Pictured above: Sofia Tayton
With so many logins and passwords required now for using the
internet, people making a will are being advised by law firm
Lodders in Stratford-upon-Avon to think very carefully about
planning their digital afterlife.
Associate Sofia Tayton said: "When someone passes away, probably
the last thing on your mind is whether their Facebook Status needs
updating, but on a more serious note we all now have a number of
accounts for internet banking, PayPal, Amazon, eBay and the like
that need closing down, together with online photograph albums and
web domains that may in fact have a value.
"Failing to act could open the door for fraudsters as many
people use a fairly easy combination of previous address, date of
birth, mother's maiden name, name of their first born or similar as
their password, and it wouldn't need a hacker of genius level to
hazard a fairly educated guess, even more so if he or she knew the
deceased.
"Many of us, especially those who are elderly, may be prone to
use passwords and login details that are very easy to remember -
and hence not too difficult to guess."
Lodders has offices in Stratford-upon-Avon, Henley-in-Arden and
Cirencester and all new clients coming in to make a will are now
routinely reminded that this is something they should consider.
Sofia Tayton said: "People usually think about contacting the
bank when someone dies but now we all do so much online there may
be a whole host of accounts that someone holds that are all but
invisible unless you knew their shopping habits.
"There are companies which now specialise in storing username
and password information online but of course there is always a
worry about security. The databases of these organisations would be
a treasure trove for hackers.
"We recommend that the simple expedient of jotting all your
logins and passwords down in a letter and giving it to your
solicitor to keep with your will is probably the simplest and
safest way of ensuring that these important details are kept
securely.
"Of course, it is also a good idea to review this letter
annually but be sure you haven't simply stored a copy of the letter
on your PC that can be easily located. It is important to delete
the original and also check that you have emptied the waste basket
too," she said.
For more information about Lodders, please visit their website
here: www.lodders.co.uk