A practical checklist for stopping unwanted mail at the route

Before you share the address

Pause at the point where an old competition address receives a changing cast of promotions. Ask whether the relationship is temporary, whether recovery matters and what would happen if the address became public.

The checklist

• Identify the route
• Move legitimate senders
• Disable before deleting
• Never reassign old addresses

Write down the purpose beside the credential. A label is small operational memory: it prevents a random-looking address becoming another mystery.

After the first message arrives

Confirm that the route works, that replies behave as expected and that important mail is not being forwarded somewhere unsafe. If the relationship grows, extend the lifetime before it becomes urgent.

Review without over-managing

Replace the exposed route once legitimate relationships have moved. Review on change—not every day. Do not cut off receipts, warranties or people who still need the address.