HOW TO SEARCH AND DESTROY YOUR OLD ACCOUNTS

People have been accumulating online accounts since the days when AOL recruited members using CD-ROMs. Not everyone remembers to delete the accounts they no longer use. The data in these accounts can expose you to identity theft, phishing scams, and other security threats. Per Micah Hoffman, principal investigator at the cybersecurity firm Spotlight Infosec. "Companies may still be collecting your personal info. When there's a data breach, attackers can use your log-in credentials to try to sign in to other accounts." Conduct a Marie Kondo-style purge. Use these tools and tips to flush out the ghosts of internet past. Then look online for instructions on how to delete them.

• EMAIL- Search your email accounts ( new and old) for phrases such as "welcome to," "new account," "password," and "confirm your email" to surface the messages you received when you signed up for services. It might be wise to hold on to old email accounts a bit longer, too, in case you need to reset an account password before the purge is complete.
• SEARCH ENGINES - Type your favorite usernames into Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Google to locate profile pages and public posts from your old accounts. Results will vary by search engine. Try hunting for your name and former email addresses.
• SAVED LOG-INS - If you've allowed your web browser to save usernames and passwords, you can review the archived list to find old accounts. Instructions vary by browser. In Chrome, the most widely Used option, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and go to  Settings > Passwords.
• GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK LOG-INS - Any app, website, or game you logged in to using Facebook or Google will be listed on those sites. On Facebook, click the triangle in the top right of any page and go to Settings > Apps & Websites.  On a Google page (such as Google Search, Gmail, or Calendar), click the grid icon near the top right and go to Account > Security > Signing in with Google.
• SPECIALIZED SEARCH TOOLS - Go to the website Have I Been Pwned to see whether any of your email addresses or passwords have been exposed in a data breach at a service where you have an account. (In addition to reminding you of forgotten accounts, any hits should prompt you to change your password.) Next, go to KnowEm or Namecheck.com. Sites such as these help entrepreneurs head off trademark problems by revealing whether a potential username has been claimed on a popular platform. A great way to learn where your own username appears, too.