Recycle your mobile for cash

Is it safe to recycle your mobile phone for cash?

A growing number of private companies allow consumers to recycle their old mobile phones for cash. It’s a win-win situation for all involved: Consumers earn some extra spending money for mobiles they no longer wanted. The recycling companies earn their money. And the recycled mobiles are often given to deserving charitable organizations that could otherwise not afford to purchase new mobile phones. Click here to recycle your phone.

So what’s preventing more consumers from selling their old mobiles for cash? Unfortunately, according to a recent study from mobile manufacturer Nokia, many consumers know little or nothing about mobile phone recycling. In fact, Nokia reported that a total of 75 percent of mobile phone owners did not know how to recycle their old mobile phones.

That may be why the same study reported that only 3 percent of mobile phone users recycle their mobile phones.

This is a serious issue because some estimates peg the number of unwanted mobile phones in the UK at 90 million. That’s a lot of old mobile phones, and too many of these, if they’re not recycled, will end up in a landfill somewhere, taking up valuable space and leaking potentially dangerous chemicals into the soil.

Perhaps another reason why more consumers don’t recycle their mobile phones for cash is that many of them aren’t sure that they can trust the many private companies out there offering this service. After all, consumers usually only deal with these companies through their Web sites. It’s hard for consumers to trust a firm that they never talk to in person.

There are steps, though, that consumers can take to verify that a mobile phone recycling company is legitimate and not simply a high-tech scam.

First, consumers should check with their friends and family members to see if any of them have recycled their mobile phones recently. If they have, consumers can then find out what recycling company they worked with, and whether they were satisfied with the company’s communications. Consumers should also make sure that the recycling company sent its promised payment on time and in the right amount.

Secondly, consumers should make sure that the recycling company they are considering has contact information displayed on their Web site. This is important for consumers who have questions or concerns. It’s ideal if the Web site includes not just an e-mail address but an actual telephone number. Too often, e-mail messages seem to disappear inside a black hole.

Next, consumers should search the Internet for any customer or business-press reviews of the mobile phone recycling companies they are considering. The best recommendations come from previous users of a company’s services. Consumers who find several complaints of late payments or missing payments, or even criticism of a company’s communications skills, should look for a different mobile phone recycling firm.

On the other hand, if consumers fend plenty of positive testimonials from a recycling company’s previous owners, that’s an incredibly good sign. It’s rare for consumers to take the time to write a positive review of a company. Any company, including a phone recycling firm, that has gained positive reviews is surely doing something right. If you find positive reviews, you can do business with these companies with complete confidence.

Thanks to the Internet, it’s easier than ever for consumers to research and vet the companies with which they plan to work. This holds true, too, for the many private companies that recycle old mobile phones for cash. With some persistence, and a bit of research, consumers can do business with their firms confidently, knowing that the odds are good that they won’t get ripped off. Click here to sell your phone.