Protect your privacy, your cell phone number and email address
Phone scams are never-ending because they work. Scam texts are increasing, too. Here are five sure signs a text is junk you need to delete.
While we’re talking scams, I’d be remiss not to mention your inbox. Tap or click for convincing spam that landed in my email with not-so-obvious red flags.
One way to cut down on the endless attempts to steal your money and info for sale to marketers is to limit who has your contact information. Here are some simple, free ways to do it.
Hide your email address with a burner
Consider all the reasons you give away your email without thinking about it: Signing up for a new account, emailing a company with a question, or getting a coupon code — to name a few.
Whenever you give out your email address, you open yourself to junk mail, malware, and an inbox full of spam messages. This is where a burner email comes in handy.
Burner email addresses are disposable and can be used in place of your primary. There are several ways to get one.
- Temp Mail provides a temporary, anonymous and disposable email address. You don’t need to register for the free version. Remember that the service doesn’t automatically delete your temporary email address (that’s up to you), and you can’t send emails. Emails are stored for about two hours before they’re automatically deleted.
- 10MinuteMail is another popular option you can also use to send emails. As the name suggests, the email and address are deleted in 10 minutes. If you receive an important message you don’t want to lose, you can forward it to another email address. There’s no need to provide personal information to get started, which is a nice bonus.
If you’re an Apple iCloud+ subscriber, you get access to one of my favorite Apple features: Hide My Email. It creates unique, random email addresses that forward to your inbox. You can create as many addresses as you want and reply to messages.
- To create a new email address, go to Settings and tap your Apple ID.
- Go to iCloud > Hide My Email > Create New Address.
- Follow the onscreen instructions, and you’ll get a new email address you can manage from iCloud settings.
Gmail also allows you to create free aliases tied to your primary inbox. They are handy for filtering mail or seeing how your email address ended up on a spam list.
Tired of all the junk in your inbox? Create a burner email address
Though texting someone is more convenient than opening your email app and composing a message, email carries a formality. It’s still the king of professional correspondence, especially in an office setting.
Do you CC or BCC? Knowing the difference and the proper time to use each is important. Tap or click here for a rundown on these email tools and avoid committing a digital faux pas.
Start 2023 right: How to give your inbox a fresh makeover
We’re at the threshold of the new year, and it’s not too early to get a head start on getting your home in order. We’re not talking about scrubbing your floors and dusting the blinds. Tap or click here for seven tools to get your digital life in shape.