Bless Those Fight SPAM, New Free Anti-SPAM Service Launched

DigitalCrowd has launched a new service for Mac and Windows users called ExpireIt. ExpireIt is designed to help people fight SPAM by providing temporary and randomly generated e-mail accounts. In theory, one would use these accounts for signing up for online services, subscriptions, etc. where a legit working e-mail account is needed to get oneis confirmation number. Once you get that confirmation, you terminate the account, and voilà, no SPAM. According to the company:

DigitalCrowd today launches ExpireIt, a new service that focuses on preventing unwanted e-mail.

The ExpireIt client is available for Windows and Macintosh computing platforms and allows a quick and easy way to generate expiring addresses and manage those addresses directly from a desktop application. A web interface is also available for users who are away from their base computer.

We took out all the useless information in the companyis press release and dug around in their Web site to get a straighter explanation on how the system works. From that page, which includes a lot more helpful information:

Every time you are required for one reason or another to enter a valid e-mail address, just right click on your task bar or control strip and click on "Generate Address". The software will contact our server and issue out a randomly generated address. As soon as you find one you like, save it. The new randomly generated address will be active in seconds. Simply cut and paste that address into the online form or field requiring your address and submit. Youire done.

E-mails sent to randomly generated addresses are delivered directly to your primary mail account. No need to ever check another mail account again for a verification password, order confirmation, or follow-up e-mails from messageboard posts, etc. Since ExpireItis addresses are disposable and expirable, once you get your confirmation e-mail, simply go into the ExpireIt application and expire the address. Within seconds of expiring, the address will no longer be valid, any e-mails sent to that address will bounce back, and you never have to deal with them again.

ExpireIt is a free service for up to 5 expiring addresses. You can either buy additional addresses as you go, or subscribe to the service for US$24.95 per month for unlimited addresses.