Updated on April 6, reporting a new surge in Gmail spam and warning that this may be related to a new update from Google, putting users at risk.
here we go again. Google’s decision to allow Gmail users to change their original email addresses to be less awkward or more age-appropriate has sparked new uproar. But this long-awaited update won’t solve anyone’s email problems. To make matters worse, Gmail’s 2 billion users now all need new email addresses.
The option to change your Gmail address is not new. But its popularity is higher yes new. The U.S. launch raised eyebrows, not least because Google’s CEO led the PR campaign. “2004 was a great year, but your Gmail address doesn’t need to be trapped in it,” Sundar Pichai posted. “Say goodbye to v0t3f0rp3dr02004@gmail.com or mrbrightside416@gmail.com.” Now you can “go to your Google Account settings and choose any available name,” but your old username will still work.
If the core goal is to move beyond traditional names and get Millennials to ditch their school and college email addresses in favor of something more suitable for people with jobs and families, then it’s enough. But that’s not really the problem with email—the Gmail platform or any other platform. The question is no Fixed.
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Anyone who has an email address from 2004 can be sure that it is now listed in countless databases used by countless marketers and scammers every day. But that’s also true if your email address only goes back to 2014, or even 2024 (here’s the kicker). Once you start using a new address, it’s game over.
“Email addresses used to be permanent, but now it can finally be edited like a username, which is a huge shift in how identity is recognized online,” said Jake Moore of ESET. “But until Google creates a ‘Hide My Email’ equivalent to what Apple offers, users would be better off creating a separate email address for multiple logins.”
For those completely unfamiliar with the Apple ecosystem, Hide My Email enables users to create a one-time address for a new login or checkout. These email addresses can be deleted at any time, which means your real address is not stored on these lists and cannot be corrected once this occurs.
“With Hide My Email, you can generate a unique, random email address that is automatically forwarded to your personal inbox, so you can keep your personal email address private,” Apple explains. “You can change the email addresses that receive forwarded messages at any time. Or you can choose to turn off email forwarding to stop receiving messages. You can manage addresses created with Hide My Email in Settings on your iPhone, iPad, or iCloud.com.”
That’s all it takes. Embarrassing names aside, there’s no point in changing your email address if you can’t use it as an opportunity to declutter your inbox and stop giving away your primary email address to pretty much anyone who asks. You wouldn’t do this with your phone number—and for good reason.
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Another issue Gmail users face is that after using Gmail’s new address change option, “the old address will still be used as an alias,” Moore warned. “This sounds helpful, but may increase impersonation and phishing attacks.”
Google does have a “Hide my email” option under development, although this has been available for a while and there’s no sign of general availability. Some game users can create agents using their Gmail addresses, but this doesn’t have any user management on any platform or operating system, so it doesn’t serve as a real-world alternative.
Google missed a trick. It would be a remarkable move if it introduced the option to change my Gmail address while hiding my email product. The new address can be protected, solving all problems immediately. This is a significant opportunity, so Gmail’s 2 billion users remain at risk.
In the meantime, if you plan to change your Gmail address, there are two risks you need to be aware of. First, you fall victim to a phishing email that uses U.S. News as bait to trick users into clicking on a malicious link that supposedly leads to a new setup. Instead, these links lead to fake login pages designed to steal Google account credentials. These attacks have been seen in other markets where Gmail name-changing functionality has been released, and now they’re set to hit the United States as well.
Second, the Google forum on Reddit has reported a surge in spam in inboxes (1,2,3). This could be a coincidence, but researchers warn it could be a result of the rename option going live – allowing attackers to refresh.
According to Security Boulevard, “As of March 31, Google is allowing users to change their primary Gmail address username. While this is a great feature for those who originally created the unfortunate name, it can also break spam and phishing blocking.”
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The security site warns, “Most email providers use email addresses to block end users and don’t dig deeper. So renaming an account is like starting over, and malicious emails that make it past the bulk filter may make their way into the inbox until blocked again.”
In that respect, it’s a double whammy. Even if you add a new address, unwanted email can still be sent to your old Gmail address, and attackers can change their own addresses, potentially compromising your long-term protection.
Finally, a note of caution to Apple users reading this article who have benefited from the protection provided by Hide My Email. Anonymity has limits. While it protects you from scammers, phishers, and spammers, it also no Protects you from law enforcement officers. If requested, Apple can provide the real email address behind the temporary email address. You have been warned.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
