One in Five Resold Phones Still Held Data Identifying the Previous Owner

A 2022 study of 100 second-hand phones and tablets from the UK resale market found only 52% had been factory reset or wiped. Among devices with data left, 20% held names and account details enough to identify the previous owner. A related 2025 study found recoverable user data on over 12% of 614 USB drives sold as new.

• Only 52% of 100 second-hand devices had been factory reset or wiped
• 20% of devices with data held names and account details of the owner
• 28% of purchased devices were non-functional or unrecognized by forensic tools
• Over 12% of 614 USB drives sold as new carried recoverable data