Don’t reuse passwords: a simple rule to protect your money
28/05/2026
It happens far too often, and can have serious consequences. Reusing the same password is among the most common – and most dangerous – digital security mistakes. If that password falls into the wrong hands, the danger is not limited to the service affected, but extends to every service using the same password.
When a website suffers a security breach, stolen email and password combinations are automatically tried on other services: email accounts, social media, payment platforms and online banking. This technique, known as “credential stuffing”, has become one of the most common ways criminals gain fraudulent access to financial accounts.
One account is of critical importance: your main email account. If someone gets into it, they can reset passwords, view bank notifications and recover access to other services. And if you reuse passwords, the domino effect is immediate. Within minutes, a minor issue turn into a serious problem.
Changing passwords frequently is a hassle, we know. That’s why hardly anyone does it properly. Memorising dozens of long, unique and random passwords isn’t realistic. This is where password managers can help.
These applications generate different passwords for each website, store them in encrypted form and fill them in automatically when needed. The user only has to remember one master password, the one for the password manager itself. This password should be particularly strong and should never be reused for any other service. Widely used and highly rated options include Google Password Manager or Proton Pass.
If you prefer not to use a password manager, at least three of your passwords must be unique and secure:
- Your main email account password.
- Your bank password.
- Your payment services password (PayPal, Bizum, etc.).
Always bear in mind these two basic rules:
- Avoid reusing passwords.
- Enable two-step verification whenever it is available.
