Cyber-Bob’s Daily Cyber Safety Tip — #116
“Don’t toss boxes with barcodes — they spill your personal info.”
When you buy new gadgets, appliances, or devices, the packaging that goes out to the curb can reveal way more than you think.
Most people see a cardboard box.
Hackers and thieves see a treasure map.
Those shipping labels, product stickers, and serial-number barcodes can expose:
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Your full name
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Your home address (obviously)
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Your phone number
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Tracking numbers
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Device serial numbers
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Model numbers that tell criminals exactly what you own
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Warranty registration clues
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And sometimes the last four digits of the payment method used
Why this matters
Crooks can use that information to:
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Register your device in their name
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File fake warranty claims
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Target you for device-specific scams (“We see you just bought a Galaxy phone…”)
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Attempt SIM swaps
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Craft ultra-personalized phishing
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Even plan break-ins based on the value of what you bought
Cyber-Bob’s simple fix:
👉 Black out or remove labels, stickers, and barcodes before tossing any box.
Or rip the sections off and run them through a shredder.
Cyber-Bob’s Bottom Line:
“Your trash shouldn’t introduce you. Strip the labels before they talk.” 🗑️🔍
(I created the prompt, ChatGPT created the information.)
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