Poll: Do you use a free e-mail address for work purposes?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
May 14, 2021

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you use a free e-mail address for work purposes?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 15:12
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes May 14, 2021

I have two email addresses, both free, one for professional purposes and one for private subjects, family and friends, though I have occasionally given this one to my long-standing customers in case something goes wrong with the other one. I had a paid email provider for a long time in Belgium, but when I decided to return to Portugal I could no longer have the same email (it was attached to my landline) and I opted for a free one. I have nothing against a free email account as this is not neces... See more
I have two email addresses, both free, one for professional purposes and one for private subjects, family and friends, though I have occasionally given this one to my long-standing customers in case something goes wrong with the other one. I had a paid email provider for a long time in Belgium, but when I decided to return to Portugal I could no longer have the same email (it was attached to my landline) and I opted for a free one. I have nothing against a free email account as this is not necessarily a tell-tale sign of trouble. Usually there are a lot of other signs: broken English, big volume, advance payment…Collapse


Irving Reyes
svetlana cosquéric
María José Domínguez Camba
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 16:12
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Yes May 14, 2021

Yes, I use Gmail, which is a free e-mail address according to the asker's definition, but I do pay for it.

 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:12
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Yes and no May 14, 2021

Q: "Do you use a free e-mail address for work purposes?"
A. Only when my main provider breaks down, which does happen occasionally. On such occasions I use Gmail.


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 16:12
Spanish to English
+ ...
Yes May 14, 2021

Because it works and I don't have to pay for it. I have several, but only really use two for work purposes. Yahoo is the main one, and I use Gmail for backup.
I know that some people consider free e-mails to be a warning sign that the user is a scammer, but that's up to them.


Giovancy Hubbard
María José Domínguez Camba
 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Yes and no May 14, 2021

Yes, but not for translation.

I use Gmail for my other ventures, such as my unisex lingerie business for tomorrow’s ungendered world.


P.L.F. Persio
writeaway
Zibow Retailleau
 
Giovancy Hubbard
Giovancy Hubbard
France
Local time: 16:12
English to French
+ ...
Yes May 14, 2021

I use Gmail too, as many.
As I am a freelancer, I hope that the outsourcers will be smart enough to exclude the scam option, but up to now I haven't had any issues.


 
Liena Vijupe
Liena Vijupe  Identity Verified
Latvia
Local time: 17:12
Member (2014)
French to Latvian
+ ...
Yes May 14, 2021

I am a freelancer, not a company, so I find it acceptable and it has never been a problem.

I do however treat outsourcers who use a free e-mail address with more caution, although in such cases they're usually just freelancers too or small clients I already know who just prefer using gmail instead of their "official" e-mail address. I remember only one scammer and he disappeared after I requested more information.


Thayenga
 
Jean Dimitriadis
Jean Dimitriadis  Identity Verified
English to French
+ ...
Pro May 14, 2021

Unlike many, I use a professional email address. Costs only a few bucks per year and makes me look good 🙂

[Edited at 2021-05-14 13:00 GMT]


P.L.F. Persio
Becca Resnik
Mirelluk
Philip Lees
Georgi Kovachev
Rita Translator
 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
How you doin’? May 14, 2021

Jean Dimitriadis wrote:
Unlike many, I use a professional email address. Costs only a few bucks per year and makes me look good 🙂


It makes you look amazing, Jean. If only I wasn’t taken I’d be begging for your number.


Jean Dimitriadis
P.L.F. Persio
Liena Vijupe
Zibow Retailleau
Becca Resnik
 
Jean Dimitriadis
Jean Dimitriadis  Identity Verified
English to French
+ ...
Hey you May 14, 2021

Ice Scream wrote:

Jean Dimitriadis wrote:
Unlike many, I use a professional email address. Costs only a few bucks per year and makes me look good 🙂


It makes you look amazing, Jean. If only I wasn’t taken I’d be begging for your number.


We can exchange emails first 😝

A little light-hearted modesty never hurt anyone 😎


Christopher Schröder
P.L.F. Persio
Liena Vijupe
Zibow Retailleau
Becca Resnik
 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:12
Member (2006)
German to English
No May 14, 2021

I have always had a private provider and will do so in the future. Only costs about €100 / 2 years.

 
Sanjin Grandić
Sanjin Grandić  Identity Verified
Croatia
Local time: 16:12
Member (2020)
French to Croatian
+ ...
Both May 18, 2021

Most of my communication goes through G mail.
[email protected].....
Works just fine ...

As for the scammers, my two best clients contacted me not by mail but via whatsup and the landline....it s a good antiscam method if you ask me.... a 2 or 3 minutes conversation and the deal was done...


 
Robert Rietvelt
Robert Rietvelt  Identity Verified
Local time: 16:12
Member (2006)
Spanish to Dutch
+ ...
Yes May 18, 2021

I use Gmail, but under my own domain name [email protected], and I have a 'emergency' yahoo account for when Gmail is down (happened a few times).

 


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Poll: Do you use a free e-mail address for work purposes?






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