A former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara, was charged with a $16 million fraud this week for stealing money from Ohtani’s bank account. Mizuhara allegedly impersonated Ohtani in multiple attempts to make fraudulent wire transfers to pay off gambling debts. Mizuhara was able to abuse his access to Ohtani’s online account and convince the bank to unfreeze it using Ohtani’s personal information. This situation serves as a reminder that online accounts need to be properly secured to protect against online fraud and identity theft.
One simple and effective step to enhance online security is to sign up for a password manager such as 1Password or Bitwarden. Password managers generate and track complex and secure passwords, reducing the risk of using the same password across multiple websites. This ensures that if one account is compromised, the others remain secure. Trusted password managers are transparent and allow independent security experts to review their security practices.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is increasingly supported by major websites, adding an extra layer of security beyond passwords. MFA requires additional proof of identity, such as a numerical code sent to a separate device owned by the user. Options for MFA include specialized apps like Google Authenticator or physical security keys. While MFA is not foolproof, it significantly enhances security at minimal cost.
Security experts are recommending the use of passkeys, which eliminate the need for passwords altogether. Passkeys rely on biometric information like fingerprints or facial scans to secure accounts, offering a more convenient and secure login method. Passkeys are automatically unique to each website and authentication occurs directly on the user’s device, reducing the risk of interception or data breaches. Major tech companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft support passkeys, making them seamless to use with existing hardware.
Websites often offer backup security questions to protect user accounts, another area where password managers can be useful. By using a password manager to generate nonsense answers that do not involve personal information, users can throw off potential hackers trying to access their accounts. This simple yet powerful method adds an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorized access to accounts. Overall, taking steps to properly secure online accounts is essential to prevent fraud and protect personal information.
