Guides
- 8 Most Dangers Twitter Scams and How to Avoid Them
- Pretexting Attacks: Common Types and How to Deal with Them
- How Do Zelle Scams Work and Things to Look Out For
- What Is Business Email Compromise, How to Defend Against It?
- What is a Wellness Check?
- How To Get a Temporary Restraining Order?
- What Is Smishing Attack & How to Avoid It?
- Spam Emails: Types and Ways to Block Them
- Email Masking & Masked Email Addresses
- Spot a Fake QR Code & Avoid Getting Scammed
- Common NFT Scams to Look Out For & Ways to Avoid the Fake Ones
- What to Do If You Witness a Crime?
- What Is Skip Tracing and How Does It Work?
- Common Venmo Scams to Look Out For and How to Avoid Them
- Can You Get Child Custody If You Have a Criminal Record?
- Common Amazon Scams and Ways on How to Avoid Them
- How to Find Liens on a Property?
- Multiple Bankruptcies: How Often You Can File One?
- How to Adopt a Child in the US?
- I Lost My Birth Certificate. What Should I Do?
- Warning Signs of Job Scams and How to Protect Yourself
- What Is a Ban the Box Law?
- What is Expungement?
- How to Transfer Property After Death Without Will
- What Is a Police Blotter?
- How to Appeal a Parking Ticket
- What Is a Clean Driving Record?
- What is Title Washing?
- What is Extortion?
- How To Run a Motorcycle Title Search
- What Is a Digital Footprint?
- What is Anti Money Laundering (AML)?
- Guide on How to Get a Death Certificate
- What is the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)?
- What is Multi Factor Authentication?
- What is a Citizen's Arrest?
- How to Know that You’re in an Obsessive Relationship
- Guide to Online Survey Scams
- 13 Different Types of Police Officers
- Full Guide on Work-from-Home Scams
- Is Private Browsing Really Private?
- Different Types of Felony Classes & Charges
- What is Juice Jacking?
- What are Romance Scams?
- Traffic Offenses and Violations
- What is Doxing and How to Prevent it?
- What are Spam Text Messages
- The U.S. Death Penalty: History and Modern Usage
- A Guide to Different Types of Bankruptcies
- Common eBay Scams to be Aware of
- What Happens When You are Booked in Jail?
- What Information Can You Get From A License Plate
- Different Types of Assets
- 8 Tips to Help You Find Family Members
- Car History Guide, Benefits, Importance
- Am I Dating a Stalker?
- How to Find out if Your Partner is Cheating
- What Is A Packet Sniffing Attack
- Intellectual Property Law and Rights
- Cyberstalking And Its Dangers
- A Guide to Phishing Scams
- What is Organized Crime?
- I’ve Lost My Driver’s License: What Should I Do?
- Misdemeanor Charges: Types, Classes, and Penalties
- A Complete Guide On Catfishing
- Vanity Phone Numbers: A Complete Guide
- What Happens When You Get Arrested
- Guide to Find Information About a Person Online
- How To Find And Claim Unclaimed Money
- What Happens if You Violate Probation
- Guide on How to Remove a Mugshot from the Internet
- How to Stay Safe on Public WiFi
- How to Deal with an Outstanding Warrant
- Different Types of Car Insurance
- What Is Cyptojacking?
- What Is Email Security?
- What Is the Deep Web and What Can Be Found There?
- What Happens When You Declare Bankruptcy
- How Divorce Settlements are Calculated
- What are Common Methods of Social Engineering
- What is the Difference Between a General Lien and a Specific Lien?
- How to Detect Odometer Rollback
- Different Types of Probation
- Finding forgotten life insurance policies
- What is Bearer Bond and Why the US Banned it
- Everything you need to know about small claims court
- Moral Turpitude: Definition, Examples, and Much More!
- Misdemeanor vs Felony
- How To Read VIN Number
- How to Find Out Who Hacked Your Cell Phone
- How Long Does a Misdemeanor Stay On Your Criminal Record?
