What Not to Share With ChatGPT, Gemini & Copilot

Quick answer: What not to share with ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot: never paste passwords, one-time codes, Social Security or ID numbers, full card or bank account numbers, or someone else's private details into an AI chat. Swap them for placeholders like [ACCOUNT NUMBER] and ask your question anyway. The AI almost never needs the real number to help you.

AI tools are helpful, but they are not vaults. What you type may be saved in your chat history, synced to other devices, kept by the company for a while (even after you delete it), and in some cases read by reviewers or used to improve the model unless you turn that off. None of that is a reason to stop using AI. It is a reason to leave the sensitive bits out.

Is it safe to share this with AI? A quick check

What you might type	Safe to share?
Your first name, age, or general situation	Yes
A question about a bill or letter, numbers removed	Yes
Health questions in general terms	Yes
Your city or ZIP code	Usually fine
Your phone number or full home address	No need. Leave it out
Your full birth date	No
Photos of other people	Only with their OK
Passwords and one-time codes	Never
Social Security, Medicare, passport or license numbers	Never
Card numbers, bank account and routing numbers	Never

The never-paste list

Passwords and one-time codes

Why not: An AI chat is not a password manager. A password or a sign-in code in your history is one more place it can leak from. No real company, and no AI, will ever need your code to "verify" you.

Instead: Use a password manager, or the "suggest a strong password" feature built into your phone or browser. If you want help making a strong password, ask for the rules, not for it to store one.

Social Security, passport, and driver's license numbers

Why not: These are the keys to identity theft, and you can't easily change them.

Instead: Type [SSN] or [LICENSE NUMBER] where the number would go. The AI can still explain the form.

Card numbers, bank account and routing numbers

Why not: Even part of a number can be combined with other details to commit fraud.

Instead: Describe the problem: "My bank charged a $35 fee I don't recognize. What could it be?" For a disputed charge, our dispute letter guide uses placeholders you fill in yourself.

Screenshots of accounts and statements

Why not: A screenshot often shows more than you meant to share: full names, addresses, account numbers, balances, or a code in a notification at the top of the screen.

Instead: Crop or cover the private parts first, or type out just the line you have a question about.

Medical records and test results with your name on them

Why not: Health privacy laws like HIPAA usually don't cover consumer AI chat apps, so your records don't get the protection they would at your doctor's office.

Instead: Ask about the condition, medicine, or test by name in general terms. Bring the specific results to your doctor or pharmacist.

Other people's private details

Why not: Your friend, grandchild, or coworker didn't agree to have their phone number, address, health news, or photos put into an AI chat.

Instead: Use first names only, or "my neighbor," and leave out contact details. Only upload photos you took of yourself or have permission to share.

Work secrets and confidential documents

Why not: Some AI services can use chats to improve their models unless you switch that off, and many employers forbid pasting work files into personal AI accounts.

Instead: Summarize the situation in your own words, or use the AI tool your workplace has approved.

Your full address plus birthday in one place

Why not: Each detail alone is common. Together with your full name, they are what scammers need to pass security questions.

Instead: Share the city or ZIP code if location matters, and leave out the birthday.

Check what the AI already remembers about you

Some apps remember details from your chats to personalize answers. In ChatGPT, go to Settings > Personalization > Memory to see what it has saved and delete anything you don't want kept. Deleting a chat does not delete a saved memory, so check both. Gemini, Copilot and the others have similar settings; each of our delete guides below shows where.

What is usually fine to share

• Your first name and the general situation ("I'm 68 and new to smartphones").
• Questions about a bill, letter, or form with the private numbers removed. See how to understand a confusing letter with AI.
• Drafts you wrote yourself, like an email to customer service.
• Recipes, trip ideas, health questions in general terms, and anything you'd happily say out loud in a waiting room.

How to ask safely: a 3-step habit

1. Copy the text into a note first, not straight into the AI.
2. Replace private bits with placeholders: [NAME], [ACCOUNT NUMBER], [ADDRESS], [DATE OF BIRTH].
3. Paste the cleaned version and ask your question. You can run it through our Privacy Paste-Check before you paste.

Example prompt:

Here is a letter from my insurance company with my personal details
replaced by placeholders. Explain in plain English what they want me
to do and by when:

[paste cleaned letter here]

Already pasted something you shouldn't have?

Don't panic. Do these in order:

1. If it was a password or sign-in code, change that password now and turn on two-step verification.
2. If it was a card or bank number, call the number on the back of your card or on your bank's official website and ask about protecting the account.
3. If it was your Social Security number, you can freeze your credit for free with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and visit IdentityTheft.gov for next steps.
4. Delete the chat. It won't erase every copy the company keeps, but it removes it from your history and synced devices. Step-by-step guides: ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode, Copilot, Claude, Meta AI, or all of them in one place.
5. Turn off model training in the app's privacy or data settings if you don't want future chats used to improve the AI. Each guide above shows where.

Related

• How to spot fake ChatGPT support and AI voice scams
• How to delete AI chat history
• Scam Checklist
• Privacy Paste-Check

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Frequently asked questions

What should you never share with ChatGPT?

Passwords, one-time sign-in codes, Social Security or ID numbers, full card or bank account numbers, medical records with your name on them, and other people's private details. Replace them with placeholders and ask your question anyway.

What information should you not give to AI?

Anything that could unlock your accounts or your identity: passwords, sign-in codes, Social Security, Medicare or ID numbers, card and bank numbers, and your full birth date with your address. Leave out other people's private details too.

Is it safe to give ChatGPT my name or phone number?

Your first name is fine. There's no need to type your phone number or home address into a chat. Your account already has what it needs to sign you in, and the AI can answer your question without them.

Is it safe to tell ChatGPT or Gemini personal information?

General details like your first name, age range, or situation are usually fine. Avoid anything that could be used to log in as you, steal your identity, or reach your money.

Does deleting a chat remove what I pasted?

It removes the chat from your history and synced devices, but the company may keep a copy for a while for safety or legal reasons. That is why it is better not to paste sensitive details in the first place.

Can I upload a photo of a bill or letter to AI?

Yes, if you cover or crop out account numbers, your full address, and any codes first. Or type out just the part you have a question about.

I pasted my password into an AI chat. What now?

Change that password right away, change it anywhere else you reused it, and turn on two-step verification. Then delete the chat.

Do AI companies read my chats?

Some services may have staff review a small number of chats for safety, and some use chats to improve their models unless you turn that off. Check the privacy or data settings in each app.