Protect assets and recovery access first
Keep banks, payment services, government, healthcare, and your primary email on stable addresses. Enable strong authentication and update recovery options. The goal here isn't hiding—it’s recoverability.
Six-Point Email Exposure Audit
Find where your everyday email is exposed, then decide what to route first
Spam rarely comes from one registration. More often, the same address has been shared across different relationships for years. Check what actually applies to you to identify your risk areas, then plan a migration order that won't disrupt important accounts.
Don't migrate every account at once
Tighten controls by impact
Separate ongoing but replaceable relationships next
Use separate forwarding identities for shopping, subscriptions, communities, and software notifications. If one source gets out of control, pause only that identity without affecting other messages.
Handle one-time contacts last
Use temporary addresses for downloads, short trials, and one-time confirmations. Delete them when the task is complete, so they don't create cleanup work later.
Putting your audit into practice
Create a source-and-action table
| Source category | Must it continue? | Destination address | End action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical accounts | Yes | Stable everyday email | Review recovery and authentication regularly |
| Stores and subscriptions | As needed | Dedicated forwarding identity | Unsubscribe, then monitor and pause |
| Communities and events | For a limited period | Separate identity for each relationship | Delete after the event ends |
| Downloads and trials | No | Temporary address | Delete once confirmed complete |
This self-audit helps organize your email exposure. It does not check for data breaches or certify your security. If you suspect your primary email has been compromised, start with your email provider's security settings immediately.