- The Paypal Phishing Scam You Should Care to Avoid
- License Plates Types: USA Guide
- Effects of Cyberbullying: Complete Guide for Parents
- What is the DPPA?
- Petty Theft: Definition and Consequences
- What is a Life Sentence?
- How to Find Out if Someone Has a Warrant?
- Marriage License vs Certificate: Everything You Need to Know
- The Ten Most Popular Celebrity Mugshots
- How to Find Out if Someone is Married?
- How to Stop Phone Spoofing?
- How To Avoid Probate
- Dealing with abandoned vehicles in your neighborhood
- How to Find Someone's Cell Phone Number by Their Name
- Who Are the Worst Drivers in America?
- How To Find Unclaimed Money From Deceased Relatives
- What is a Digital License Plate?
- How to Find out if Someone Died?
- Murder vs Manslaughter: The Differences and Definitions
- How to Hire a Private Investigator?
- What Is a Number Neighbor?
- How to Find Out if Someone was Arrested
- How to Find Someone's Birthday?
- What is a Car Title
- How to Obtain a Police Report and Court Records?
- Filing a false police report
- Prison Valley: Look inside Prison Town
- How to Get Custody of a Child Without Going to Court?
- How to Find Someone’s Social Media Profiles?
- What to Do if Your Phone Is Tapped?
- What Is a Deed in Real Estate?
- Where Was The First US Federal Penitentiary Established?
- How to Find Someone's Location Using Their Cell Phone Number?
- What Is a Restricted Call?
- Who is the Most Dangerous Prisoner in the World?
- Poshmark Scams: How to Prevent and Report Them
- How to Find a Missing Person?
- How to Send Money to a Federal Inmate?
- DUI vs DWI: What're The Differences
- How Long After Buying a Car Do You Need to Register it?
- How to Find out Where Someone Lives?
- What Happens If You Get Caught Driving a Car Without Interlock
- Situational Crime Prevention: Theory, Techniques and Examples
- How Can I Find Out Who Called Me for Free?
- Gun Free Zone Statistics and Facts
- Online Threats and Digital Security: Trends, Types and Most Common Examples
- Cold Cases: Best Practices For Police Officers and Investigators
- Court Order: Definition, Types and Examples
- What Does a Fingerprint Background Report Show?
- How to Check Your Criminal Record?
- What is Tort Law?
- How to Calculate Child Support
- Property Rights: Definition, and Characteristics
- 12 Common Reasons for Public Records Request
- What is Antitrust Law?
- Virginia Gun Confiscation Law
- How Do You Find Out Who Own a Property?
- Neighborhood Watch Program
- How to Perform a Mugshot Search?
- Crime Mapping
- Safest Colleges in Florida
- Veterans Guide to Cars and Driving
- U.S. Correctional System: Structure, Incarceration and Facts
- License Plate Laws in the US
- How to Locate Inmates and Access Jail Records?
- Email Hacking: Laws, Penalties and Protection
- Romeo and Juliet Laws
- Holiday Safety for Home and Family
- Differences between Criminal and Arrest Records
- Public Records and Property History: What is Public Information and What Isn’t
- How to Look up Immigration Inmates?
- Famous Prisons in the USA
- How to Find Out Who Owns a Vehicle Using Reverse Lookup Tools
- How to Search for Your Family Tree?
- The Federal Judicial Center
- Mass Incarceration in the USA
- What is COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act)?
- Data Safety After The Capital One Breach
- Scholarships Guide for Students
- Complete Guide to Student Safety
- What Is a Vehicle Identification Number?
- Determining Divorce: 5 Types of Divorce You Must Know
- Sex Offenders: Complete Guide to be Protected
- New Privacy Laws and Public Records
- Motor Vehicle Registration in the US
- Digital Token Age: Security Laws and Regulations
- Facial Recognition Technology and Legal Restrictions
- What Shows up in a Background Report
- Car Repossession Laws: Dealing with Car Dealers and Auto Fraud
- How to Protect Yourself from Phone Scams
- Human Rights in the Prison
- What are Business Competition Laws?
