Millions of email addresses possibly at risk of spam

Be on the lookout for more spam in your email inbox. Banks and retailers are on the defensive after hackers stole millions of consumer email addresses.

Most banks and big businesses contract with an email service provider. So when that provider is hacked, it can trickle down to millions of people. So if you received a notice about an email breach this week, you are not alone.
Most of us have provided our email addresses to businesses without giving it another thought.

"If you don't expect your information will be shared, you're kind of deluding yourself," said technology consultant Chris Pirillo, who received two emails, one from Chase Bank, the other from Best Buy.

Pirillo is among the millions who received emails from banks and major retailers warning of a security breach. The source? A Dallas-based company that manages consumer emails for those same banks and major retailers.

The letter reads, "Based on everything we know, your account and confidential information remain secure." But is it? Or is it ever?

This isn't the first time this has happened. Experts warn, it won't be the last.
"We're only going to be as safe as the safety level of the service providers that those vendors happen to be using. I mean, it's down the rabbit hole, right?" said Pirillo.
Pirillo is not surprised by the breach. Afterall, he says, at least we know about this one.
"As sad as this sounds, you are not in control of your infomration anymore. I have no idea how many people or which institutions have my information and what information they know about me," he said.

So what can we do? Be your own advocate.
"I'm going to keep an eye on my credit, I'm going to keep an eye on any accounts or false activity and that's as much as I can do," Pirillo said.

The Better Business Bureau also has some tips to stay ahead of the hackers. Be aware of unsolicited emails and messages from unknown senders. Don't click on links or open attachments. And be wary of security alert emails regarding compromised accounts. It could be a lure to steal your account information.

MEG COYLE / KING 5 News