Technology Tips – Published December 2021 in the Guide and Digest
By Don Trauger – Kennett
Topic: Has Your Credit Card Information Been Leaked to the Web?
That’s a scary thought but hackers look for available credit card information to possibly exploit your accounts. It may happen in various ways, but a breach of a website where you previously conducted business may expose your personal information. If one of your accounts is hacked, you can be the victim of fraudulent transactions, identity theft, illegal fund transfers, or other illegal activities. If you use the same password and username for your bank account and your credit card, your bank funds can be depleted in a few seconds. If the hackers change the password for your bank or credit card, you’ll be locked out of your accounts. It’s a very ugly situation.
The Microsoft Edge browser contains a feature called Password Monitor that will scan the Web using your username and password information that you have saved in the browser when you visit a website. It won’t work if you don’t save your logon information using the Edge browser. To make use of this feature, when using Edge, a small window will pop up that offers to save your information when logging into your account on a website. Once you save your information it will be encrypted on your computer then scanned when you go on the Web using Edge.
Setting up this feature is easy. Open the Microsoft Edge browser. All Windows 10 users will have this browser as it was downloaded as part of a Windows Update. One requirement for Password Monitor to work properly is that you must be signed into your Microsoft account. To check to see if you are signed in, click the Personal icon (Headshot icon) at the top right of the Edge window. It will show your Microsoft account. Remember, a Microsoft account can be any valid email account from any Internet provider, such as Gmail, Yahoo, Comcast and almost any other provider. Click Manage profile settings, if necessary, to set up a profile that will create the Microsoft account. Click Add profile at top right of window. If you don’t see that Personal icon, click the 3 horizontal dots at the top right and scroll down and click Settings. It will open to Profiles. If you already have a Microsoft account, it will show under Personal at the top of the window. If not click Add profile.
Once you have verified that you have a Microsoft account, click Passwords in center of the window. Scroll down to Show alerts when passwords are found in an online leak. Just to the right, click the button to turn on Password Monitor. The button should be blue when turned on. Below the button click the right arrow. Click Scan now to perform an instant scan of your saved passwords. The results will show in a minute or two depending on the number of saved entries. Below, is a list of all your saved credentials. In addition, Microsoft has written detailed information about Password Monitor. Click Learn more, near the blue button.
One other setting to check is at the top of the Passwords window. Make sure the button for Offer to save passwords is turned on.