06/28/2025
Third Saturday Tip! Safe Shopping Edition:
Use “+” email addresses to sign up for new accounts.
These days, data is as valuable as gold. Unfortunately, you never know who sells your data to whom.
Data brokers buy and sell our data all the time. Worse, they’re not required to keep it secure. Most of the “data breaches” you hear about come from brokers.
One way to help protect yourself is with + email addresses.
For example, let's say Jane Doe ([email protected]) uses her email address to create a new account and order dinner from Pizza Shack’s website.
The next day, Jane’s inbox is flooded with emails trying to sell her products she never wanted from companies she never heard of. How does this happen? Somebody sold Jane’s data.
This is where +email addresses come in handy. They’re free, easy to use, and help keep your inbox organized.
You’ll still receive mail sent to that address in your usual mail inbox ([email protected]). But, adding “+pizzashack” creates a custom alias that helps you identify and filter emails that originated with the Pizza Shack website.
Next time you put your email address into a new website, add a +, and the site you are visiting, +Walmart, +Kroger, etc.) Adding this to your email will help you track where the mail is coming from. You will know who sold your data, allowing you to opt out of further emails.
