We’ve all seen it — you finish browsing on one app, then see an ad selling something you’ve just looked at. Magic? No, ad targeting. While convenient, it also raises questions as to what extent apps’ invasion of our data can go — some nosy apps may know all there is to know about you. So, let’s see who a real tattletale is and what you can do to stay safe. 

Not too long ago, things took a nasty turn for OpenSea. The NFT giant reported on a major email data breach. They warned all their users that if anyone had shared their emails with OpenSea, they could quickly become a target for some very nasty cyber crooks. In 2022, Marriott International got hit with another big data breach. Hackers swiped a whopping 20GB of their guests' most sensitive data. There are loads of cases just like this. How can you be certain that next time it's not your email data that gets nicked? When you hand over your email address or any other personal info to web platforms or offline businesses like hotels, you are essentially leaving yourself open to having your personal data nicked. Email addresses are top of the list for the most frequently leaked personal details online. To keep your online identity safe and hidden, many users head for anonymous email services. These privacy-focused tools keep your communcations safe and secure - so no one can trace who you are. From sending just a few advertising flyers to nicking your financial details, scammers can give you a whole load of hassle and hit you in the wallet. But that's the least of your worries if the scammers get their hands on your email address. They can easily start digging up more information about you and use that to further their own dodgy plans. And if you use your real email for online signups, you're just begging for a rubbish inbox full of spam - that's just making email management and keeping your personal info safe a total nightmare.