Passwords and Personal Identity

The Zappo's data hack is a great reminder for us all that we should not be using the same password for all of our accounts.  If you haven't heard, 24 million Zappo's customers data was hacked and is in unknown hands.  The data includes your name, email address, password, last four numbers of the credit card used and other personal data.  Zappo's has voided all passwords on their site to protect their customers from unwanted purchases on their site.

If you have bought anything from the Zappo's site, you need to think about changing your password on all of your accounts that use the same password as the one you used at Zappo's.  It's real easy for anyone with your password and email address to go shopping on the Internet.  So here are a few tips for online shoppers:

• Use unique passwords for every account.  We all know it's a hassle to remember all of them and there are encrypted programs that can help you maintain a list of them. But much less hassle than if your identity is stolen. 
• Don't store your Credit Card information on the site to facilitate speedy check out.  
• Consider a separate email account to use for shopping purposes only.  Limit your exposure to your other financial accounts. 
• Only supply credit card or personal information on secure sites.  The url should start out https://....
• Don't click on links in emails that you don't expect or don't know the sender.  People are very good at creating emails that appear to come from the companies you do business with.  Your banks and will never ask you to reply with a password to an email. 
• Use the links you have used in the past to go to a site.  Enter it yourself or use your bookmarks to access your accounts.  Not links in emails.  

Remember, you have to be proactive in protecting your identity.  Change your passwords regularly and always reconcile any statements you get.