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To: FourtySeven

In ye olden days, your computer would be the first and only suspect. Today, there are many more possibilities. Chances are, you used the same username and password combination at another site, which was either unsecured or compromised.

The fix for this is to use a different password on every site, and let a password manager like lastpass handle them for you. Highly suggest that you check out Lastpass.com, and use their browser plugin with your browser of choice. It’s free.

I understand your annoyance with their security department, but given that fraud claims are usually reimburseable, the security habits of their customers are a liability to them.


21 posted on 03/29/2011 4:14:18 PM PDT by Domalais
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To: Domalais

Yes, thank you yes.

I have considered for a LONG time getting one of those password managers, but it seems to me it’s just another target for malware. I mean no offense, but how do you know it’s not as vulnerable as any other free plugin? Actually if you could convince me that would be great, because I’ve thought that would be a good solution.

But here’s the rub: The only site I use that password and username combination are Wells-Fargo and Wachovia (which is now part of Wells-Fargo of course). That’s it! There is no other site. I have memorized many passwords and/or usernames for many other sites.

I do not know how my username AND password were hacked like this.


30 posted on 03/29/2011 4:28:59 PM PDT by FourtySeven (47)
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To: Domalais
Chances are, you used the same username and password combination at another site, which was either unsecured or compromised.

The fix for this is to use a different password on every site, and let a password manager like lastpass handle them for you.


This is excellent advice, I highly recommend this approach. I started doing this several years ago. I also keep a 'backup' password list in MS Excel, which I have password protected/encrypted and store offline on a small flash drive.

I wish more websites would use '*****' on the user/login id field like they do for the password. Never understood why the userid was displayed in plain text on the screen. Anyone watching you is halfway to your account.
49 posted on 03/29/2011 4:54:15 PM PDT by CygnusTheSwan ("Me fail English? That's unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum)
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