The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), through its Telegram channel “Vestnik Kiberpolitsii Rossii” (Herald of Cyberpolice of Russia), has issued a warning to citizens about a dangerous misconception regarding smartphone replacement.
According to the department, old mobile devices frequently retain significant amounts of personal data. The message emphasizes that the widespread belief about complete device memory erasure after a factory reset (which many users do not even perform) is mistaken and poses serious threats to data confidentiality.
The MIA notes that by utilizing specialized software, cybercriminals are capable of recovering fragments of important documents, call logs, SMS messages, and even information about the locations where photos and videos were taken. Scammers can also gain access to browser history, saved passwords, cached copies of messages from instant messengers, and geolocation data.
Furthermore, if an attacker gains possession of a device, they can log into various accounts without needing to enter a password, thereby accessing all stored information.
Clement Ashworth 
Barnaby Whitfield