what precautions to b taken while selling my iphone??

What to do before selling or giving away your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Just use this article:

iOS: How to back up your data and set up your device as a new device - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4137

Follow the steps, and you'll be fine.

Using data deleting tools via theiOSsoftware will NOT be enough to fully secure youriPhone. People have different perceptions on this topic, some may even argue with my point but I am a data privacy addict and have an obsession with ensuring my data is permanently deleted. My work phones contain a lot of confidential data so I havetoensureall data is properlydestroyed. One UK company offers this service, (can provide names separatelyas I don't want this to look like an advertising message) but basically read these links:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9226632/One_in_10_secondhand_hard_drives_in_U.K._contain_personal_data link clearly states pressing the traditional delete button does not work.

http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/index.php/t-1139941.html another example of how to recover data, the software used is by the police howeverit can be found online and used by anyone across the world.

http://www.itpro.co.uk/mobile/19643/importance-wiping-devices-upgrading another example

People need to be more aware of data privacy because it is a growing issue!!!!!

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9226632/One_in_10_secondhand_hard_drives_in_U.K._contain_personal_data

All of the data in the phone was hardware encrypted and the key was removed when the data erased. Without many hours of supercomputer cracking, the data is safe. (I'm certain that no one is that interested in anything you've ever said or done...)

This is superior to overwriting, which was done for the original iPhone and 3G. The articles about computer hard drives, which are rarely hardware encrytped, are irrelevant.

iOS: Understanding 'Erase All Content and Settings'

Okay apologies to this, just spoke to a tech company and they agree with your point I got my facts mixed up. Since Apple have updated their security this is no longer relevant, and applies towards Android & other phones, thanks for clearing that up. The links I posted clearly did not contain manufacturer named devices.

I sold my iPhone here in the US after I performed an "ERASE ALL DATA TO FACTORY SETTINGS" to a person who was taking it to

Europe.

A week later I received a message from them asking for my 4 digit KEY to get in the iphone so they can reset it. I thought it was an innocent thing so I gave it to them. Later I thought that maybe it was possible for them to reset the phone using a "RESTORE FROM PREVIOUS IPHONE" which is why they needed my PIN in the first place. So, I logged in to a Forum just like this that said I should have deleted the device from "Find my iPhone" prior to selling it. I only performed this delete after that article so that raised my fear that they performed a RESTORED from PREVIOUS IPHONE instead of a NEW SET-UP.

A couple of weeks later, I saw a pop-up message on all my other devices that a foregin country number is now added to my Facetime. Two weeks after that , I received a message from the one who is now using my iPhone asking for my Apple ID password-i didn't give it this time but asked them to do a fresh install.

What are my options to get that phone remotely erased or my information protected?

Change your Apple ID password. That's about all you can do. Once you deleted the device from Find My iPhone, you can no longer remotely wipe it (and, as you sold the device, there would possibly be legal repercussions in doing so).

Never give the password to your Apple ID or your phone lock code or your ATM pin or any other creditial used to secure important personal information to anyone you don't know well (and not to most of them either).

Hi Meg.

I didn't give them my Apple ID password but I did give them my phone lock code which I've since replaced. That is the only data they have.

I wonder if replacing or deleting my AppleID will fix this?

Thanks

Robbie

As they do not have the password to your Apple ID, there isn't much they can do. Changing the password will make sure that they aren't getting your iMessages or FaceTime calls or able to download updates to applications you may have purchased.

There is no reason to change your Apple ID. Doing so would not remove any information they may already have (probably not much anyway) and will just cause you a world of trouble as you would need to repurchase any applications you've bought under the original Apple ID.

Hi Meg,

The person who bought the iphone was told by the AppleStore employee to get my Appleid password so they can reset the phone. Once done, they would immediately call me to have me change my Userrid. Of course I said no.

I called AppleHelp desk and they told me the same thing. Instead, I said asked them (Apple and the buyer) to take the phone to an Apple store where an Apple employee can facetime me from the store and get my password and have it reset - this was plan B. Plan A- I told the guy who bought it to add his phone to Findmy iPhone where I have the option to erase without the need for password exchange.

Long story short, Plan A worked. He was able to add his iPhone and I was able to erase from my iCloud account. So we've severed the link.

Thanks for being here to help me out. Often it takes another person to bring out the best fix.

- Robbie

Glad to hear you got it sorted out!