Your ATM PIN isn’t 1234, right? If it is, better head to your bank and change it.
A study by tech consultancy DataGenetics has unveiled the most-common PIN numbers. According to the study, thieves can unlock more than 25 percent of PIN-protected accounts by simply trying 20 combinations out of a possible 10,000.
It’s relatively easy when your PIN number is something as basic or predictable as 1234 or 0000.
The top 10 most common PIN passwords make up over 20 percent of all passwords found. The company used “released/exposed/discovered password tables and security breaches” for their study.
Here are the 10 most common PIN numbers:
1. 1234
2. 1111
3. 0000
4. 1212
5. 7777
6. 1004
7. 2000
8. 4444
9. 2222
10. 6969The least popular PIN numbers:
1. 8068
2. 8093
3. 9629
4. 6835
5. 7637
6. 0738
7. 8398
8. 6793
9. 9480
10. 8957
Of course, bad passwords don’t discriminate. Last year, the top three passwords of 2012 according to SplashData were “password,” “123456,” and “12345678”.
Time to get more creative, people. Here are some more resources to protect yourself from theft:
Identity theft and the top 12 tax scams of 2013
6 ways to protect yourself from restaurant tip theft
Robbed on the job: Advice on fighting wage theft
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