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Old 04-11-2019, 11:35 AM   #21
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You may not send anything sensitive, but someone may send something to you. I made a prepaid shuttle reservation in a distant (still U.S.) city. Their reply included all my info, including full CC name, number, date, and the CVV number! Can't get more clueless than that (except trusting them in the first place).

Yes, your own domain is not in itself safer during transmission than Gmail, though there are email servers that are particularly security sensitive. However at least Google won't be looking over your shoulder.
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Old 04-11-2019, 11:41 AM   #22
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Originally Posted by OldShooter View Post
We never send "sensitive financial things" via standard email. Unencrypted emails can be grabbed, saved, and read by anyone with legal or illegal access to the multiple servers that any email travels through. Your endpoint ISP is probably the least of your worries.

If you want to see, open a command prompt and type: "tracert mail.google.com" without the quotes. This should give you a trace of the message path from your computer to google mail. I just did it and saw six stops between the point where my message first hit my ISP and its final point at Google.

(I'm not sure tracert is enabled by default on all computers, but you can at least try it.)
Interesting command; I did that and counted 12 stops.
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Old 04-11-2019, 11:43 AM   #23
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my ISP is a regional company...When we move, we will no longer have access to their e-mail and will most likely end up with, say Comcast, or something
Why?
Your email provider can be anywhere on the planet.
Off planet is a bit trickier.
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Old 04-11-2019, 11:51 AM   #24
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Get your own domain name!
This is not rocket science people.
What exactly is the purpose of your "own" domain name that people keep bringing up? Several users have already illustrated that is not by any means more "secure" than say Gmail. Is it to simply have a "permanent" email address?

I will also throw this out there.... suppose there is information in your email account that someone would like, for legal reasons. Say, a divorce. Well, when it comes time for the lawyers to fight over the information, the Google folks have a lot more attorneys in the fight than a "regional ISP" would have. It's not that the duty to protect your information is any less at the smaller ISP, it is just that Google is a powerhouse and this can also be a benefit for you.

Last thing. I keep a LOT of personal information stuff on Google servers. Been doing it for YEARS. And while I understand that I am taking a risk on this information being out there, I also know that Google's security is pretty good. Probably a LOT better than stuff on my hard drive that is connected to the web. I also haven't had anything swiped off of Google (to my knowledge), so I think they are doing something right.

Also, if you think that Google is the only one mining your information...
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Old 04-11-2019, 11:51 AM   #25
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Have you asked your ISP if there is a way to keep your email address? After I left mine (moved), I still received emails sent to my old address. I wouldn’t think it would cost them anything to keep your email live. Maybe they’ll allow you to keep it for a very small fee.
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Old 04-11-2019, 11:59 AM   #26
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IMO a huge service provider like Google already knows too much, so I don't care to share my email with them too. Even if the email content is encrypted much is revealed by its meta data. Since info is exposed by online activity, I'd rather it divided amongst various service providers such that the data is not all in the hands of one.

Regarding a "trusted service provider" you have to decide what attributes qualify for your trust. I judge that by a provder's website, their apparent size (IMO non-huge is better), how long they've been around, etc.
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Old 04-11-2019, 12:19 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by ExFlyBoy5 View Post
What exactly is the purpose of your "own" domain name that people keep bringing up? Several users have already illustrated that is not by any means more "secure" than say Gmail. Is it to simply have a "permanent" email address?
Exactly. So let's call my domain CosmicAvenger.com, I can use any email address at that domain, like The@CosmicAvenger.com. But I forward my domain mail to Gmail, because as I said, their storage and search functions are the best I've seen. And your points about Google's infrastructure are exactly what I was trying to say earlier. I don't think anyone actually gets bank statements via email, right? I generally don't even click on my bank's emails even when I'm expecting them, or on the rare occasion they send me a link to something that I asked them about, sometimes I'll go log into my bank's site THEN click on the link. If it's a valid link, I won't need to log in again, as I already have a session opened. If it's a scam, it'll ask me to log in again.
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Old 04-11-2019, 01:16 PM   #28
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1. Nothing is private. The NSA hoovers up everything.
2. Having your own domain means never having to change your email address.
3. Use a POP account and your emails will not remain on the server.
4. Don't save sensitive info in emails if you are paranoid. Save that info in encrypted form on your PC.
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Old 04-11-2019, 04:15 PM   #29
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Gmail. I got tired of having to spend literally hours changing email addresses everywhere when our ISP got merged/bought out 3 or 4 times. Not having to go through that again is priceless.
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Old 04-11-2019, 04:22 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by gwraigty View Post
Gmail. I got tired of having to spend literally hours changing email addresses everywhere when our ISP got merged/bought out 3 or 4 times. Not having to go through that again is priceless.

