The inventions relate to security systems for securely accessing accounts and avoiding identity-theft scams. They include object-based passwords and passphrases. For example, the invention relates to method of verifying a user's identity to allow that user to gain access to an account. The method includes creating a first matrix of characters of size X; and upon logon, displaying a second matrix of characters of size Z, wherein Y characters represent a preselected password of the user and X>Z>Y. In this equation, X is greater than the number of letters, numbers and characters on a keyboard.