Why This Checklist Matters

Every time a website or app asks for your name, address, date of birth, or financial details, you are making a decision with real consequences. Data that seems harmless on its own — a phone number here, a birth year there — can be combined by bad actors to impersonate you, access your accounts, or commit fraud in your name.

Older adults are disproportionately targeted by deceptive websites and phishing schemes, often because they are less familiar with the warning signs embedded in modern online interfaces. This checklist is designed to slow you down in the best possible way: giving you a clear set of questions to ask before you hit submit.

If you are also reviewing your finances online, our retirement income readiness checklist covers how to safely assess your accounts and benefits. And if you shop online regularly, see what to check before buying anything online for complementary guidance.

Unsolicited Links Are High-Risk

If you received an email, text, or pop-up asking you to click a link and enter personal information, stop. Legitimate companies rarely contact you this way to request sensitive data. Navigate directly to the organization's official website by typing the address into your browser instead of clicking any link.

Too Much Information Requested? Walk Away

If a website asks for information that seems excessive — such as your full Social Security number for a simple account signup — it is reasonable to abandon the form entirely. No reputable service will require credentials it does not genuinely need.

How to Use This Checklist

Work through the checklist below any time a site or app requests personal information. You do not need to complete every item for every interaction — a free recipe newsletter requires far less scrutiny than a financial services account. Use your judgment about the sensitivity of the information being requested, and apply more checks accordingly.

Required

Your browser's address bar

Displays whether a site uses HTTPS encryption and shows the padlock security indicator.

Required

Better Business Bureau (BBB) — bbb.org

A free resource for checking business complaints and ratings before sharing your information.

Optional

Have I Been Pwned — haveibeenpwned.com

A free public tool that lets you check whether your email address has appeared in known data breaches.

Optional

Password manager application

Stores unique, strong passwords for each account so you are not reusing passwords across sites.

Keep in mind that strong account hygiene — including using unique passwords for each site — supports everything on this list. Our guide to password habits explains simple, effective approaches that do not require memorizing complex strings of characters.

The Full Checklist

Work through each group below before sharing personal information. Items marked must are non-negotiable; should items are strongly recommended whenever possible.

Check the Website's Legitimacy

Confirm the web address begins with "https://" and that a padlock icon appears in your browser's address bar — this indicates the connection is encrypted. Must
Look up the organization independently using a search engine before trusting it — do not rely solely on information the site provides about itself. Must
Check whether the site has a working physical address, a listed phone number, and a named contact — vague or missing contact details are a red flag. Should
Review any online ratings or complaints through sources such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to gauge reputation. Should

Evaluate What Information Is Being Requested

Ask yourself whether the information being requested is actually necessary for the service — a free newsletter, for example, does not need your Social Security number or birth date. Must
Decline to provide your Social Security number online unless you are interacting with a verified government agency or financial institution that legally requires it. Must
Be cautious if a form asks for your mother's maiden name, childhood address, or similar security-question answers — these can be used to access other accounts. Should
Verify that the form collects only the minimum details needed — unnecessary fields suggest poor data practices or potential misuse. Should

Read the Privacy Policy

Locate and open the site's privacy policy before submitting any form — a legitimate site will always have one. Must
Scan for whether the site sells or shares your data with third parties, and whether you can opt out of that sharing. Must
Note whether the policy explains how long your data is stored and how you can request deletion. Should
If there is no privacy policy, or it is undated and vague, treat it as a warning and avoid sharing information. Must

Secure Your Financial Details

Use a credit card rather than a debit card for online purchases — credit cards typically offer stronger fraud dispute protections. Should
Look for recognized payment processors (such as those offering guest checkout through established payment platforms) rather than entering card details directly into unknown forms. Should
Never enter banking account numbers, routing numbers, or card PINs into a form that arrived via an unsolicited email link. Must

After You Submit

Save or screenshot the confirmation page or email so you have a record of what you submitted and when. Should
Monitor your bank and credit card statements in the days following any financial transaction online and report unfamiliar charges promptly. Must
Update your account password immediately if you ever suspect a site you used has experienced a data breach. Must

Identity Theft Can Happen Quickly

Once personal information is shared, you cannot take it back. Identity theft can affect your credit, banking access, and even government benefit accounts. If you believe your information has been compromised, contact your bank immediately and consider placing a free credit freeze through the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

If you encounter a site that raises several red flags at once — no HTTPS, no privacy policy, excessive data requests — trust that instinct and leave. Our article on spotting shopping scams targeting seniors covers common deceptive tactics in more detail.