Last verified: September 2026
You opted out of the people-search sites. Your home address stopped appearing in search results. And then the spam kept coming anyway.
Here's why: removal cleans up the past, but every signup form and checkout page you complete today re-seeds the databases you just escaped. Brokers don't only scrape public records — they buy and trade lists from retailers, apps, and sweepstakes. The contact details you hand out at checkout are tomorrow's broker listing.
That's the case for aliasing. Here's what aliases and masked numbers do, which tools are worth paying for, and how aliasing complements — never replaces — removal.
What email aliasing is (and isn't)
An email alias is a forwarding address. You give store-deals-7f2@aliasdomain.com to a retailer; mail lands in your real inbox; the retailer never learns your real address. If the alias starts receiving spam or shows up in a breach, you kill it — your real address was never exposed.
What aliasing is not: encryption, anonymity from the provider, or removal of data already in broker databases. Aliasing is prevention; removal is the cure. You need both.
The best email alias services, compared
| Tool | Free tier | Paid | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleLogin | 10 aliases | ~$36/yr ($4/mo); included with Proton Unlimited | Most people — open source, reply-via-alias, PGP, custom domains | Now owned by Proton; standalone users tied to that ecosystem |
| Apple Hide My Email | — | iCloud+ from $0.99/mo | iPhone/Mac users; built into Safari signups | Apple-only, no custom names or domains; aliases die if your subscription lapses |
| Firefox Relay | 50 email masks (raised from 5 in May 2026) | ~$0.99/mo ($12/yr) unlimited; ~$3.99/mo adds phone masking | Firefox users; tracker-stripping is a nice bonus | No PGP; one custom subdomain |
| addy.io | Unlimited standard aliases | Lite $12/yr, Pro $36/yr | Tinkerers — open source, self-hostable, cheapest custom domains anywhere | Bandwidth-metered free tier; replying from an alias requires a paid plan |
| DuckDuckGo Email Protection | Unlimited @duck.com aliases, free | — | Zero-cost tracker stripping | Closed source, no custom domains, no paid tier |
Start with the free tier of whatever matches your browser or phone. The key habit costs nothing: never type your real address into a form again.
Masked phone numbers: your options in 2026
Phone masking costs more — real numbers cost money to provision — but it fixes the robocall flood that follows broker exposure. (For takedowns, see removing your phone number from the internet.)
| Tool | Price | What you get | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefox Relay phone masking | ~$3.99/mo (US/Canada) | One masked number, call/SMS forwarding | Cheapest branded phone mask; bundle with email masks |
| MySudo | $1.99–$14.99/mo | Up to 9 compartmentalized identities, each with its own VoIP number, inbox, and browser | Pseudonymous signup (no real number required); some banks reject its VoIP ranges for 2FA |
| Burner | $59.99/yr; Premium $89.99/yr | Second number with unlimited calls/texts | Premium tier now bundles personal-info removal — aliasing and removal are converging |
| Cloaked | $119.99/yr | Unlimited masked numbers + email aliases, plus a removal bundle, VPN, and ID-theft insurance | Full identity bundle; priced accordingly |
The free DIY route is Google Voice, but it's a hack: activation needs an existing US number, and VoIP numbers are commonly rejected for bank and big-tech verification.
Masked cards complete the triangle at checkout. The main consumer option, IronVest ($39/yr Plus, $99/yr Ultimate), currently lists masked cards as "temporarily unavailable" on its pricing page — verify before signing up for that feature.
When aliasing beats removal — and when it doesn't
Aliasing beats removal for:
- Forward-looking protection. A broker can't list what it never receives. Every alias is a database entry that never gets created under your real identity.
- Diagnosis. When spam arrives at an alias, you know which company leaked it.
- Instant control. Killing an alias takes seconds; a broker opt-out takes days or weeks.
Removal beats aliasing for:
- Everything already out there. Your address, phone number, and relatives' names in existing broker databases won't vanish because you got a new alias. That's what broker-by-broker opt-outs are for.
- Records sourced from public data. Property records, voter files, and court records feed brokers regardless of what email you use.
And removal is never one-and-done — that's why profiles come back after an opt-out. Aliasing slows the re-seeding; recurring re-checks catch what slips through.
The complete loop: alias + remove + verify
Think of privacy hygiene as a closed loop:
- Scan — find where you're already exposed.
- Remove — file opt-outs, starting with high-visibility sites like Spokeo and Whitepages.
- Verify — a request is not a removal. Keep proof: confirmation emails, timestamps, re-check evidence that the listing is gone.
- Protect — aliases and masked numbers for every new signup, so step 1 stays quiet next year.
Most tools cover one leg of the loop. DeleteMe bundles email masking (plus a phone-masking add-on) with removal; Burner now bundles removal with its masked numbers. At MyPrivacyAgent, Patrol ($19.99/mo) already covers steps 1–3 — agent-filed opt-outs, per-listing proof of takedown, and monthly re-checks that flag listings that come back so they can be re-filed. Aliasing is the fourth leg, and it's a job for the dedicated tools above — MyPrivacyAgent doesn't build or bundle an aliasing product; pair one of them with Patrol for one loop covering both directions.
Until then, pair a free alias tool from the tables above with a free exposure scan — no card required — to see which brokers already hold your data. Comparing removal services? See our best data removal services roundup; California residents should check the DELETE Act / DROP guide.
FAQ
Is an email alias the same as a second email account?
No. A second account is another inbox to check and secure. An alias forwards to your existing inbox and can be deleted without touching the account behind it.
Does Apple Hide My Email work outside Apple devices?
Only partially. Aliases forward anywhere, but creating new ones is tied to iCloud+, Safari, and Sign in with Apple — and forwarding stops if your subscription lapses. Cross-platform users should pick SimpleLogin or addy.io.
Will a masked phone number work for bank two-factor authentication?
Often not — banks and large platforms frequently reject VoIP numbers. Keep your real number for financial accounts; mask it for retailers and apps. Our SIM-swap prevention guide covers locking down the real number.
If I use aliases everywhere, do I still need data removal?
Yes. Aliasing blocks new data collection; it does nothing about existing listings — addresses from property records, old phone numbers, relatives' profiles. Removal plus re-checks handles existing exposure; aliasing keeps it from regrowing.
Can spammers trace an alias back to my real email?
Not from the alias itself. But replying from your real address instead of via the service's reverse-alias feature exposes you. SimpleLogin and Firefox Relay Premium support alias replies; addy.io makes it a paid feature.
Why did my spam increase right after I opted out of broker sites?
Some brokers email you during verification — check spam for confirmations you still need to click — and unrelated spam waves can coincide by chance. If a broker demanded excessive details to process your opt-out, that's a red flag; our identity verification guide covers what to share and refuse.
Find the leak. Scrub the link. Then stop handing out new ones. Start with a free exposure scan at MyPrivacyAgent, and browse all 47 free broker opt-out guides.