7) Before you enter your personal information check that a SECURED.

A secured website starts with HTTPS:// When a browser handles HTTPS communication, it encodes the data and it checks for a security certificate. A security certificate is obtained from a third party for a substantial fee. The security company investigates the site owner and issues a SSL verifying that the site is actually owned by the vendor/financial institution..

If you are asked to enter personal information in an unsecured screen, the site was set up by a spammer, or someone who has no concern for preserving your privacy.