Avoid spam using a disposable email address service. When you give websites and new contacts a disposable email address instead of your real one, you can selectively disable the disposable address as soon as you get spam through it, while continuing to use your other aliases. Here are six of the best disposable email address services.

E4ward.com

E4ward.com is a down-to-earth and useful disposable email service that makes it possible to prevent spam to your real email address with easily erasable aliases.

  • Use your own domain name.

  • Identify spammers by using a different alias for each contact.

  • Allows the use of multiple real addresses.

  • Sign-up process is slow.

  • Adding a personal domain is confusing.

  • Only one alias allowed for free version.

Using the service, you create a different public email address called an alias for each of your contacts. Each alias forwards to your real email address. If one of the aliases starts delivering spam, you delete it and assign a new alias to the account. 

E4ward uses the domain username.e4ward.com, but you can use your own domain name if you have one.

Spamgourmet

Before you choke on all that spam, try the feature-rich and flexible disposable email addresses from Spamgourmet for protection. First, you set up an account and list the email address you want to protect. Then, you choose Spamgourmet addresses that forward to your protected email address.

  • Brief learning curve.

  • Email limit specified.

  • Advanced mode for trusted senders and watchwords.

  • Some merchants won’t accept orders from a Spamgourmet address.

  • Account registration required.

  • Lists only the last three “eaten” (not sent to you) messages for an address.

The next time you need to give out your email address to a stranger or one-time merchant, give the Spamgourmet address instead. You’ll receive any messages or replies at your protected email address.

Mailinator

Mailinator lets you use any email address at mailinator.com and pick up the mail at its site. Since there’s no connection to your real address, you won’t get spam using Mailinator addresses. Keep in mind that all mail sent to Mailinator is in the public domain.

  • Unlimited number of email addresses.

  • No registration necessary.

  • No connection to your real email address.

  • Mailinator email is public.

  • Emails are temporary and disappear after a few hours.

  • Not secure.

Mailinator offers millions of inboxes. Unlike other services, you don’t have to sign up to use Mailinator. Just think up an email address from hundreds of domains.

Mailinator public email auto-deletes after a few hours.

Note

You cannot send mail from Mailinator. It is a receive-only service.

GishPuppy

GishPuppy is a disposable email address service that shines with simplicity and functionality. The free service offers disposable email addresses that automatically forward messages to your private email account. GishPuppy encourages you to trash your GishPuppy email and get a new one anytime spam finds you.

  • Different email address each time you register.

  • Delivers messages to your real email address.

  • Set aliases to expire automatically.

  • “Gish it” link must be dragged to your browser toolbar.

  • Custom domains not supported.

  • Doesn’t protect your real address in replies.

Never give out your private email address to strangers again. Give out your GishPuppy address instead.

Spamex

Spamex provides a solid, useful, and feature-complete disposable email address service. With Spamex disposable email addresses, you can provide a working email address to anyone and not worry about whether they will sell your email address to others. If spam arrives, you know its source, and you can dispose of that email address or turn it off.

  • Works on most platforms.

  • Includes up to 500 addresses.

  • 30-day free trial.

  • Small size limit makes attachments difficult.

  • Annual fee after free trial.

  • Limited support.

Spamex is browser-based, so it works equally well on most operating systems. It also works well with mobile devices.

Jetable.org

At Jetable.org, you create disposable email addresses with a designated life span, which is handy when you need to give out a one-time email address. During its limited life span, your disposable email address forwards mail to your actual email address. It deactivates automatically after the life span you selected comes to an end.

  • Life span of one hour to one month.

  • No connection to real email address.

  • Best for when you need an email address just once.

  • Can’t be used for newsletters or other recurring services.

  • Can’t be disabled manually at the website.

  • Not for long term use.

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