Advice: Email

Yesterday we posted on fake phone numbers. Today we will focus of fake emails. The same problem explained below is the problem we are dealing with again. Do you give out your real email and potentially get spammed? The answer? No. So what can you do?

If you use Gmail, you're in luck. Gmail has features that allow you to give out different versions of your address.
From the Official Gmail Blog:

• Append a plus ("+") sign and any combination of words or numbers after your email address. For example, if your name was hikingfan@gmail.com, you could send mail to hikingfan+friends@gmail.com or hikingfan+mailinglists@gmail.com.
  

• Insert one or several dots (".") anywhere in your email address. Gmail doesn't recognize periods as characters in addresses -- we just ignore them. For example, you could tell people your address was hikingfan@gmail.com, hiking.fan@gmail.com or hi.kin.g.fan@gmail.com. (We understand that there has been some confusion about this in the past, but to settle it once and for all, you can indeed receive mail at all the variations with dots.)

And from Life Hacker:

The Digital Inspiration blog points out a Gmail trick that's been just under the surface all along (not that our commenters haven't noticed). Everyone who has an "name@gmail.com" address can also receive mail sent to "name@googlemail.com." What's the big deal? Well, knowing this gives you a stronger hand when you fight against spam, bacn, and all that other not-so-important but distracting email. Try giving out one or the other addresses to important, close contacts, while using the other for all the other stuff. What uses can you think of (or have used already) for this trick? Offer up the goods in the comments.

Cool! But what if you don't use Gmail? Well you should.

.Mac mail has the capability to use aliases. And numerous websites provide emails that you can trash after a week. Rack 'em!

http://mailexpire.com/index.php
http://www.spamgourmet.com/
http://www.zoemail.com/index.php
http://www.dodgeit.com/
http://www.sneakemail.com/
http://www.tempemail.net/
http://www.mailinator.com/
http://temporaryinbox.com/
http://www.mytrashmail.com/
http://www.shieldedmail.com/

Thanks!