August 26, 2006

Before Getting Rid of Old Computers: Delete the DATA the Right Way

When you donate or otherwise get rid of old computers YOU MUST make sure that the data on your hard disk is gone. It's not amusing to give your 10 business computers away only to find out that vital employee information, contracts or other critical data are on the hard disk. Maybe you "deleted" them but the software can still reside on the hard disk if not properly erases.

There's many software products that can help. One is SecureDelete from Diskeeper Corporation which is an effective way to securely wipe all data from the computer hard drive ensuring that no access to personal data can be obtained.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the UK and worldwide. A report this month by the BBC's Real Story programme revealed that bank account details belonging to thousands of Britons are being sold in West Africa for less than GBP20 where, subsequently, access to personal data, including bank details can be retrieved for criminal use. The recycling of second hand computers can be a potential treasure trove of personal information as it is possible for fraudsters to easily access personal banking data - putting the original owners of these PCs at risk of fraud and identity theft.

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