MY GN DIED FROM DROWNING! is my data safe if I send it back?

[Touchpaddle]

I am sad because my GN died from drowning in water.(a large puddle of rainwater) I dropped it during a voice call. When I picked it up, the
whole screen was dark and the notification LED was flashing bright red. Then it just died...

Since I had the Verizon insurance, I was told that it would be replaced with a refurbished or possibly new GN. So that's not too bad...

Now I'm just a little worried about the data stored on my GN. The VZW rep told me that I have to file the claim with the 3rd party insurance company and they will want me to ship back the drowned phone.

I'm sure their techs can dry out the phone and possibly return it to usable condition. Whoever manages to turn it on will have access to all my emails/contacts/events/diary. I can't remember right now, but I think I also have some work stuff on it.

Can I really trust them to wipe the data if the phone gets fixed? I don't want the tech or the next owner to have access to my data.....

Also... I did take the battery, but it swelled up after a while. Now it looks very bloated... I'm guessing the battery's inside got shorted and caused some kind of chemical reaction? I didn't know if it was safe or not, so I left the battery in a tub of water sitting out in the driveway.

The battery inside the phone was the extended battery.... I wonder if they'll replace it with a standard battery.

Thanks!

 

[DancesWithFarts]

only if you backed up your data prior to submerging it. otherwise, it belongs to the ages.

 

[Touchpaddle]

only if you backed up your data prior to submerging it. otherwise, it belongs to the ages.

all of my data are still accessible because they're all on Google...

what I'm worried about is that someone can turn on the phone and have direct access to my Google
accounts after they fix the phone. Guess I should change all of my passwords immediately.

Edit: now that I think about it... my GN did have unlock pin in place... will they still be able to access
the phone once they fix it? Hope not...

 

[PetuniaCarlyle]

all of my data are still accessible because they're all on Google...

what I'm worried about is that someone can turn on the phone and have direct access to my Google
accounts after they fix the phone. Guess I should change all of my passwords immediately.

certainly go ahead and change your passwords, but the bottom line is that the data may or may not be recoverable. However, it is expensive and time consuming to recover it. Unless you are a CIA agent or Bill Gates, no one is going to bother to do it.

 

[edoublediz]

my father in law got a refurbed Dinc and the SD card had all kinds of stuff on it. photos, music, apps, etc.

 

[PetuniaCarlyle]

my father in law got a refurbed Dinc and the SD card had all kinds of stuff on it. photos, music, apps, etc.

If true, that is scary. Gnex doesn't have a removable SD card.

 

[Touchpaddle]

If true, that is scary. Gnex doesn't have a removable SD card.

that doesn't surprise me... I was got a refurbished laptop from Best Buy's extended warranty.
The hard drive was wiped, but with only once. Even a computer idiot like me was able to
install a free program and look at what was on the laptop's hard drive. (the previous owner
must have been a botanist because there were thousands of JPEG/RAW photos of
flowers/plants/treet )

 

[anon(220176)]

This is the only reason stopping me from getting the Nexus. I have my data in the SD card in my Thunderbolt and I can just take out the card if the phone needs to be send to VZ for repair. With the Nexus, I can't.

 

[DancesWithFarts]

all of my data are still accessible because they're all on Google...

what I'm worried about is that someone can turn on the phone and have direct access to my Google
accounts after they fix the phone. Guess I should change all of my passwords immediately.

Edit: now that I think about it... my GN did have unlock pin in place... will they still be able to access
the phone once they fix it? Hope not...

what do you have the number for the red phone in the oval office or something?

 

[yosteve]

Perhaps you should really make sure it's completely drowned

 

[Touchpaddle]

Perhaps you should really make sure it's completely drowned

There's plenty of rainwater still inside. I can see muddy water under the screen glass, inside the
rear camera lens. It's also dripping out slowly from the bottom and also the volume rocker.
I just realized that the screen also has a crack.(only saw it after I peeled off the scree protector
and revealing a couple of hairline cracks along the center of the screen)

I just wish someone makes a waterproof case for the Galaxy Nexus. My brother-in-law has a
Lifeproof(?) waterproof for his iPhone 4S and it is a beautiful slim case. He dropped it in
rum and coke just to prove to me that it was completely waterproof.(which it was) I guess
they don't find the market large enough to make one for the GN. As much as I love my GN,
the iPhones get all the fun when it comes to accessories.

 

[wyseguy77]

Yeah I'd just say I lost it and avoid all that headache. I've been paying for this insurance for 4 years now and only used once it so one little lie isn't gonna cause me to lose sleep.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[rjack22]

Did you try throughly drying off the Nexus, putting the original battery back in it and seeing it it will turn on?

To dry the phone put it in a bowl of dry rice and completely submerge it. Let it sit in there for several days until it is completely dry before inserting a new battery and turning it on.

It may or may not work but it is certainly worth a shot and if it works you can wipe your data if you still want a replacement phone.

 

[vicw926a4]

This scenario is one I hadn't thought about before. I wouldn't want to return mine if I thought there was any possibility of the data being recovered by anyone else - add one more reason I wish it had an sdcard.

I wonder if there is any technique that could be used to externally erase the data from a dead phone - perhaps by magnetic degaussing, or something similar, even if it might be electrically destructive. If mine fails this way, it might have to accidentally fall into my blender prior to being shipped back.

 

[Nakrohtap]

Can you just NOT return it? You have insurance. Insurance covers if it's lost as well. You could just take a hammer to it. Until you file your claim, they don't know if you drowned your phone in some attempted Nexicide or flat out lost it.

 

[Live2ride883]

my father in law got a refurbed Dinc and the SD card had all kinds of stuff on it. photos, music, apps, etc.

One of my many DX2 replacement phones was loaded with pron everything from pics to homemade videos, needless to say I was upset at this and called in immediately. But this has only happened once in the six or seven years I have been with VZW.n

 

[Touchpaddle]

One of my many DX2 replacement phones was loaded with pron everything from pics to homemade videos, needless to say I was upset at this and called in immediately. But this has only happened once in the six or seven years I have been with VZW.n

you were upset because you got free pron? (just kidding )

......

I tried again this morning and the phone wouldn't turn on. However, once
the battery is inserted, the LED flash on the back just keeps firing randomly.
The internals were probably fried when it came into contact with the water.

.....

I was just informed that a replacement phone will be shipped out today. No word on
whether it's new or refurbished. However, even if it's refurbished, it's no more than
30 days old, right? (since the GN was released just 30 days ago) How bad can
a refurbished 30-day-old phone be?

 

[FormerIphoney]

How about just reporting it stolen and destroying it?

 

[vicw926a4]

How about just reporting it stolen and destroying it?

Might that require a copy of a police report to the insurer?

 

[FormerIphoney]

what do you have the number for the red phone in the oval office or something?

Ok, then "lost"