An account and user credentials are the pieces of information that verify that you are the rightful account owner of the account(s) you are trying to access. Some of the information may be generated by the company that issued the account to you. Other information is shared by you. Even temporary accounts and user credentials can be used by identity thieves.
At the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), we consider the following pieces of personal information accounts and user credentials:
- Account number
- Username
- Password
- Security questions
- Personal identification number (PIN)
- Security code
- One-time password (OTP)
The most common things that can happen with your account and user credentials are an identity thief can access your existing accounts and:
- Change the credentials so you can no longer get into your account.
- Take whatever you have in your account.
- Trick others into believing you are running your account and scam others out of their personal information, finances, or goods and services.
The easiest way is not to share your information unless it is needed. In this instance, nobody will need your account or user credentials.
- Do:
- Have unique credentials for each account that you own. This includes each credential listed – do not reuse usernames or passwords, and try to pick different security questions or different sets of security questions for each account.
- Use a secure method to store your credentials.
- Do Not:
- Share your credentials with anyone. If you have a trusted individual who needs to be a user on your account, most accounts allow that trusted individual to share your account with their own credentials once you give permission.
Contact the ITRC
To learn more about accounts or user credentials, or if you believe you were the victim of an identity crime, contact the ITRC. You can speak with an expert advisor toll-free by calling 888.400.5530 or visiting our website to live chat during our regular business hours, Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-5 p.m. PST. You can leave a message for an advisor if you contact us outside of our business hours, and we will respond the next business day. Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started.