Keep spam out of your real inbox

17 August 2026

Spam is usually a list problem, not a filter problem. Once a real address is in a database, it can be sold, leaked, or “shared with partners”. A good spam folder helps. Not giving the address away helps more.

Use a temporary inbox when the other party only needs to prove you can receive one message. 10minemail is built for that: a professional-looking address, a live view, a timer. When the timer ends, that address cannot keep collecting newsletters.

For accounts you will keep, use a real mailbox and extra habits:

• Do not tick “send me offers” unless you want them.
• Use a unique password so one leak does not open everything.
• Turn on two-factor authentication where it is available.
• Use plus-aliases (see plus addressing) if your provider supports them, so you can see which site leaked a list.
• Unsubscribe from mail you opened on purpose; ignore obvious scams rather than “clicking to opt out”.

Temporary mail does not replace those habits. It is the tool for the signup you already regret. It will not hide you from a company after you have given them a permanent address.

If a site will not accept a disposable address, that is often a sign they want a long-term channel. Decide whether the service is worth your real inbox. Open the 10-minute inbox when it is not.