Expert says used electronics could still be storing personal information

BOSTON (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - Selling old electronic devices is a great way to get some extra cash, but could it be costing you more than you realize?

According to one expert, the sale could be a two for one deal: a new gadget paired with someone else's personal information.

Identity theft expert and McAfee Security consultant Robert Siciliano conducted a two month experiment with funding from McAfee. During the experiment, Robert went onto Craigslist.com and purchased used electronics from Massachusetts and New Hampshire residents.

Siciliano’s experiment included laptops, desktops, netbooks, notebooks, I-phones, I-pads, and hard drives.

He tells FOX 25 that he sent the used devices to a data recovery company to see how much information could be retrieved. A computer forensic expert spent a week scanning the drives and phones of the twenty devices examined. Half of the devices were filled with people’s personal and private information.

The electronics held everything from pirated movies to social security numbers. Some even stored bills and tax returns.

One disk featured family pictures, an eviction notice, a child support demand letter, and a Mass Health acceptance form.

Another belonged to a business owner. Their drive contained private information about employees, business plans, and legal contracts.

All of this information could turn into pay day for a thief.

“If a bad guy had bought these machines and extracted this data they could take over their existing accounts or they could open up new accounts, they could get new credit cards, new bank loans,” says Siciliano, “In some situations they could get a passport under someone's name, a drivers license under their name even tap into their medical records.”

Siciliano says half of the devices that still had personal information on them came from people who thought they had wiped them clean. He warns that simply manually deleting files is not enough.

Robert Siciliano recommends users wipe the drive clean, format it, then reinstall the operating system in order to fully clear personal information.

Also, if you’re interested in buying a used electronic, Robert recommends immediately installing a protection program.