Share your main address sparingly
Every site that stores your email is another place it can leak or be sold. Reserve your main address for people and services you trust and rely on.
Practical steps
- Use a temporary address for one-off downloads and trials
- Use a separate permanent address or provider aliases for shopping and newsletters
- Unsubscribe from lists you no longer read
- Avoid posting your address publicly on websites or social profiles
- Turn on two-factor authentication for your main email account
What temporary email does not do
A temporary address hides your main inbox from a site. It does not make you anonymous: sites can still see other information about your connection and device. Do not rely on it for sensitive or confidential communication.