Tech-tip - Securely Disposing of Your Mobile Device
Overview
Mobile devices, such as smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets, continue to advance and we continue to change these on a yearly basis or as soon as a new device is available. This just means we now have a lot of devices carrying information about us and others close to us.
Your Information
Mobile devices store far more sensitive data than you may realize, oftentimes more than even your computer. Typical information can include:
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Where you live, work, and places you frequently visit
, employee details, IRD numbers (making it easy for identity theft)
•The contact details for everyone in your address book and applications, including family, friends, and coworkers
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Call history, including inbound, outbound, and missed calls
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SMS (texting), voice, and multimedia messages
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Chat sessions within applications like secure chat, games, and social media
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Location history based on GPS coordinates or cell tower history
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Web browsing history, search history, cookies, and cached pages
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Personal photos, videos, audio recordings, and emails
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Stored passwords and access to personal accounts, such as your online bank or email
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Access to photos, files, or information stored in the Cloud
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Any health-related information, including your age, heart rate, blood pressure, or diet
When disposing of your mobile device, be sure to do a factory reset and remove the SIM and any SD cards if your device has them.
(so many resources are available to assist you do the above on the net and most vendor sites some with videos)
Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.
🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.
Remember, banks will:
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.
If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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