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How to reduce risk: passwords, multi-factor authentication and credit freezes
Summary
Souza urged attendees to use long memorable passphrases, enable multi-factor authentication on key accounts, consider password vaults, and freeze credit at the three bureaus to block new accounts if identity theft is suspected.
Souza recommended concrete steps seniors can take immediately: choose long, memorable passphrases (he suggested a 20-character, four-word example), use a password vault to avoid reuse, and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for bank, email and investment accounts.
He also advised freezing credit at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to prevent new accounts being opened in a victim's name and walking attendees through how to request their annual credit report. "Make a password that's like 20 characters long, but that's super memorable," he said, and urged attendees to enable MFA on the few accounts that would be most painful if compromised.
