I always create my own passwords. They are different for every account. The devices in our household use different operating systems so I don’t know if Apple’s strong password function would work across devices?

I always create my own passwords. I have about 3 accounts that I'm in and out of during my workday, and they require new passwords every 3 months. I have a rotation/selection process that makes it easy for me to remember.

But if someone is going to hack my account, it won't be because they've guessed my passwords.

Feathers, i remember that from work. I had some sort of system, but could never remember it now.

I make my own passwords -- and like Feathers, I have multiple accounts that require a password change (and no reuse) every 60 days.

In my experience, every time one of my cards were compromised (twice now), I can be pretty sure it was because I used an unsecured network.. or possibly a card reader. Both times were when I was in Phila. :(

Philadelphia, home of the scammers. 😉

I have a password manager that will autofill and remember a complex password but I don't use that feature.

I use my own formula for making up passwords. It results in a strong password - caps, random word, numbers, symbols, etc. but the formula isn't that complex. If someone did figure out the formula, they'd probably be able to get into other accounts that they know about. Which I do worry about.

I used to use a set of 5 different passwords but lately I have accepted google's help to make a strong password . I have never been hacked fwiw, and I know some of this is just plain random.

Ded, I'm guessing what you did at work is what we all did at work-- or some variation of it which was for example

cOmpanyname1!

then next time it would cOmpanyname2!

Maybe not the most secure but I agree it's so hard memorizing.

This is so appropriate for some of us.

I always use my own password and hope that I can remember it without having to look it up in my little red password notebook.

Every now and then I'm tempted to use a Password Manager. Today I received an offer from the NY Times for 50% off on a subscription to 1Password. It's inexpensive but I just wasn't in the mood to learn something new.

And "Home of the Scammers" sounds like a great moniker for a prison baseball team.

The South Philly Scammers! There are probably scammers in every part of the city.

I just have so many sites that require a password, I just cant remember all of them and I know its foolish to use the same password on every site.

Having to enter a new credit card number in so many sites is a nuisance, too.

I make up my own and I've started making them longer and more complex in the last year or so. I save some of them but none of the ones for financial institutions. I've thought about using a password manager but there is no guarantee those companies won't get hacked, exposing all your passwords. Granted chances are slim but stranger things have happened. I do have all of them saved on my phone and in iCloud and that's probably a much bigger risk but I have so many, they're all different and I have to have them with me when I go from one house to another.

One of the credit cards DH had for use at his company was used fraudulently more often than any other card we've ever had. He had several cards for the company and it was always the same one that had the security breach. I don't think the card was ever used outside of the office so not likely it was exposed on an unsecured network. Since he sold his company and closed all the accounts we've never had another problem.

I have to change a password every 6 weeks and they cannot be the same as something like the previous 5 passwords so I have a system for creating passwords that works pretty well for me.

That's a pain to have your card compromised once, but twice in such a short time is nuts.

I use a mix of my own passwords and generated ones depending on the site. I don't need to remember the password for every place I've shopped online for example and let google handle making and remembering them.

It depends on the account type. Anything that is attached to a credit card or atm card or bank account has a highly secure password and it is not saved to my phone or computer.

I generally use Pay Pal to make purchases, so my credit card information isn't saved to every website I purchase from.

For everything that is not attached to my money I use the same couple of passwords based on what the requirements are for the site.

If someone wants to pay my utility bills for me - please feel free to hack into my account and pay away.

Hmmm, I pay my utility bills on line, directly from my bank account, so those accounts need to be more secure, for me.

Im trying to think of sites that requiring a password that arent associated with payments or personal info. Maybe Pinterest? Now I have to go look at my list of apps.

I choose my own password always. I can’t think of any of my accounts that don’t require at least some sort of personal ID, be it a fingerprint, face ID, or in many cases for bank accounts, credit card, SSA, OPM, health insurance, etc, 2-factor ID to login.

We were always having to change passwords at work, so I’m accustomed to being creative, not repeating previously used number or letter sequences. It is very hard so I have my own method of keeping up with them plus an updated printed copy I keep where my spouse can access it if ever necessary.

Trying to keep things easy for DH, on a few I know he may need at some point if called on to change I will use the first name of one of his friends, one of the special characters like %, *, !, etc and the last 4 digits of their phone numbers. Seems to work.

If an an account only I will be using i.e. my Paypal account, I've resorted to adding a 2, or three at the end of what has been there. I do find I have to keep a small leather book in my desk though. There are so many now I can't quite trust my memory on all not used frequently.

In a rush on a hectic day a while back I put my cell phone number into the drive up cash machine instead of my bank code and was locked out of my account! Wow, did I ever feel silly - had to drive around the block (park, go inside), actual bank is across the street, and explain what I'd done to a teller who was giving me a 'silly old woman' look while trying to sound gracious 😊

Both here. I keep a running list of passwords in a file on my desktop, on my phone's notes app, and I also print out the list every 6-8 months or so as things get changed or accounts closed. Financials are not saved to my browser, but many others are.

I'm wondering do scammers still use scanners to capture account numbers from POS card readers?

How many of you have your credit locked with all 3 credit bureaus?

