Over 165 million Americans had their personal information compromised by data breaches in the first half of this year, according to recent reports.
Consumer adviser Clark Howard highlights the severity of the situation, noting that 183 million account credentials have allegedly been stolen by a criminal ring. He emphasizes the importance of changing passwords for email, bank, credit union and brokerage accounts to protect sensitive information.
“Use a password manager. They’re really easy to use and several are free. They’ll manage the passwords for you,” advises Clark Howard.
Howard stresses that the crooks are targeting accounts with sensitive information, making it crucial for individuals to update their passwords on sites where they store such data. He suggests that people should not only focus on financial accounts but also any other sites where sensitive information is used.
The exact nature of the data breach and the specific criminal ring responsible have not been detailed in the reports. Additionally, it remains unclear which specific companies or services were affected by the breach.
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