blue_with_website-225x30022By Jason Mcglone

The market for used and refurbished electronics is understandably huge; it’s often a really good way to get a gadget for less than full price.  What’s more, you can still stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest in tablets, cellphones and computers.

Whether you’re selling or buying used or refurbished electronics, you’ll want to be thoughtful when it comes to personal information.  It’s vital to safeguard your personal information and to be sensitive of others’, as well.  If you don’t you could risk embarrassment at best and identity theft at worst.

If you’re selling a phone or computer, BBB recommends that you be sure that you wipe all the personally identifying information from it before you ship it off to the person, or business, to which you sold it.  This should be a fairly simple task that almost any competent user can achieve.

If you’ve never attempted to wipe the personal information from an electronic device, or would like to have a resource on hand to walk you through it just in case, the blog Lifehacker has guides on how to wipe your smartphone and the best approach to tidying up your computer.

Should you be in the market for used or refurbished electronic equipment, you might consider wiping its information before you begin any heavy usage.

For more information about selling or buying used and refurbished electronics, see the “Technology” category on the BBB.org Blog.

DSEF and the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) foster honest and responsive relationships between businesses and consumers—instilling consumer confidence and advancing a trustworthy marketplace for all.

About the Better Business Bureaus
As the leader in advancing marketplace trust, Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews® and BBB Wise Giving Reports® to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. Visit www.bbb.org/us for more information.