Nine passwords you should never use online if you want to avoid getting hacked

Experts have warned us to avoid nine types of password to prevent online fraud.

Figures show two-thirds of people use the same secret word or phrase in multiple places.

This can give hackers access to several of their accounts, including social media and online banking, opening them up to potentially lose thousands of pounds to fraud.

NetVoucherCodes.co.uk advisors say using personal information such as street or pet names and surnames should also be avoided at all costs.

Instead, they say to opt for a secure password of at least eight characters, using a combination of upper and lower case letters, symbols and numbers.

Experts say there are common pitfalls to avoid (Getty Images)

John Stirzaker, consumer expert at NetVoucherCodes, said: “The moment someone has figured out one of your
passwords, it’s more than likely they’ll target the rest of your accounts, especially your banking apps.

“Hackers can attempt to log into your email and change the passwords on all of your accounts, giving them full access to your information.”

Britons lost £1.2billion to fraud in 2022, according to bank industry group UK Finance.

Nine passwords to avoid and why

1. The same passwords for each account If a hacker cracks one password and it’s used for all of your other accounts, they’ll have full access to your information and potentially bank details.
2. Name of pets If you have pictures of pets across your social media, a potential hacker can test out the name when getting into your account, it is also a common bank security question.
3. Not the word 'password' or anything like 'password 1'. This is usually the first step online criminals will test out, particularly if they think you’re less tech-savvy.
4. Putting 1 after a name generally If you’ve changed your password after noticing an unusual attempt to log into your account, don’t just simply pop a “1” after your password, as a hacker may test this out. Change it up completely.
5. Surnames Avoid using your surname in the passcode or any mention of it even with special characters afterwards. It’s an easy code for hackers to predict and it’ll allow them to access your information quicker.
6. Obvious patterns such as 1,2,3,4. Having “1234” in the password is an easy code to crack, so be unique when using numbers or special characters.
7. All caps Having caps in the password strengthens its protection against scammers, but simply having all of it in caps makes it weaker. Be savvy with capital letters by using them on random letters rather than all of them.
8. Mum's maiden name A typical bank security question asks this. It means even if hackers can't get the password right but know the answer, they may be able to access your funds.
9. Street name A home address is one of the easiest pieces of information hackers can find. If you have a typical street name, a hacker can use the information to get into your account.