- What is a Hate Crime?
- Starting a Business and Business Licenses
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Guidance
- Criminal Justice Reform
- Tax Reform Impact and Changes To Know
- Self-Driving Cars: Laws and Regulations
- White-Collar Crime: Statistics and Facts
- Have You Been Arrested? Cases You'll Need a Lawyer
- How to Get a Driver's License in the US
- Car Theft in the US: Prevention and Facts
- Identity Theft Passport Program
- Changing your Name after Marriage: What You Need to Know
- Finding the Perfect Roommate: Dos and Donts
- What to Do in a Car Accident?
- Property Crimes: How to Burglar Proof Your Home
- Consumer Laws in the US: What Do They Mean for a Customer and a Business Owner
- Child Trafficking: The Scope, Understanding, and Prevention
- Business Assets: A Guide to the Financial Health of your Business
- Guide To The College Application: How, When and Where to Apply
- Which States Have “Stand Your Ground” Laws?
- Adolescent Depression Symptoms and Causes
- Things to Know About the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory System
- Inheritance in the US: With & Without a Will
- Online Dating Safety Guide for Men and Women
- Sexual Abuse in the U.S.: Laws and Statistics
- Supporting Children After Divorce: Child Custody Options
- Halloween Horrors Come to Life: Holidays Crimes in the U.S.
- Charity Scams in the U.S.: Be Aware and Protected
- Webcam Hacking & Spying in the US
- Sex Offender Search
- Freedom of Religion in the U.S.
- Senior Financial Scams: How are the Elderly Targeted and How to Avoid It
- Catcalling: Is it illegal? How to Deal With It
- A Complete Guide To Insurance Fraud: Common Types and Prevention
- Sextortion: What to Do if You Became a Victim of Blackmailing
- Concealed Carry: How to Protect Yourself on Campus
- Debt Collection Laws | Fair Debt Collection Act: What You Need To Know
- How Much Is My House Worth? Ultimate Guide to Home Buying and Selling
- What are the Traits of a Sociopath?
- Do You Know Who Your Neighbors Are?
- Learn How to Find Your Birth Parents
- The Importance of Public Records in Law
- Do You Know What's the Difference Between Jail and Prison?
- Homeowner’s Insurance, Is it a Public Record?
- The Disturbing Facts of Gun Violence in America
- How to Use Public Records in Marketing
- Best & Worst Cities for Driving
- LGBT Bullying
- What You Need to Know When Buying or Selling a Used Car?
- School Safety and Security Standards
- Making Your DMV Experience Fast And Easy
- How to Prepare For an Active Shooter Incident
- How to Report a Crime?
- How to Protect Yourself Against Cyber Attacks
- 50 Things to Know When Filing for Divorce
- What to Do When You Are Stopped By the Police
- Tips for Back-to-School Safety and Security
- Guide to Filing for Bankruptcy
- How to Appeal the Court's Decision
- A User's Guide to Warrants
- How to Fight a Traffic Ticket?
- Keeping Your Neighborhood Safe For Your Family
- A Parent's Guide to Keeping Your Child Drug-Free
Email Masking & Masked Email Addresses
Emails span our entire lives. They carry private conversations with family, friends, colleagues, and doctors. Account holders feel comfortable sharing over email because inboxes are protected by usernames, passwords, two-factor identification, and more.
However, even with these security measures, online communication always has privacy risks. The growing sophistication of email surveillance is part of the problem, as is the ever-increasing number of businesses asking for your information.
E-Commerce sites typically create special deals only available to their newsletter subscribers. Some sites don’t even let you interact with them if you don’t have an account set up. One way to access these deals without oversharing your address is through email masking.
What is Email Masking?
Email masking involves giving ‘dummy’ email addresses that all get forwarded to your primary inbox. This keeps your email address out of untrustworthy hands with lousy security or privacy policies.
