I think somebody has access to my passwords
I think somebody has access to my passwords
What's coming up?
Sometimes passwords are stolen. If you think that one of your internet accounts has been accessed by somebody else, there are straightforward things that you can do to fix the problem. In this activity, we're going to go through what steps you should take.
Start activityWhat to look out for
Someone may be using your passwords if you notice:
- charges on your bank statement for purchases you didn't make
- messages you didn't write appearing on social media sites, such as Facebook
- people responding to emails from you that you don't remember sending.
If you suspect someone is using your personal details online, it's a good idea to change your passwords.
Changing your password
Changing to a new password is the first thing you should do if you think a password has been stolen.
On most log in panels, you'll see a link under the Password box called Forgot password or similar. Even though you haven't forgotten it, you can still use this link to reset your password. Click on it and the website will guide you through the next steps.
If you are already logged into an account, you should be able to update your password in the Settings or Profile section of your account details.
eSafety tip
If there is no Forgot password link available, the website might have instructions on how to reset your password on their Help page.
If no information is available however, check their Contact us page and either call or send them a message asking for their assistance.
Also, if you have the same password for multiple accounts, be sure to update all of them and take the opportunity to create strong, unique passwords for each. That way, if someone has guessed one of your passwords, they won't be able to sign into your other accounts.
Let's update a password
Changing your password regularly is a good way to help keep your details secure, and can be easy to do. Let's watch Helga update her password on the ABC website.
Click Continue to watch the video on the next slide.
Let's update a password
This video is approximately 1 minute and 8 seconds in duration. It demonstrates how Helga updates her password on her ABC online account.
Once the video starts, the intro panel fades and we see the screen is split into two parts. On the left-hand side is the ABC Shop website displayed on Helga's computer. On the right-hand side, there is text displayed, which is the script for the voiceover track.
Voiceover: "Helga wants to update her password on the ABC website."
The left-hand panel zooms in to the top of the ABC web page to show the link to Helga's account.
Voiceover: "Helga clicks on the My account link to open her account page, as this is where she can see her account details for the website."
The left-hand panel shows Helga's account page details.
Voiceover: "To change her password, she clicks the Edit my details button."
The left-hand panel updates to show the My details page which has a series of editable text boxes populated with her details.
Voiceover: "Helga types a new password into the first box. It's a unique password that she hasn't used on any other sites. She needs to type the same password into the second box. This is to make sure she hasn't mistyped her new password."
The left-hand panel shows Helga removing the existing password and typing in a new password. She repeats the step for the Confirm password text box.
Voiceover: "If the password Helga has entered matches in both boxes, the website will confirm the new password. Next, Helga clicks on the Save button to save her new password."
The left-hand panel shows Helga clicking on the Save button to save her changes.
Voiceover: "When Helga next visits the ABC website, she'll need to use her new password."
Video ends.
Congratulations!
You've completed the I think somebody has access to my passwords activity.
You should now know how and when to update your passwords if they are ever stolen. Once you've updated your password, whoever managed to guess it before should no longer be able to access your account with the old password.
Next up, if you have registered and are logged into the Be Connected website, you'll now be able to take a short quiz to finish the Help and support course. If you're not registered, you are now at the end of the course.
