DALLAS (KRLD) - A new study shows 9 out of 10 people across the county have put their personal data at risk in the past year.
Ted Rossman with Creditcards.com says, "The worst thing people are doing with their data is re-using passwords. We found that more than 8 in 10 people are re-using passwords. That includes 61% who use the same password at least half of the time and 22% who always do this."
He says that's really bad because when there's a data breach one of the main things that gets stolen is password information. He says using public Wi-Fi is very risky.
Other mistakes include: saving payment information for an online account on a computer or phone, carrying a Social Security care, throwing out mail with personal information without shredding it, using an ATM at places that are not banks and including your birthday on social media.
Rossman recommends getting a credit freeze.
"It's the best way to prevent someone from opening a new account in your name. Also, check your credit scores and reports regularly to make sure everything is right. Also, avoid re-using passwords."