You probably live in 2025. That is, you’ve created online accounts for major services like utilities and finances. But a handful of people still avoid it, and usually it’s because they think doing so will help keep their accounts safer. It won’t.

If that’s not you, chances are that someone close to you believes this. And it’s a problem. If the account owner doesn’t set up and control online access, that leaves an opportunity for a hacker or scammer to do it instead.

Twenty years ago, the offline approach made sense. Online security was frustratingly limited. (For example, bank passwords often set a length restriction of just ten characters…and with unlimited tries for guessing.) Other barriers made sense for staying analog—you could ban permission to online access or your financial insti

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