As mentioned in last week’s blog post, email is one of the most widely used and convenient forms of communication in the modern world. However, it also comes with many risks and challenges for your privacy and security. For example:

  • Your email address can reveal your identity, location, and interests to third parties who may use it for marketing, tracking, or malicious purposes.
  • Your email provider may scan your emails for keywords, attachments, or links and use them to target you with ads, sell your data, or cooperate with government agencies.
  • Your email account may be hacked, compromised, or exposed in a data breach, resulting in the loss of your personal or sensitive information or the impersonation of your identity.

You may have already taken steps to protect your email privacy, such as using a secure email service that respects your privacy, encrypting your emails, setting expiration dates on your messages, and using two-factor authentication. However, email forwarding services are another simple and effective way to enhance your email privacy.

What are email forwarding services?

Email forwarding services are online platforms that allow you to create alternative email addresses that forward messages to your main email address, keeping your primary address hidden from the sender and the recipient. For example, if your primary email address is john@proton.me, you can create an alias such as john@33mail.com to sign up for newsletters, online accounts, or other services. Any email sent to john@33mail.com will automatically be forwarded to john@proton.me without revealing your email address.

Email forwarding services offer many benefits for your email privacy, such as:

  • You can avoid spam, phishing, and malware by creating disposable email addresses that you can delete or block anytime.
  • You can prevent tracking and profiling by using different email addresses or websites for various purposes, making it harder for third parties to link your online activities.
  • You can control your inbox by filtering, sorting, or labeling your forwarded emails according to the sender, the subject, or the content.
  • You can reduce the risk of data breaches by limiting the exposure of your primary email address, which may be linked to your other personal or financial information.

What are the most popular email forwarding services?

Many email forwarding services are available online, but not all are equally reliable, secure, or private. Some may have poor performance, limited features, or questionable privacy policies. Therefore, choosing an email forwarding service that meets your needs and expectations is essential. Here are some of the more popular email forwarding services for 2024:

  • 33mail: This free, open-source, and encrypted email forwarding service allows you to create unlimited private email addresses that forward messages to your primary email account without revealing your real identity or email address. By using 33mail, you can protect your primary email address from spam, phishing, and hacking, control your email subscriptions and preferences, and enhance your email encryption and security.
  • Forward Email: This free, encrypted, open-source email forwarding service does not store any logs or emails. It offers unlimited custom domain names, email addresses, aliases, phishing, executable, and virus protection. It also supports catch-all email addresses and multiple recipients per email address. You can also opt for a paid plan offering enhanced privacy protection and customization options.
  • SimpleLogin: This secure and easy-to-use email forwarding service lets you create unlimited email aliases that forward to your inbox. It also offers encryption, custom domains, browser extensions, and mobile apps. You can use it for free with some restrictions or subscribe to a premium plan that provides more benefits and support.

Email forwarding services are a great way to enhance your email privacy and security, as they allow you to hide your actual email address and use alternative email addresses that are forwarded to your inbox. By using email forwarding services, you can avoid spam, phishing, malware, tracking, profiling, and data breaches and have more control over your inbox.