Account Takeover Prevention
(Passwords, MFA, and Alerts)
Account takeover often feels like it comes out of nowhere: you try to log in and your password doesn’t work, you see transactions you don’t recognize, or you get an email about changes you didn’t make.
In reality, account takeover usually starts quietly, often with a compromised email account or a password that was reused on multiple websites.
The good news is that you don’t need to be a tech expert to reduce your risk. A few consistent habits make a big difference.
Start with the “master key”: your email
If a scammer gets into your email, they can often reset passwords for other services. That’s why securing email is step one.
A strong email password should be unique (not used anywhere else) and long enough that it’s difficult to guess. Many people prefer a passphrase, a series of unrelated words, because it’s easier to remember and harder to crack.
Why multi-factor authentication (MFA) is worth it
MFA adds a second step to prove it’s really you, such as a code or a prompt on your device. Even if someone steals your password, MFA can stop them from getting in.
If you only enable MFA in one place, enable it for your email. After that, add it to other accounts that matter: social media, shopping accounts that store payment methods, and any financial-related logins.
Alerts help you catch problems early
One of the best security strategies is simply finding out quickly when something changes.
Alerts to consider turning on (where available): Login alerts -> Password change notifications -> Large transaction alerts -> Low balance alerts
They won’t prevent every scam attempt, but they can shrink the time between “something happened” and “you noticed,” which is critical.
Common warning signs of account takeover
Account takeover doesn’t always start with a big obvious event. Some early warning signs include password reset emails you didn’t request, missing emails (a scammer may set up filters/forwarding), new payees, or sudden lockouts.
If anything feels off, trust that instinct.
If you suspect takeover: what to do now
Move quickly, but don’t panic.
