Why you shouldn't use the same username and password for everything

I have had several clients tell me that they use the same username and password for everything so they don't forget.

While this is a personal decision, I just thought I would provide one good reason why it's not a good idea to only use one username and password.

Let's say that somehow a bad guy gets a job working for your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or perhaps he gets a job working for your newsletter about singles who collect stamps.

Typically these kinds of sites can't see your password, but they can reset your password. If this particular shady individual resets your password then you won't be able to get into the stuff related to that site that you want.

So, you call the site or service and tell them you can't log in. They explain that there has been a problem so they will have to reset your account. They ask for your password.

Once you have given them your password over the phone, they now have your entire username and password.

Now they just have to wander the web and try logging into important sites, like eBay, Amazon, Wells Fargo, Yahoo, etc.

Even if you don't do online banking, a bad guy could use your email address for spam or even acquire credit cards, purchases, etc using your email address as a contact point.

This is just one example of something that could happen as a result of using the same username and password for everything. Not all examples are this complex, but if you aren't creative in your usernames and passwords, you may get taken advantage of by a bad guy who IS creative in his methods.

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