Uncover the Secret: How Plus Addressing Reveals Who's Leaking Your Email
The Problem:
Imagine signing up for a new email address, only to find your inbox flooded with spam from unknown senders. It's a common frustration, and it's all thanks to email leaks and selling by online services.
The Solution: Plus Addressing
But there's a little-known trick that can help. Enter plus addressing, a feature that's been around since Gmail's launch in 2004. It's a simple yet powerful tool to track who's selling or leaking your email address.
How It Works:
Plus addressing works by adding an alias to your email address using the "+" symbol. For example, your email address becomes: youremailaddress+alias@gmail.com.
The key is the "+" symbol followed by a word that helps you track the source. Here's how it works:
- Buying a New Car: You could use: youremailaddress+carvanna@outlook.com
- New Social Media Account: Try: youremailaddress+bluesky@gmail.com
Benefits:
When you receive an email referencing this unique address, you instantly know where it came from. This empowers you to identify and potentially avoid online services that aren't handling your data responsibly.
Other Options:
While plus addressing is powerful, it's not the only solution.
- iCloud Mail: iCloud+ subscribers have the "Hide My Email" feature, which generates random addresses, offering more privacy. However, it's less trackable.
- iCloud Mail Aliases: Even without iCloud+, iCloud Mail allows up to 3 aliases per account, providing some control.
Challenges:
Keep in mind that not all online forms accept plus addressing, and some services might remove the alias. But it's still a valuable tool for those concerned about privacy.
Your Thoughts?
Have you used plus addressing? What are your thoughts on this privacy hack? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below!
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