There aren’t enough plus signs on the planet to apply to/agree with this. It can take forever to complete the switch.

I use Gmail accounts (3 of them for distinct purposes) now and Yahoo! for questionable places like early-retirement (kidding but true).
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Old 04-11-2019, 05:36 PM   #31
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Thanks for all of the replies! It seems I have a lot to learn and to research.

I guess what I consider sensitive, you all don't, so I'm relieved there. I never email financial statements, bank account numbers, SS numbers, etc.

I was more referring to the mere fact that, say if I use gmail, that they'll know I have an account at Schwab, Vanguard, XYZ bank, and what CCs I have when they send me the notices of transactions/available statements/bills paid.

...
If somebody knows I have a Vanguard account, what good does it do them? Vanguard has millions of customers. I'm just one of them. True, they can see that a transaction was for XXXX dollars when VG notifies me of such. That is good for me to see in case someone has hacked the VG account. So they maybe can tell how big a fish I am from that transaction email. But my house is on Zillow and they could easily infer I am not a pauper. The bad guys still need account numbers, passwords, etc. etc.

I guess the best thing I can think to do is to not have too much email left after reading it. So delete notices and maybe even go into the trash and delete it so it doesn't sit for 30 days. I use gmail too but don't do the early trash removal.

I don't get any of this stuff in the US mail except a few things like utilities. All the financial stuff goes to the gmail account.
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Old 04-13-2019, 07:29 PM   #32
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Why?
Your email provider can be anywhere on the planet.
Off planet is a bit trickier.
The e-mail I'd love to keep is with the ISP who is regional and doesn't serve the area we will be moving to.

Say we have internet with (fictional) Midwestern Cable and our email address is myname@midwesterncable (dot) net and we move to the southeast, outside of Midwestern Cable's service area. We lose that e-mail when we cancel the account.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerry1 View Post
Have you asked your ISP if there is a way to keep your email address? After I left mine (moved), I still received emails sent to my old address. I wouldn’t think it would cost them anything to keep your email live. Maybe they’ll allow you to keep it for a very small fee.

I have not but it's something I've made a note to ask about when we finally call to cancel service. I don't want to do it now because every time I talk to them, they mess something up on the bill.

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Originally Posted by GrayHare View Post
IMO a huge service provider like Google already knows too much, so I don't care to share my email with them too. Even if the email content is encrypted much is revealed by its meta data. Since info is exposed by online activity, I'd rather it divided amongst various service providers such that the data is not all in the hands of one.

Regarding a "trusted service provider" you have to decide what attributes qualify for your trust. I judge that by a provder's website, their apparent size (IMO non-huge is better), how long they've been around, etc.
I agree about Google. Why make it easier for them to fill their files on me?

I've made a note of the trusted provider tips. Thanks.


Quote:
Originally Posted by davebarnes View Post
1. Nothing is private. The NSA hoovers up everything.
2. Having your own domain means never having to change your email address.
3. Use a POP account and your emails will not remain on the server.
4. Don't save sensitive info in emails if you are paranoid. Save that info in encrypted form on your PC.

