Privacy @lemmy.ml miau @lemmy.sdf.org 6 mo. ago

is forwardemail a scam?

So I have recently found out about forward email just a few months ago.

I am currently using tuta as my email provider, and I have been doing so for the last three years. But I am not very happy with the closed ecosystem and locking of basic features behind paywalls.

So I decided to give forwardemail a go after reading about it on free software foundation's webmail systems (this is a web archive link, more on that later)

Now the thing is, the service works. But things don't really feel legit. They claim to have thousands of users but there's surprisingly little information about them other than their own website. The branding seems completely generic and pretty much all of their code seems to be coming from one single account with no real information.

There's a couple reviews about them on trust pilot but the positive ones mostly come from accounts where the only review is for forwardmail.net

I've read some discussion about them getting recommended on privacy guides, they sounded very professional and mentioned even wanting to get auditioned, but to the best of my knowledge that has not happened yet (please correct me if I am wrong). Worse than that they seemed to stop replying to the thread a couple months ago.

Finally, I realized today that FSF has removed their recommendation for forwardemail from their website

In conclusion, I have tested and the service does work, but I can't tell if there is something shady happening. What do you all think?

13 comments

If you want privacy, sadly, you will have to pay. I am currently using Proton Pass (special offer 1$ monthly), you get a good password manager, plus unlimited email aliases.

Proton is also known to be one of the best Email Providers based on good privacy.
- I'm with you on that one. Currently paying for tuta (1$) and addy (1$) and forwardemail (3$). Forwardemail is actually more expensive
  
  But neither proton nor tuta support IMAP, SMTP, at least not without the bridge thing.
  
  -deleted-
- I am currently using Proton Pass (special offer 1$ monthly)
  
  LOL, aren't there other, better FOSS password managers for free, like KeePassXC? paying for password manager is kinda ridiculous when there are better free options
  
  I mostly pay for the unlimited email alias, the password manager is free by itself.
  
  I was using Bitwarden before, but the unlimited email alias sold me on Proton Pass, and 1$ monthly is nothing for not getting spam anymore.
- special offer 1$ monthly
  
  How does one get such an offer?
  
  It is the offer if you subscribed in the first month they launched Proton Pass.
I use forwardemail for my emailing routing for about 2 years now. They are solid provider and I would recommend them as they are also open source so you could learn to review the code if you so desired.
- That's awesome, glad to hear you are having a good experience with them! Do you mind if I ask wether you're using them for personal or professional uses? Have ever needed to use their support?

You've viewed 13 comments.