Whenever you register for a website, you usually have to provide an email for your account. The email is used to help verify that the owner of it actually wants to register on the site, and that you are a real person. Unfortunately, some sites sell user information, which can create spam in your inbox from companies you've never visited online.
To combat these unwanted messages you can use a service like MaskMe, which creates disposable email addresses on the fly. You'll be able to toggle forwarding abilities to your real email, while still protecting your info from being sold to the highest bidder.
MaskMe works as a Chrome extension that will fill in a disposable email, or even your real one when you need it. Let's get started:
Setup
Step 1: Install a copy of MaskMe from the Chrome Web Store.
The extension should launch itself in a new tab to complete the setup process. If it doesn't, just click the icon in your Chrome toolbar. After the demo, you'll see two plans you can sign up for with MaskMe. For this tutorial, we're just working with email, so...
Step 2: Click the link at the bottom of the page that says: "No thanks, just emails for me."
Step 3: When the menu loads, click Masked Emails, and then click on the "set up free forwarding" link.
Step 4: Provide your primary email address that you want disposable email addresses forwarding to.
After your email is provided, you'll see the Preferences area load.
Step 5: Under Website Forms, uncheck the boxes next to the services you're not using from MaskMe -- like credit cards, phones, and passwords. Remember to click Save at the bottom.
Registering on a website
When returning to a website where you used a disposable email, MaskMe will remember which one was used, making it easy to log in. You will need to remember your password, unless you are using MaskMe to manage those as well.
When the registration form loads on a website, click the email field. MaskMe will display a pop-up that lets you choose from a disposable email or your real email.
When returning to a website where you used a disposable email, MaskMe will remember which one was used, making it easy to log in. You will need to remember your password, unless you are using MaskMe to manage those as well.
Toggling email forwarding
Since MaskMe keeps track of where you use disposable email addresses, you can easily toggle their forwarding ability through the extension. Click the extension icon in the toolbar, then Masked Emails.
Click the green Forwarding button next to an email you want to toggle and it will change to Blocked. You can also delete the email at any time with the small trash can to the right.
For more information on MaskMe, and all of its capabilities, check out "MaskMe guards your privacy like a vigilant angel" by CNET's Seth Rosenblatt.