This week, a scammer hacked into someone else’s account Marriott Bonvoy account and check-in to a Residence Inn in Florida using stolen Marriott points. While the Naples police catch the killerIt’s a wake-up call for us to protect our loyalty accounts.
And this is not the first time this has happened. Last year, another man live in a Hampton Inn with stolen Hilton Honors in three weeks.
If you’re into the points and mile hobby, you probably have dozens of online accounts to follow. Remembering all the passwords of many bank accounts and loyalty accounts is basically impossible.
So what do most people do? They create simple passwords or use the same password over and over again.
If you fit this bill, you’re making yourself an easy target for online scammers looking to steal your identity, swipe points, or gain access to your financial accounts.
Luckily, there’s a solution to creating and managing dozens of passwords that can’t be guessed but can’t be remembered either: a password manager.
This tool is a big part of my points and miles strategy, so let me explain what it is, how it works, and why you should start using it now.
What is a password manager and how does it work?
A password manager does what it does: Manage your passwords. That means it can safely and securely store many of your passwords, helping you access and use them when you need them, but prevent others from accessing them when they shouldn’t.
This is the way Network News Description of these tools:
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“A password manager is a program that allows you to create and store all your passwords in one secure location. … And so instead of remembering all the logins you use for each site, you only have to remember one master password.”
Password managers vary in their cost and features. However, to get the most out of a password manager, know in advance that you may end up paying some money for it. The best features — including searching the dark web for leaks of your personal information and sharing it securely with family members inside a “vault” — are not available in the free versions. fee. Vaults are a good place to keep things like credit card numbers, insurance policy information, and passport scans in case they get lost. That way, they’re available anytime you connect to your computer. And because these programs operate on military-grade encryption, your information is always safe.
Password manager options
Many popular password managers shopping portalso if you subscribe, start shopping through your favorite shopping portal.
LastPass (which I use and is one of the well known password managers) has a browser extension for a wide range of browsers, allowing you to log into websites where you have saved or updated most of your passwords. password with just one click. LastPass is also quite easy to use, and the same features are available in the app as well. You can also safely store your credit card information for online payments and create secure notes, which is where I store details that my wife and a friend I shared Shared access can find the information needed in an emergency. Personal and family plans range from free to $4 per month.
road lane known for its many extra features and great security, although it also costs more (the free version is very limited). You’ll enjoy extras like two-factor authentication, secure password sharing with others, etc. Personal and family plans range from free to $8.99 per month.
Bitwarden not great for iOS, but Windows users will love the security. Its two-factor authentication is easy and adds extra security without paying too much. Plans range from free to $40 per year.
McAfee’s real key comes from the same company you recognize from anti-virus software. This password manager is an option with minimal features compatible with most browsers. There is a free basic plan that includes 15 passwords. True Key costs $19.99 per year for unlimited passwords unless you have McAfee Total Protection ($109.99 annually).
KeePassXC is ideal for those looking for a free, open source option. It has good features but can be frustrating for anyone without advanced computer skills.
Meanwhile, 1Password there is a website that is easy to use, but the browser extension is complicated. The main benefit is the ability to create a virtual credit card to use when shopping online. The personal plan costs $2.99 per month, while the family plan costs $4.99.
You can read reviews and comparisons of these options plus others at Cnet (part of TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures).
Why you should use a password manager
The problem with online security is that the best passwords are those that cannot be guessed by computers or hackers, often making them difficult to remember. Compounding this problem is the large number of online accounts that the average consumer has today.
There are two main barriers to adopting a password manager:
- Many visitors do not know that these services exist.
- Many others think they will be cost prohibitive.
In either case, this often leads to extremely risky choices — like using the same password for every account or creating a password that’s easy to remember. Equifax data breach 2017 from the company using the password “admin” on multiple platforms.
Consider how many accounts you currently have that could be vulnerable to fraud. Between airline and hotel loyalty accounts, credit cards, bank accounts, streaming sites, Amazon, gadgets, and even your local library, you have plenty of passwords. . And if any of these get hacked, you could lose some significant value.
Storing them in a password manager will give you a strong password that is unique to each website online. Since you are using different passwords, anyone has access to your account American Airlines AAdvantage the account will not automatically have a password for your Capital One account. And because most password managers can assess the strength of your password or even suggest it when you update your password or sign up for an account for the first time, these tools can provide even greater security.
For example, I just opened my LastPass account and navigated to the secure password generation section. I requested an email with a length of 20 characters (using uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols) and this is the result: 3FIr50&8cq7LfC6@rdW@.
I didn’t get a chance to remember that password myself — but LastPass will store it for me.
Why is a password manager important to me
Keeping my points and miles safe and protecting my credit card information is essential. However, I don’t check every online account I have on a daily or even weekly basis. This means that scammers can have a decent amount of time sabotaging some of these accounts before I realize it.
Having a strong password (and changing it regularly) gives me more security on the internet to reduce these risks.
I also love that my password manager will warn me if any accounts are at risk. Maybe it’s been too long since I changed the password, or maybe one of them is too similar to the other. I have also been notified when the current password is too weak.
For any of these situations, a password manager can help you change your login information with a single click.
I would rather set up and use a password manager than do the work required to report bank fraud, fight to get lost airline miles back, or deal with stolen identities. Because I have so many online accounts, I can’t remember all my passwords. I like to trust a secure source to help me create and store strong passwords — and then help me use them when I need them.
Note that there are other layers to keeping your information secure—like enabling two-factor authentication and enabling fraud alert communications on your most important accounts.
Related: How do I know that my credit card number has been stolen?
bottom line
I’m a big fan of password managers. They help you access your passwords to simplify the login process, but also keep you away from prying eyes through military-grade encryption. Since your passwords are already saved, you don’t have to worry about remembering them, which (thus) allows you to create stronger and non-repeating passwords across the dozens of online accounts you have. It also doesn’t have to be written down in an unsafe location — like next to your computer or in your wallet.
I find a password manager an essential part of my points and miles strategy. It ensures that my personal information is not compromised on the dozens of online accounts I have, keeping my rewards intact for my own use.
Additional reporting by Kyle Olsen.
