Password Security and You

Over the past weeks Customer Service has seen a rise in incidents where a member's account is compromised because a member has shared their password or personal information. As a result, we've seen a member's belongings/items and Therebucks given away to other members. Even worse, sometimes Therebucks are actually purchased on the account and then given away.

Customer support would like to remind everyone that the responsibility for the security of an account password and personal information belongs to the account owner. That is you.

It is not possible for someone to gain access to another member's account ("hacking") without one of three possible things happening:

1) An unauthorized individual learns the password to an account, either by either being told, or by guessing based on conversations.

2) An unauthorized individual learns the email address and secret answer set on an account, either by being told, or by guessing based on conversations.

3) The password on an account is a word easily guessed, like the name of the avatar, or the name of a favored Real World pet whose name has been given to a dog owned by that avatar ('sad)

Your password, and your secret question/answer, are the keys to your account and your belongings. You should never tell anyone, anywhere, your password. The same goes for the details that could be used to discern your secret question and answer. It doesn't matter if another person says they'll buy Music for you, or Explorer's Pack, or Voice, by giving them your password you are giving them free reign to steal all your hard-earned items and belongings. You are giving them permission to do whatever they want to -your- account.

Your password should never be easily guessable. Dictionary words are often used to try to brute-force entry into an account. Your password should be a mix of numbers and letters that no one else knows. (So-called "Leet Speek" often makes for good passwords, as it is a mix of numbers and letters, but be sure to pick long words that aren't easily guessed if you use this method of secure passwords)

If you have given your password to anyone recently, or if your password is an easily guessed word or a word from the dictionary, you should change it immediately by going into My Profile and clicking on the "Password" link.

There Customer Support advises and asks that you do not give your password or details which could lead to answering your secret question to -anyone-, no matter how much you may trust them or what they may offer. It's a bad idea, don't do it!

There Customer Support will never ask you for your password or account details. If someone tells you that they work for There and asks you for your password, they do not work for There! Please report such incidents to help@there.com immediately should it happen.

Thank you for your patience and understanding,

-There Customer Support