Selling a Google account is a way to make some extra money online. However, protecting your security in the process is crucial. Your Google account likely contains sensitive personal information you want to avoid falling into the wrong hands.
Remove personal details from the account
Before listing your Google account for sale, thoroughly review its contents and remove any personally identifying information:
- Delete saved emails, contacts, and chat histories from Gmail
- Remove personal photos, videos, and documents from Google Drive
- Delete browsing and search history from Chrome
- Remove linked accounts, such as Facebook or Twitter
- Delete any saved payment methods, addresses or phone numbers
- Change the account recovery email and phone number to temporary ones
Create a new, anonymous email for communication
When communicating with potential accgoodmarket buyers, avoid using your primary personal email address. Instead, create a new email account specifically for this purpose. Choose an email provider that doesn’t require personal information to sign up, such as Proton Mail or Guerrilla Mail. Use a pseudonym instead of your real name. This keeps your actual email and identity private.
Use a VPN when accessing the account
A VPN masks your device’s IP address and location. This prevents the account buyer from seeing where you’re physically located. Always use a VPN when logging into the Google account you’re selling and when communicating with buyers. Choose a reputable VPN provider that doesn’t log user activity.
Avoid sharing the account’s sign-in alert phone number
Upon logging into a Google account on a new device, Google may send a security alert to the account’s linked phone number. Keep this phone number private from the buyer. Either remove the phone number from the account entirely or replace it with a temporary online phone number. Plenty of websites offer free, disposable phone numbers for SMS verification purposes.
Scrub the account’s activity data
Google records an account’s activity, including IP addresses, devices used, and location history. To further protect your privacy, delete as much of this information as possible before handing over the account:
- Disable and delete Location History in Google Maps
- Delete saved IP addresses and devices from the security settings page
- Clear the account’s Google Search History
- Unlink other third-party accounts or apps, like Google Fit
- Disable Google Pay and remove any saved credit card information
Use encrypted communication channels
Avoid using unencrypted communication methods like standard text messages or email when discussing account details and payments with potential buyers. Instead, they insist on using encrypted messaging apps. If the buyer wants to use a different communication method, ensure it has end-to-end encryption to prevent eavesdropping.
Agree on a secure payment method
Only accept account payments through trustworthy, secure channels. Direct bank transfers and in-person cash transactions are the safest, as they don’t reveal personal financial details. Opt for well-established processors if the buyer insists on using an online payment method. Avoid giving out your bank account number. Consider creating a separate payment account just for this transaction.
Following these security practices minimizes the risk of exposing your personal information when selling a Google account. You confidently sell Google accounts without compromising your privacy by using secure communication channels, removing personal details from the account, and insisting on safe payment methods. Remember, once you hand over account access to the buyer, you no longer have control over what they do with it, so always be cautious about what information it contains.