A question for someone smarter than me...

[Ed W]

I went to this Real Age site to take their free test.  It asks for both an email address AND the password for the email address.

http://www.realage.com/

I'm not about to give out my password.  That's just crazy.

Have any of you encountered something like this previously?  Would I be right in suspecting it's not legitimate or am I being paranoid?

[cannon_fodder]

I imagine they use your email address as your LOGIN and want your password for their site.  Thus, you will be giving NOT your email password but a different password, used with this site.

Email address are inherently unique, so it is easier than trying to have everyone register a unique user name.  The practice is somewhat common for online bank transactions, gambling, ebay, and so on.  But looking at the site, I certainly see how it could be confusing.

To be perfectly clear:  NEVER give your passwords to anyone BUT the site for which they are designated.  Thus, you were very astute in questioning this website.  However, create an account using your email as your login and a unique password (not your email password).  

I know I repeated myself, just trying to be clear.

[cannon_fodder]

Oh, and may I suggest making up a JUNK email address (your.regular.email.junk@email.com) or using a temporary email for such crap:
http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS257&q=temporary+email&btnG=Google+Search

Clearly they want your email to solicit you further in the future.

XoXo,

me

[Conan71]

Willing to bet your spam volume will skyrocket after using that site.  Don't do it Ed.

[dayzella]

quote:Originally posted by Ed W

I went to this Real Age site to take their free test.  It asks for both an email address AND the password for the email address.

http://www.realage.com/

I'm not about to give out my password.  That's just crazy.

Have any of you encountered something like this previously?  Would I be right in suspecting it's not legitimate or am I being paranoid?

Heya - it is just a poorly designed screen.  They are trying to make things simple for first time and return users.  By entering your email address, you will defacto create an account.  If you haven't used the site before, enter whatever you would like for a password - that will be your realage site specifc password from then on, and the email address will be your log-in.

The screen that makes all of this a little bit more clear is here:

www.realage.com/Reg/Regassess.aspx?mod=DEFAULT&dest=http%3a%2f%2fwww.realage.com%2fReg%2fMyAcntTC.aspx

I've done the realage test before.  It wasn't too spamirrific.

Good luck!

[Ed W]

Thanks for the help.  I must have visited this site once before and taken that test, though I don't recall it.  That would explain why is demanded my password.