How to Sell a Phone

[Ruttiger]

For a technological Luddite, what steps need to be taken to safely and properly sell a used smart phone? We lost one, bought another, then recovered the old one. Considering selling the used one now but want to do it the right way with no technological or legal issues.

Steps? Thanks.

[keratosis]

Pull the sim card. Do a factory restore. Should be good to go.

[HotHotHeat]

If it's an iPhone, I would suggest meeting outside an Apple Store and have a Genius Bar appointment booked shortly after the meetup time.

Helps make your intentions good for the seller, and gives them a chance to get the phone checked out for any hardware/software issues.

[DoubleF]

Other than factory reset to delete your stuff and removing a micro SD card if necessary, not sure what else needs to be done... Box and cables so the buyer is less hesitant to believe you're a scammer who will report the phone stolen and get a new one for free/leaving them with a nice little tablet?

EDIT: Yeah and the sim card, but I assumed you already did that with the new phone.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by keratosis

Pull the sim card. Do a factory restore. Should be good to go.

Question from the ultra-paranoid : even with a factory reset, the data is still there is it not? (only the address pointer changes) ... not trying to be a smart ass / pain in the ass, genuinely wondering since that was what stopped me from selling my old, "cigar butt" phones.

[ken0042]

Both Apple as well as newer Android versions require the previous person to enter their Apple ID info or Gmail account before it can be setup again. It's a security feature that makes it much harder for a stolen phone to be just reset and then used.

For both the simple solution is to reset, enter your info, and then setup without the Apple ID or Gmail account. Then the person buying can just reset again.

I do like the meeting in front of an Apple store idea; if it's an iPhone.

[keratosis]

If you want you can look up your specific phone and wipe cash etc. But a factory refresh is all you really need to do. Unless you carry national secrets, then I suggest a hammer and lighter fluid.

[keratosis]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Both Apple as well as newer Android versions require the previous person to enter their Apple ID info or Gmail account before it can be setup again. It's a security feature that makes it much harder for a stolen phone to be just reset and then used.

For both the simple solution is to reset, enter your info, and then setup without the Apple ID or Gmail account. Then the person buying can just reset again.

I do like the meeting in front of an Apple store idea; if it's an iPhone.

I wouldn't put in my gmail account, it would restore your phone to were it was before the factory reset. Once the person adds their Google id and sim they are good to go
Also list your carrier as you are likely locked to them. Unless you have a Nexus device or bought your iPhone directly from Apple.
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/go...store-3505892/

[ken0042]

This is the screen that now comes up after doing the factory reset:
http://android.stackexchange.com/que...fter-resetting

That link actually describes the issue I was talking about. The person did a factory reset and sold the phone. The new user wants to setup the phone, but can't until he enters the previous owner's Google account info.

I think this feature is new for Android 5.0

[keratosis]

It appears if you do the factory reset from settings you dont get that screen. I just did it with my nexus 5. Didnt get that screen, from the link you posted.

"If he sends the phone back to you: log in with your Google account at the prompt in the Setup Wizard, finish the wizard, and then go to Settings and do the Factory Reset from there (rather than via recovery, etc.)."

[Drury18]

For an iphone, you need to turn off "Find My iPhone" before you do the factory reset. That way, it isn't connected to your Apple ID and a new one can be entered.

If you factory reset with "Find My iPhone" still on, the phone will still believe it belongs to you.

This link will help walk you through how to do it: https://support.apple.com/kb/ph2702?locale=en_US

[Ruttiger]

Is there a way to separate the phone from Telus so anyone can use it or will it always be a Telus phone?

[keratosis]

You would either go to telus and buy an unlock code$$$ or buy one off ebay$.

[Drury18]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

Is there a way to separate the phone from Telus so anyone can use it or will it always be a Telus phone?

Yes.

You would need an unlock code from Telus to make it an unlocked phone that could be used by any carrier. They do charge a fee and you have to meet certain conditions for them to provide you with a code.

http://www.telus.com/en/bc/support/a...-mobile-device

[keratosis]

Originally Posted by Drury18

Yes.

You would need an unlock code from Telus to make it an unlocked phone that could be used by any carrier. They do charge a fee and you have to meet certain conditions for them to provide you with a code.

http://www.telus.com/en/bc/support/a...-mobile-device

Your link doesn't work for me.

[HotHotHeat]

I wouldn't suggest buying an unlock code off eBay.

Telus will unlock it for you over the phone, fee is $35 I believe.

My suggestion is to advertise the phone as usable on any carrier for $X, or on Telus for $X - 35.

Only unlock it through Telus, and only if required by the buyer.

[Looch City]

I've used eBay unlock several times before with success. Just pick a seller with high rating. Cheap and easy.

[FlamesPuck12]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Question from the ultra-paranoid : even with a factory reset, the data is still there is it not? (only the address pointer changes) ... not trying to be a smart ass / pain in the ass, genuinely wondering since that was what stopped me from selling my old, "cigar butt" phones.

I had the same question myself but Apple's already one step ahead.

Here's a doc that describe all their security implementations:
https://www.apple.com/business/docs/...rity_Guide.pdf

tl;dr: Almost everything on your iPhone is encrypted by your file system key, which is erased when you do a reset and "renders all files cryptographically inaccessible".

Edit: Oops, you didn't specify an iPhone. No idea how it works for Androids.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by FlamesPuck12

I had the same question myself but Apple's already one step ahead.

Here's a doc that describe all their security implementations:
https://www.apple.com/business/docs/...rity_Guide.pdf

tl;dr: Almost everything on your iPhone is encrypted by your file system key, which is erased when you do a reset and "renders all files cryptographically inaccessible".

Thank you good sir. My memory sucks too much to remember, but I think some guy blackmailed the gov't or media once (or something thereof) and thought he was in clear when he erased his hard drive, but the government/CIA managed to get the data off the hard drive (since only the address pointers were deleted; not the memory) and managed to get his personal info including his tax returns. Pretty funny.

[Scimitar]

I recently bought an Xperia z3 for my spouse from a private seller. The phone was factory reset by the seller, but there were pictures of him left on the phone when I plugged it into the computer. The pictures were in folders belonging to the apps he used and didn't remove. This is not the first time for me to find other people's pictures on used and reset android phones. I always look carefully before I use a phone in case there are illegal things on it from the previous owner.