What Can Happen if Your Password is Compromised?

Important information or files could be stolen (copied) or deleted; if they are stolen, you may or may not realize it immediately. This could be anything from sensitive documents and files, to address book contacts and email messages.
Money and other funds could be stolen or spent, via access to credit cards or bank accounts.
Email or social media accounts could be used to send spam, or to impersonate you, your friends, family, or colleagues.
Account access could be held in exchange for a form of “ransom” – this could include money, access to contacts, or access to other accounts.
Someone with a password could use this access to monitor communications and activities without your knowledge.
Access to your email could set off a “domino effect” where it is used to reset passwords to other accounts by requesting password reset links, eventually locking you out of several accounts if the password remains unchanged.