whoever the phone belonged to probably gave up on it months ago. Which is odd, because a note was left in the ladies' room.
Or is there some way i could turn it in that the old owner could get credit for it?