On the Internet, it’s best to not give out personal information unless absolutely necessary. Information such as name, address, social security number, financial information, login credentials, and more can all be used in attempts to compromise accounts that you may possess or submit applications for services that you may not have initially requested (such as for a loan).

One of the primary red flags is if a request for this sort of information comes from an unsolicited source. If there’s uncertainty as to the validity of the website or email that you’re interacting with, it is better to err on the side of caution and avoid giving out personally identifiable information. Legitimate businesses will often have multiple means of contact and reaching out through an alternative means can assist in identifying if the interaction is legitimate.