#1 doesn't bother me, actually. It probably should, but it doesn't.
#2 it sounds very appealing just from a coolness factor, if for no other reason
#3 I think our ISP is POP, come to think of it (this is more DH's area than mine)
#4 I don't save sensitive stuff such as those aforementioned notices of statements being ready, etc. I don't know if I'd say that I'm paranoid, though, just more like really ticked about all this data mining and hacking.

Thanks for the ideas.

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Originally Posted by Lsbcal View Post
If somebody knows I have a Vanguard account, what good does it do them? Vanguard has millions of customers. I'm just one of them. True, they can see that a transaction was for XXXX dollars when VG notifies me of such. That is good for me to see in case someone has hacked the VG account. So they maybe can tell how big a fish I am from that transaction email. But my house is on Zillow and they could easily infer I am not a pauper. The bad guys still need account numbers, passwords, etc. etc.

I guess the best thing I can think to do is to not have too much email left after reading it. So delete notices and maybe even go into the trash and delete it so it doesn't sit for 30 days. I use gmail too but don't do the early trash removal.

I don't get any of this stuff in the US mail except a few things like utilities. All the financial stuff goes to the gmail account.
I guess I was just thinking more of these metadata files and hackers having a complete file on me for nefarious purposes. "Them" knowing where I may have money and who I bank with is creepy, whether "them" is Google, Facebook, Yahoo, or some hacker getting a huge file of financial websites to try hacking passwords.

We only get junk mail in the mailbox these days, so that's taken care of and I purge files in case of hacking my accounts, so I guess that's the best I can do, eh?



My take away from all of your posts and tips is that I'm overly cautious about this, that I'm already doing what is sensible, and that I should take a chill pill. DH will be thrilled.

Thank you everyone!!
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Old 04-13-2019, 10:40 PM   #33
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Gmail. I got tired of having to spend literally hours changing email addresses everywhere when our ISP got merged/bought out 3 or 4 times. Not having to go through that again is priceless.
Having my own domain means I never have to change my email address and notify everyone about my new email. I also don't have to worry that google will one day stop gmail like they have done for other free services they run.
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Old 04-14-2019, 08:57 AM   #34
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Originally Posted by Animorph View Post
Their reply included all my info, including full CC name, number, date, and the CVV number! Can't get more clueless than that (except trusting them in the first place)...
When I pay by CC, I always send the CVV under separate cover without identification. Then the clueless recipient confirms my charge with all the info in an email, even if I call them to provide the CVV!

So I resign myself to checking for fraudulent TX on the CC account. So far so good. All my financial statements that come by email (from smaller providers) come by password protected PDF. The others just alert me to sign on.
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Old 04-14-2019, 09:53 AM   #35
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When I pay by CC, I always send the CVV under separate cover without identification. Then the clueless recipient confirms my charge with all the info in an email, even if I call them to provide the CVV!
A couple of my CCs will provide a temporary fake CC number for such transactions but this seldom comes up for me and I have never bothered to try it
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Old 04-14-2019, 10:18 AM   #36
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The e-mail I'd love to keep is with the ISP who is regional and doesn't serve the area we will be moving to. ...
Well, if they don't want to keep selling you email service that is their choice. There is no technical reason to prevent it. My email and private domain are handled by an ISP that I have not used as an ISP for quite a while. They are happy to get their ten bucks a month plus annual domain name maintenance fee.

Sending and receiving email is a simple matter of contacting an SMTP mail server where you have an account and a password. It can be anywhere in the internet. As @davebarnes points out, though, using an off-planet SMTP server is somewhat problematic. How far are you moving?
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Old 04-14-2019, 10:18 AM   #37
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I've used gmail from when gmail users were invitation only. I use 2nd level verification to protect against the account being hacked.

I don't believe that any financial account information is ever passed by email to me or from me. Banks, brokerages, utility companies etc never send me statements via email, just a notice that a statement is now ready and can be viewed and/or downloaded from their secure site.
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Old 04-14-2019, 10:52 AM   #38
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