I'm really concerned about my mom's online security. She seems to get hacked almost every month, losing money from her various accounts like Facebook, Instagram, PayPal, Cash App, Venmo, and even her email. Recently, a hacker even got into her US Mobile account and stole her phone number. I always assist her in recovering from these situations, but I'm getting exhausted remotely troubleshooting each time. The main problem is that she has too many accounts using the same compromised email and password combo, so I'm not sure how to secure them effectively. I want to focus on her most-used accounts, encourage her to change all her banking details, and suggest that she use a password manager with strong, unique passwords for the rest. Is this approach reasonable, or is there a better way to go about securing her accounts? I feel she understands the urgency now and is willing to put in the effort, but I'm not exactly sure how to guide her.
6 Answers
Honestly, she might be falling for phishing scams regularly. The fact that she gets hacked so often suggests she might be inadvertently giving her passwords to bad actors. Along with using a password manager, consider setting her up with passkeys for extra security on critical accounts. Make sure her primary email is also secured, as it can often lead to a chain reaction of hacked accounts if compromised.
Really, the main issue might be her online habits. Encourage her to be cautious with links and to avoid sharing personal info on social media. It might be a good idea to limit the number of accounts she has access to in the first place, which could simplify her digital life and security plans.
Yes! Teaching her about potential scams and the importance of creating managed accounts could be a big step in helping her secure her online presence.
Definitely invest in a password manager! It's hard for anyone to remember multiple strong passwords. A password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password can safely store and generate unique passwords for each of her accounts. Alternatively, if she prefers, she could write down passwords in a notebook—just make sure it’s well-hidden! Also, definitely advise her to change her compromised passwords to stronger ones and to avoid using the same password across multiple sites.
Bitwarden's good because it also lets you customize password types. I’d really recommend that choice!
Haha, I can relate! My husband is all about writing things down too. You'd think with our tech backgrounds, we'd be more secure, but he’s set in his ways. It’s definitely harder to break old habits!
For her most important accounts, setting up a hardware 2FA key, like a Yubikey, can be a game-changer. Even if someone tries to hack her, they won’t be able to get past the key unless they're right next to her. Just make sure to remove any other authentication methods for those accounts and register a backup key too!
I intended to get a Yubikey, but I found that most of my accounts don’t even support it! It’s surprising how few sites are up to date with security options.
I experienced significant hacking and fraud too. What worked for me was freezing my bank account, getting new cards, and creating a completely new email dedicated to financial accounts. Then, I switched to a password manager and set up 2FA everywhere possible to really lock things down. It took a while to recover, but being vigilant and cautious really helped me prevent future issues.
First off, definitely consider cleaning her devices. You might want to do a factory reset on her phone and reinstall the operating system on her computer. It’s possible there’s malware stealing her info. After that, establishing strong passwords, unique for each account, will be crucial—using a password manager helps a ton with that. Lastly, educate her on ignoring suspicious emails and texts—this knowledge is key to protecting her from further issues.
Absolutely agree! Getting her some training on recognizing phishing attempts could help a lot too. It seems like she’s finally ready to take it seriously!