Stolen emails are a big help for criminals carrying out cyber threats. With email masking, hacked businesses won’t lose your address in case of a data breach, nor can they sell it to outside marketers.
Let’s say you visit an online shoe store, and an offer pops up for 15 percent off your first order. All you have to do is give them your email and sign up for a newsletter. You want the offer but know nothing about this retailer and how it uses and protects your personal information.
You can feed the site a masked email address to hide your main account. Find an email masking service you like, such as Abine Blur, create an account, and make a custom email address. It can be anything from Discounted.Shoe.Today@gmail.com to X475AuMRvxF@hotmail.com.
Although you can craft custom handles, most services will auto-generate a randomized address through a browser extension.
You feed this generated email to the shoe retailer, and the discount code gets forwarded to your primary email. You don’t have to check dozens of fake emails; you can deactivate the account anytime.
When to Use a Masked Email
It’ll be wiser to use a masked email address more often than not. Most sites don’t need your email address to do their job and only want it so they can spam your inbox with deals. Or worse, to sell it to a third party.
As a rule, you should use a masked email with any website that isn’t vital to your life. Think online shopping, posting on forums, and other entertainment-leaning activities. These tasks don’t require frequent, long-term access to the email you provide the website; deactivating it down the line won’t hurt you.
One worry is that you’ll forget the various logins you’re using. There are two ways to address this concern:
- Use a set alias for your secondary emails
- Use a password manager feature
In the first option, you could always use the exact words or phrases as your address username. For example, you could use guitar.hero@recordsfinder.com each time you give out your address. This method reduces the things you must remember but is generally less safe.
In the second option, you’d automatically save all your login credentials in a secure place. Most internet browsers have this feature built-in, but third-party extensions are also available. Password managers use encryption protocols like AES as protection. These encryptions are too tricky for most hackers to break into and aren’t worth the expert’s time.
When Not to Use a Masked Email
Users should avoid using masked emails for critical financial, business, or government accounts. It’s best to create a direct link between your email and these aspects of your life, as you’ll probably need to stay in close contact with them.
Some sites can detect and block people creating accounts with a masked email. In these cases, you can opt for a premium account with your service or go the old fashion route of manually creating and managing a second email address.
How Email Masking Protects Against Common Threats
During COVID-19, phishing attacks became the favored strategy of modern cybercriminals. This is when fake emails are sent to large groups of people with a link that downloads malware or tricks them into giving away personal information. Email masking keeps these attacks out of your inbox by keeping your address out of dirty hands.
Employing email masking protects you against the following:
Identity Theft - For hackers and scammers, your email can be a gateway to the rest of your life. You’d be surprised how much people can learn from a single email lookup. Many websites use your email interchangeably with your username. This means savvy criminals only need to crack your password to access your finances, social media, or professional servers.
Data Breaches - Criminals are getting better and better at breaking into company databases. Despite this, businesses of all sizes still aren’t paying cybersecurity the attention they should. Yahoo lost the information of 3 billion users, and Target also lost card data for 40 million customers.
These are some of the largest enterprises in the world, and it’s been shown that most hackers prefer targeting small businesses. You never know hackers will target a site you visited once, years ago, and gave your email to. It’s best to keep your email out of their hands in the first place.
Disruptive Spam and Spear Phishing – Email spam ranges from a minor annoyance to a serious cybersecurity threat. Email masking keeps your inbox clean and makes it easier to locate essential emails when needed.
Most people don’t worry too much about phishing since the messages are written for mass appeal and, thus, easily identified. However, spear phishing emails are carefully crafted with an individual in mind. They use the names of family members or acquaintances to trick the recipient into a response. These are dangerous but still rely on stealing the victim’s email from another source.
Conclusion
Email masking is the same as hiring a go-between to protect your identity. The shady people you work with never know who you are and can’t trace the deals back to you.
However, keeping your email safe isn’t enough in today’s online landscape. Criminals use countless strategies to dig up your information, including investigating your social media and piecing together clues from your overall online activity.
RecordsFinder has various guides that can help you build the proper habits and keep your information secure.