It is time to officially stop using Yahoo email address and migrate to a new email provider. The news today of yet another breach that exposed 1 billion user accounts, is the largest such attack in the history of mankind. Here is a copy of the Yahoo breach notice sent to its USA users. If you are a real estate agent or broker who is using a @yahoo.com email address to conduct real estate transactions… please stop and move your business activity to a new email address. We recommend a franchise/ corporate-issued or private agency’s email address but if you don’t have access to one of those email systems go with @gmail.com from Google. Also if you used the same password on your Yahoo email accounts as another online service go ahead and change those passwords.
We know it will take time to change your contact information and let all of your clients and potential clients know, but it will be worth it.
3 things to note about transitioning away from your @yahoo.com address:
- Make sure your new email address password is different than your compromised yahoo account. Also, don’t use the same password as ANY other online account. Your email password should be unique.
- Forward important emails and then DELETE all emails in your yahoo email account. That includes the Sent folder.
- Set up a Vacation Response to assist in this transition so everyone who sends you an email will get an automatic replay that explains your change to a new email address. You can leave it running for a year plus if needed.
