ATLANTA — It can be overwhelming to think about all the ways bad actors are trying to exploit your digital privacy. Channel 2 consumer adviser Clark Howard says, “Don’t give up hope.”
He says people should use apps and websites designed to help them fight back.
In December 2025, the FBI reported more than 600 million passwords were discovered on devices seized from a suspect. The good news is that you can check and see if your passwords are included in the list.
The recovered passwords are part of a growing database of credentials on the website Have I Been Pwned, which is operated by Troy Hunt.
Hunt is a web security expert and Microsoft Regional Director who collected recovered passwords from the FBI over the last four years. The site also allows users to search their email addresses to determine if they were involved in any known data breaches.
Because our personal information is out there already, taking steps to protect your identity and finances from criminals is key. Proactive measures can make it more difficult for bad actors to exploit that data.
The first step to protecting identity and finances is freezing your credit at all three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This helps prevent criminals from opening credit in your name, and remember, freezing your credit is free!
The free platform Credit Karma allows users to view reported credit accounts and recent inquiries to ensure no one is impersonating you.
Another free app, Permission Slip by Consumer Reports, allows you to see what information certain companies track, request that they stop selling your personal data, or even delete your account altogether. Make sure you no longer need an account before deleting it to avoid losing loyalty points or credits.
If you struggle to remember all your passwords, you are not alone. To help keep track, use a password manager. The tool creates a unique password for every account that’s hard to crack. It will encrypt them and autofill them for you.
Clark’s favorite way to keep his information safe is by using security passkeys. The tech uses biometric data from your phone, like Face ID or thumbprint, to log into your account, so there’s no password to steal.
The most important thing to remember is that criminals are smart, they adapt and they’re always looking for a way to steal from you. So, stay on top of your personal data before a criminal uses it to hurt you.
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