I don't often post on message boards, but feel compelled to after a certain incident that occurred from a different sweepsite (that will remain nameless) and as a result of an unscrupulous webmaster using user login information to access a closed forum to use the posts there against the members. Most of us can be guilty of being a little lax when it comes to login passwords. My advice is to use a different password for a login (i.e. returning sweepstakes at registered websites) then you use for you email accounts,ebay accounts,paypal accounts etc. Case in point,this member registered with MSN with the same email address used for this other sweepsite and used the password that they used for their email address as a login password. The webmaster then used the email provided by this person and login to access their msn member account and from there was able to enter a closed members-only group where he then copied all of the posts we made that were critical of his practices and website and used them to block access to over 10 members of this msn group.Now I don't think he realized the can of worms he opened with his actions as MSN abuse has been very helpful and forthcoming with the server logs and back-trace information and has helped with reporting his actions to the federal internet crimes division, however if a person were to get access to you login information for paypal or online banking, then the damage could be done long before you'd even know you'd been ripped of and much too late to be able to take legal actions. In short, every user should be aware that the crooks will always have the upper hand against the unwary.
P.S. I respectfully request the admin makes this one a "sticky"

Might I also add, if you use Roboform, it is easy to have secure passwords!
click the "generate" button and it will give you a random mix of numbers and letters for a password, then click "save" and it will save the information to a passcard, so the next time you go to the website, you will not have to figure out the password!
as well as doing what Redman pointed out and Password protect your Robo from unauthorized use!

Good advice Old Hippy and great to see you here.  I have had a second attack on my MSN account today and thanks to your suggestions, have changed my passwords and made everything more secure!

Thanks again for the great info.

I have reported it to MSN to have it criminally investigated.  It really is scary how little security a person has.  Just protect yourselves!

Thanks Lily.  I appreciate the heads up.

WOW! I hope you can get to the bottom of this. SCARY!!!

Thanks for the heads up Old Hippy.  More frightening, a national company whose name I won't mention, started an 800 number where employees could anonymously voice concerns, complaints and grievances to upper management.  Upper management would take these "anonymous calls" on the "employee relations line", and go after the people that made them.[/img]