For coupon and shopping-site sign-ups. Follow the merchant’s eligibility, regional, and account rules. Don’t use temporary addresses to bypass restrictions or claim offers more than once.
Your progress
0 / 7 checked
Next: Check the merchant’s domain in your browser’s address bar.
Progress only shows which checks you’ve completed. It doesn’t certify security. Your selections stay on this page and reset when you refresh.
Check the site first, then decide how long you’ll need the account.
Email is only one part of signing up. Continue only if the page is trustworthy and you know what you’ll use the account for.
01
Check the merchant’s domain
Go to the sign-up page from a merchant website or app you already know is official. Check the browser’s address bar character by character—not just the brand logo on the page.
What to check
You can confirm the main domain belongs to the merchant. If you’re redirected to a sign-in service, you’ve verified its purpose through the merchant’s official information.
Watch out
Lookalike spellings, ad landing pages, and shortened links can mislead you. HTTPS encrypts the connection, but doesn’t verify the merchant’s identity.
If you’re unsure where the page came from, close it and reopen the site from an official source. Don’t enter details just to see what happens.
02
Decide what you’ll use the account for
Ask yourself: are you only claiming an offer, or will you place an order, track delivery, make a return, or keep using this account?
What to check
Decide whether you’ll need to receive emails later. For orders, after-sales support, or account recovery, choose an inbox you can keep accessing.
Watch out
A first-order coupon doesn’t mean you’ll only use the account once. Receiving a verification code today doesn’t mean you’ll get a refund notification or password reset email next week.
Read the offer terms first. If you’ll need the account long-term, use your usual email address or a forwarding alias.
03–05 / Decide what to share
Choose the right email type, and allow time to receive your code.
Not wanting to use your personal email doesn’t mean a temporary address is always the right choice. Make sure it’ll last as long as you need it.
03
Choose an email type
A temporary address may suit a one-off, low-risk verification—but first check that the merchant accepts it. For ongoing shopping, payments, and account recovery, use an email address you can access long-term.
What to check
The address will remain available for as long as you need it. If you use an alias, it forwards to a real inbox you can keep accessing.
Watch out
Merchants may reject temporary email addresses. Don’t keep switching addresses to get through sign-up, and don’t make a temporary address the only way to recover an important account.
Temporary addresses and aliases can receive email but can’t send it. For ongoing use, go to forwarding settings. If you want to cut down on promotions, see three ways to reduce them.
04
Check how much time is left
Open your inbox and use the live countdown. Allow time to fill in the form, wait for the code, and complete verification. If the address is close to expiring, deal with its expiry first.
What to check
The address hasn’t expired, and there’s enough time to finish this step—with extra time in case you need to resend the code or check for a problem.
Watch out
Verification codes can be delayed; estimated delivery times aren’t guaranteed. An expired address can’t be restored, and the code may expire sooner.
Addresses last 3 hours by default. Each renewal adds 3 hours, up to 24 hours total. Check your inbox for the exact time. See expiry and recovery for details.
05
Check the pasted address
Copy the full address from your inbox. After pasting it, make sure there are no spaces at either end, no duplicated domain suffix, and no verification code pasted by mistake.
What to check
The address in the sign-up form exactly matches the one in your current inbox. Before requesting a code, make sure you can still open that inbox.
Watch out
Changing the address makes the old one unusable. Don’t switch addresses after requesting a code and then wait for a code sent to the old one in a new inbox.
Go back to the inbox on the homepage and copy the actual address. This example only shows the format; don’t use it to sign up.
06–07 / Keep what you need, and nothing more
Review subscription options, and save the details you’ll need.
The last two checks aren’t solved by changing email addresses. Be clear about what you’re agreeing to and how you’ll verify offer and order details later.
06
Check marketing subscriptions
Look for options covering promotional emails, partner offers, and personalised recommendations. Choose what you actually want, and distinguish required service terms from optional marketing consent.
What to check
You’ve read the optional subscription details and confirmed your choice. If an offer requires a subscription, you’ve decided whether to accept that condition.
Watch out
Opting out of marketing doesn’t mean you won’t receive essential service emails. Verification codes, order confirmations, and security alerts may still be sent.
Record the offer’s expiry date, minimum spend, eligible products, region, and sign-up conditions. If you place an order, save the order number, amount, merchant name, and after-sales support details too.
What to check
You’ve saved essential details somewhere secure that you control. Make sure you have an ongoing way to receive future notices, rather than relying only on temporary emails.
Watch out
A screenshot doesn’t replace the merchant’s order record or guarantee that an offer can be used. Don’t share verification codes, inbox links, payment details, or order screenshots containing personal information.
Expired emails can’t be recovered. If you’ll need email confirmation for after-sales support, switch to a long-term address before ordering and check the retention limits.
After your checks / Next steps
Finishing the checklist doesn’t eliminate every risk.
Your selections only record what you’ve checked. They don’t verify the merchant, certify account security, or guarantee that a verification code will arrive. Stop if a page has an unclear source, vague terms, or asks for sensitive information it doesn’t need.
