Did you receive a brand new smartphone or computer this Christmas?
Or are you recycling your old device(s)?

A recent feature on 7 News Sunrise (17 Dec 2023) describes a lady who got a new phone, recycled her old phone, only to have the data hacked and used to drain $40,000 from her bank account:

“I disposed of my old mobile phone a couple of months ago in a Melbourne E-waste bin within my apartment complex,” she told Sunrise on Tuesday.

“I was thinking that it was all smashed up, it’d be okay to put it in a secure bin – I don’t know what data was left on the phone,” she explained.

Australian telco, Telstra, states those wanting to recycle phones should: “Be sure all data is permanently wiped from your device before it’s picked up or dropped off.”

“The recycling process doesn’t include data wiping, only destruction,” Telstra’s website states.

This post-Christmas season, if Santa brought you a new phone, make sure to wipe out your sensitive data on the old phone before you throw it out, sell it, give it away, or recycle it. 

If you need assistance wiping your data off, we are here to help. The tech experts at South Perth Learning Centre provide a free data deletion service, funded by the federal government's Be Connected initiative. 

To book yourself in, click here and follow the prompts; or call 0459 571 736.