I did this a few years back and feel safer that no one can open a card in my name.

Had to unlock them recently when I needed to sign something via DocuSign and they couldn't verify my identity until I unlocked my credit.

Was a bit wigged out when I went to unlock the one account and couldn't get in using my credentials. Found out that they had somehow changed the year of my birth. That was unsettling to me. It didn't impact anything, but I still can't understand why they would change my year of birth.

I create my own. Just one for all 15 accounts.

“Password”

This is my Password Manager and that's my Head of Security.

It has about 40 index cards and there's only room for a few more. Each account has a unique password - no repeats.

I also have a copy in my safe along with my version of the Domesday Book with all the estate planning info.

Maire, no one is getting into that book!

I started a Death File a couple years ago but really need to update it. After going through the utter hell of settling my mother’s estate, I want to spare my son as much of that as possible.

Petalique, I hope you’re kidding. I remember when passwords became a thing, nearly everyone was using the word password.

Jennifer, I have one of the credit bureaus locked but Im afraid to lock the others because heaven knows I may never get in again.

I tried the finger id once and that was a disaster.

How many of you have your credit locked with all 3 credit bureaus?

Me. My kids. Most family members, and definitely every family member under 18. It doesn't take much to freeze/unfreeze.

Mine are frozen. Fortunately I've never been hacked but it seems like every year some major company or hospital that I do business with has been compromised. Then I receive a notification that my info may have been attained and I sign up for a year of free credit monitoring. My current free year from Phillips is just about up. Just in time to start the free year from Neiman Marcus.

I recently switched Verizon Wireless accounts and when Verizon tried to run the credit check they hit Frozen. It was simple to unlock. The Verizon rep stayed on the phone while I called one of the credit bureaus and asked to have the account unfrozen for week. That unlocked all three and then they automatically went back to frozen a week later.

Dedtired - I need to update my file too. I was going to download one from Haverford Trust - it seems to be very extensive at 72 pages. AARP also has one that's about 20 pages.

Maire, I didnt know about those lists. I remember going through something like that with my mom and getting her to answer questions. I should have asked more but what I had did help.

Off to lock the other credit bureau accounts.

I don't use complicated passwords and I don't have a unique password for each site. I'm careful about sites that matter (like financial accounts), others, not so much. More frequently used passwords I can remember, others, not.

I keep track of my passwords using a spreadsheet in my most used computer and I keep an updated copy of the spreadsheet file on my phone. The phone has a numerical security code for access, the PC doesn't. If you tried to find either copy on either device, I doubt you would find it. But they're accessible for me quickly.

I don't think what I do is anything special, I've just been lucky. That probably means my turn for the inconveniences others describe is coming. .

Quote: How many of you have your credit locked with all 3 credit bureaus?

We do. I've tried opening a credit card with Home Depot to get an instant $40 off my purchase....can't do it. It works! But...if I want to open a CD @ a bank I don't already bank at, I have to unlock the bureau they use until I'm approved, then relock it.

Like Marie...I used to get notices my personal information has been stolen along with the rest of the company I worked for...one year of free monitoring. Now I'm retired...nothing.

@salonva, it is 4:30 a.m. and I am laughing so hard I’m crying. You can bet your password meme is going to be sent to lots of folks I know!

Some sites, especially financial, have security questions. These can be a bear, so keep track of them as well.

After my dad had his stroke, he and I were working with his financial institutions on some things. We were on the phone with a representative asked the security questions so that they could talk to me. The question was, where did you first meet your spouse? Now remember, you usually get to choose from a selection of security questions, and provide your own answer. Well, Dad launches into the story of how he and Mom met. The rep is quiet. At one point I asked the rep if he needs the verbatim answer Dad had provided when he set the questions up? Yes. Had Dad done so in his answer here on the phone? Well, no. Was he close? ”It has to be exactly what he entered online.” So we had to find a workaround, which took at least a week.

In another day, I had to do something online when he was not available. I could answer most of the security questions, but then came this: What was the name of your grandmother’s dog? His grandmother had a dog? Which grandmother? When? Here, or in the old counter? I asked Dad later, he had no idea.

(in case you were wondering, we had just signed the paperwork allowing me to manage the trust, this work was while we were still getting it changed over with the institutions themselves. Some things needed doing in the meantime.)

Just tried to get blood drawn at Labcorp, after my doctor requested more tests last week. She sent in the lab order last Weds., but the lab did not have it in the computer today. I tried the "My Chart" from my phone while still at the lab office, but I could not remember the password. Came home, and the password is saved on my laptop. Annoying, I could have solved the problem while at the office.

This is why I keep a single UserName/Password where money is not involved.

I have an abnormal (normal for me) EKG since my heart attack and my cardiologist put it on "My Chart" so that if I were to go to a hospital that didn't have access (most here still don't share patient data) they wouldn't think something is wrong. Doesn't help if I can't get into the account.

I have had time where I want to know what points or discounts I have before shopping when I am somewhere and need to check my account.

I help some elderly Medicare recipients and hate when they come to my home to get help and then can't remember their access codes and have to come back another day. Who else really wants to access your medical records or your insurance EOBs? Keep them simple unless it is something that someone may get to your money.