# Warning: Disposing of Old Devices!



## officerripley (Oct 2, 2021)

I bought a new Kindle e-reader because, due to Amazon changes, the old one was no longer able to connect wirelessly to Amazon. So I removed the old one from my Amazon account, did a "factory reset" of the old Kindle (which _*supposedly *_removes the device itself from my Amazon account and removes all other stuff like available routers, etc. and it looked like it did), and then donated the old Kindle to a Little Free Library a few days ago.

Welp, I get up this morning and discover that the credit card Amazon uses for me to purchase Kindle books was used to buy a book _*at 3:00 a.m. this morning*_! The book got delivered to my new Kindle and it's one I've been thinking about buying anyway but I didn't buy it. So I closed down that credit card--and what a hassle since I had several auto pays set up on it--changed my Amazon password and reported the unauthorized charge to Amazon. So now I'm hassling back and forth with Amazon; I want them to open up an investigation about how if whoever got that old Kindle somehow figured out how to use it using my Amazon account. But of course, Amazon is saying I must have done the purchase since I have 3 other devices with the Kindle app, and I had the book in question in my Amazon shopping list anyway, so I or somebody else with access to the Kindle or other 3 devices (which are still in  my possession) must have made the charge blah blah blah. But the damn book was purchased at 3:00 a.m. this morning! Neither I or Huzz were anywhere near the Kindle or other devices; we were both sound asleep! And even if somehow that credit card number was gotten, why would they just use it to buy a $12 Kindle book, they would've used it to buy a $2,000 tv or something online!

So I think it was somehow done through that old Kindle. So finally my advice: don't sell or give away old devices, even if they've been totally "wiped" of all accounts, etc., unless you know really well who it's going to; I know I never will again!


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## hollydolly (Oct 2, 2021)

Now that's sobering, and downright scary!! I hope you get this resolved very quickly..


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## Marie5656 (Oct 2, 2021)

*Good advice.   I had heard there were ways to recover "deleted" things.  Maybe someone else can advise how to make sure electronics are really clean...short of destroying the hard drive. Especially if you want to donate it, or pass it on to someone*


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## OneEyedDiva (Oct 2, 2021)

I've had problems with Amazon using my personal credit card after my honorary daughter (HD) removed the card we both share from her account. I've also had problems with them putting charges for an office suite on the account that she didn't purchase. I noticed a couple of strange charges on my Discover card which I don't use often so rarely check my account.  Fortunately between the two of us Amazon refunded all of the charges in a timely manner but they were reminded that they had no business using another account that didn't have her name on it because "our accounts were still connected somehow". WTH!

I'm sorry for what you went through and wish you had a good outcome like we did. That must be so very frustrating. Seems you are a victim of circumstantial evidence (since the book was on your wish list)! Before I gave my desktop to my HD whom I trust, I deleted all my files, logged out of my accounts and made sure to empty the trash. Sometimes it seems devices have a mind of their own and with everything in "the cloud" now...who knows what to expect.


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## Purwell (Oct 2, 2021)

Maybe Alexa or Siri was listening to you and decided to order the book?


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## squatting dog (Oct 2, 2021)

Large hammer and a deep hole.


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## officerripley (Oct 2, 2021)

Purwell said:


> Maybe Alexa or Siri was listening to you and decided to order the book?


Don't have Alexa and don't use Siri. (Huzz tries to use Siri once in a while on his phone and it misunderstands him every time!


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## officerripley (Oct 2, 2021)

squatting dog said:


> Large hammer and a deep hole.


That's gonna be the plan from now on, I think. Sheeze, these digital devices...aghhh!


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## officerripley (Oct 2, 2021)

OneEyedDiva said:


> I've had problems with Amazon using my personal credit card after my honorary daughter (HD) removed the card we both share from her account. I've also had problems with them putting charges for an office suite on the account that she didn't purchase. I noticed a couple of strange charges on my Discover card which I don't use often so rarely check my account.  Fortunately between the two of us Amazon refunded all of the charges in a timely manner but they were reminded that they had no business using another account that didn't have her name on it because "our accounts were still connected somehow". WTH!
> 
> I'm sorry for what you went through and wish you had a good outcome like we did. That must be so very frustrating. Seems you are a victim of circumstantial evidence (since the book was on your wish list)! Before I gave my desktop to my HD whom I trust, I deleted all my files, logged out of my accounts and made sure to empty the trash. Sometimes it seems devices have a mind of their own and _*with everything in "the cloud" now...who knows what to expect.*_


I think that's probably just it; once something's in the cloud, all the so-called deleting in the world doesn't seem to work much, sigh.


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## JustBonee (Oct 2, 2021)

Twice in the last 2 years,  I've had a  small charge ($3-5)  on my monthly Amazon account when I got my monthly billing statement.

The first time,   I pulled up my account and looked at my profile page.   Someone by the name of "Jim" was listed under my name ..????
Got that deleted and straightened out.

Second time,  I  pulled up the profile page and saw  "child"  listed under my name.  Again ... delete ... dispute.

Now I just look at the profile page out of habit and make sure only my name is there.
The profile page lists your devices and any and all purchases.


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## Tom 86 (Oct 2, 2021)

When I built & repaired computers years ago for people, I had programs to transfer all their info from the old computer to the new one.  Then I also had another program to wipe the drives (if they had more than one in the case) to police standards.  No one could get anything off it as it took a whole day of wiping many different ways.  I've also taken out hard drives & ran a drill through them in several places.

  So if you want to give it away, make sure you take it to a professional Computer place so they can wipe all your data off it. It might cost a few $$ but well worth it.


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## Tish (Oct 2, 2021)

Wow! What an eye-opener.


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## cdestroyer (Oct 2, 2021)

hard drive destruction is the only way to prevent total file retreival....wiping it does no good since the nsa dhs fbi and your local neighborhood hacker have software that can retrieve data even after several wipes......best is smashing it with a hammer


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