The majority of consumers have still not woken up to the danger of letting personal data fall into the wrong hands, with a new study showing 54 per cent of second-hand mobiles contain information on the previous owner.
Researchers bought used phones and SIM cards on eBay, and uncovered data including photographs, banking details, Pin numbers and even private texts and emails.
A total of 247 pieces of data were left on 19 of the 35 mobiles and 27 of the 50 SIM cards, revealed the study for life assistance company CPP.
The information included credit and debit card pin numbers, bank account details, passwords, phone numbers, company information and login details to social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn.
In research that supported the study, half of second-hand mobile phone owners said they have found personal information from a previous owner on mobile phones and SIM cards they have bought.
Some 81 per cent claim to have wiped their mobiles before selling them, with six in ten confident they have removed all of their personal information. But CPP is urging consumers to delete all their personal data before upgrading or recycling their handsets.
CPP mobile data expert Danny Harrison said: “This report is a shocking wake-up call and shows how mobile phones can inadvertently cause people to be careless with their personal data. Consumers are upgrading their mobiles more than ever and it is imperative they take personal responsibility to properly manage their own data.”
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