Prevent spam by using a disposable e-mail address

I always think twice or even three times before I enter my e-mail address in a Web form. Even when the site gives me the option not to have any messages sent to the address (usually by unchecking the Web form's "Notify me" entry that's checked by default), I can't help but think somehow, somewhere, some snake-oil salesman is going to get hold of my address.

Now I register at such sites using a separate e-mail account whose mail I filter out of my in-box. When I have to click a link in a confirmation e-mail to complete the registration, I simply look for the message in the folder I specified previously.

Start by creating a POP or IMAP account only for Web site registrations. Most ISPs offer multiple mail accounts for free. In fact, when I last checked, I had 114 free mail accounts available with my ISP. Of course, I've also registered five different domain names with that company, each of which comes with several mail accounts.(Maybe I could sublease the ones I'm not using.)

If your ISP doesn't offer multiple e-mail accounts, sign up for a free account at a service such as Inbox.com. The company offers up to 5GB of mail storage for free and allows POP3 and SMTP access to your in-box.

Now add that account to your mail client. In Outlook 2007 and 2003, click Tools > Account Settings > New, choose "Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or HTTP," and click Next. Add your account information on the next screen and click Next. Outlook will connect to the server automatically and send a test message.

Add your throwaway account to Outlook via the Add New Email Account wizard.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Once the account is in place, return to the Account Settings dialog box, select the account, and click the Change Folder button at the bottom of the window. Choose one of the existing folders, click New Folder, give the folder a name, click OK twice, and then Close.

Since I forward the mail sent to my ISP accounts to my Gmail in-box, I also need to keep messages sent to the throwaway account from cluttering that in-box. To add the account to Gmail, click Settings in the top-right corner, choose Forwarding and POP/IMAP, and select either Enable POP or Enable IMAP, whichever is appropriate for your account.

Now click the Accounts tab and choose "Add another mail account" in the "Get mail from other accounts" section. Enter the e-mail address and click Next Step. Add your password, check both "Label incoming messages" (the address is the default name for the label) and "Archive incoming messages (Skip the Inbox)," and click Add Account.

Keep mail sent to your throwaway account out of your Gmail in-box by selecting the bottom two options.

(Credit: Gmail)

After the account is confirmed, you'll be asked whether you want to make this account a custom From address. This allows you to send mail from Gmail and make it appear to originate from that account. Click Yes if this sounds like something you might want to do.

When you need to access a confirmation e-mail sent to your throwaway address, just choose the label in the list at the bottom left of the Gmail in-box and select the message in the resulting window.

[forensicmeteoboy]

Or use a service such as mailinator.com. When you fill out a web form, simply make up an address (such as [e-mail]). Then, go to mailinator.com and enter the email address you just made up to check its inbox. Much easier! :)

[forensicmeteoboy]

Or use a service such as mailinator.com. When you fill out a web form, simply make up an address (such as [e-mail]). Then, go to mailinator.com and enter the email address you just made up to check its inbox. Much easier! :)

[victorj]

Wow, that was a very complicated way of doing it. You could just sign up for a free email account from any provider (gmail, yahoo, anywhere really) and then periodically check it -- maybe once every 2- 4 weeks. Or never, since it's all spam. All the setup and settings you've detailed would never have to be done. Easy.

[doreilly]

The problem with using a free webmail account simply for registration is that I use the account so infrequently that I'm likely to forget the password (and account name, for that matter). Sometimes you need to log into the account to retrieve a confirmation code to complete a sign-up. That's why I prefer to have mail from my throwaway account handy without requiring a separate login.--Dennis

[Yumfy]

What you are describing is the way us Internet old timers USED to protect our email. Now there is a VERY easy way to do what you are talking about. EnterTo.com gives you an unlimited number of alias email address all managed seamlessly. It's easy and it's free. It also takes care of the filter problem as well.
A couple weeks ago Lee Gomes in the Wall Street Journal wrote that he found out that 46 percent of the emails that his filter was stopping was email that he wanted. EnterTo does not have or need filters.

[Yumfy]

A better free service to use is EnterTo.com
All your alias email addresses go to the same place and there is no spam or filters which block emails that you wanted.

[Yumfy]

A better free service to use is EnterTo.com
All your alias email addresses go to the same place and there is no spam or filters which block emails that you wanted.

[petewalker]

You'd think we'd have a solution to all the spam garbage by now! Hard to believe we have to jump through so many hoops just to use email. CAN Spam, that was worthless! LOL I've had my same addresses for about 10 years and intend to keep them. Only thing that has given me back some sanity is using SpamBully for filtering.

[paul_grant_wis]

There is a site called soodonims.com that provides simple and flexible disposable addresses.
Emails can be setto expire or kept for ever. It can limit the quantity sent and by whom.
Best of all alias addresses can be created on the fly without telling the system in advance what you used.
Security is tight.
Easier to use than to explain.
Nice user interface...

[Smartdomainers]

Very nice advice. I would like to add one more thing.
when we register domain names, our email adress is also visualed and spamer can get them easily. To advoice this, I use private domain registration service (http://www.luckyregister.com/Private_domain_registration.htm). Our email will be replaced by registrar email.