I want to buy a Gmail address...

[Super_Geo]

So someone out there has the same name as me, and has already registered [first].[last]@gmail.com.

I just sent him and email signaling my interest to buy the email address from him. I have no clue where this guy lives, who knows maybe he's living in a 3rd/2nd world country and it wouldn't take much to buy him out...

Anyway, assuming he does agree, is there some sort of escrow service I can use to make sure he doesn't just take my money and tell me to fuck off?

[LadyLuck]

Just a thought...have you tried [last].[first]@gmail.com to see if its taken (and save money?)

[vengie]

Why not just create another email that isn't taken?

Example:

John Peter Jacobs
JP.Jacobs@ gmail

I did this with my gmail account

[Super_Geo]

Originally posted by LadyLuck
Just a thought...have you tried [last].[first]@gmail.com to see if its taken (and save money?)

Seems like every single permutation is taken...
first.last
firstlast
last.first
lastfirst

It's not really a very common name...

Originally posted by vengie
Why not just create another email that isn't taken?

Example:

John Peter Jacobs
JP.Jacobs@ gmail

I did this with my gmail account

Nothing really works with my name...

[LadyLuck]

How bout [first].P.[last]...P being the first letter of your middle name or last.P.first?

[Grogador]

Can I ask, why does it have to be @gmail.com ? There's hundreds of different @emailservice domains you can use, or even invent your very own domain name starting from $7/yr... If it's for anything business-related, @gmail makes you look like an amateur, especially in tech.

[zieg]

FYI, Gmail apparently regards first.last as the same as firstlast. You could add a period anywhere you like in an existing address and it would still all go to the same inbox. No need to try variations when all you are doing is adding or removing a period.

[eblend]

Originally posted by ZiG-87
FYI, Gmail apparently regards first.last as the same as firstlast. You could add a period anywhere you like in an existing address and it would still all go to the same inbox. No need to try variations when all you are doing is adding or removing a period.

This is true, and is the reason that Amazon and a few other places are getting scammed right now because for Amazon, first.last (or any email) is a different account, yet for google first.last, firstlast, f.irstlast is all the same.

Why not try outlook.com? Looks pretty good to me as most people use outlook for their office, so kinds of seems professional. It's a new service so might be able to find something there?

[EK69]

Email @firstlast.com or something custom like suggested?
(I'm sure google knows how to do it, or ask grogador?)

As for escrow service no clue...
EBay? Can u even eBay something that isn't tangible?

U would want something to guarantee the money for at least a little while after the exchange is done so u can go in and change password recovery details etc...no clue if escrow works like this or they just act as the middle man exchanging stuff and wash their hands clean upon completion

[sabad66]

Maybe just use PayPal? They have buyer / seller protection, and also make sure they draw the funds from your CC for extra protection.

But mostly I would agree with eblend - try @outlook.com

[Mitsu3000gt]

Gmail doesn't look at periods, so you don't need to bother trying out the "dot" combinations when searching for addresses.

Try (first)(middleinitial)(Last)@gmail.com...that will probably be OK unless you have a really common name.

[Tik-Tok]

Or,

Mr.First.Last @gmail.com

[CanmoreOrLess]

Two questions:

What financial offer did you make to the holder of the Gmail address you want?

Why not buy your website URL and use that as your email address? Owing the website with your name is really a fairly good move for most anyone these days. Own it before someone else jumps on it, only a matter of time before this happens.

I have a few dozen email addresses, some from as far back as 1995 I think. Only a half dozen are important to me today though. For example the address I am registered under for Beyond is an address I created only for Beyond. The guy you are trying to buy an email address from could very well be dead or not even aware you are trying to contact him as he never uses the address or has long ago stopped caring.

Do I remember my @aol.com address from 1998? No, nor does anyone else. Is AOL still in business?

[ercchry]

custom domain+google apps=best of both worlds

[GS430]

This is just about the only time I can say this..

Having a unique name ftw!!

[Xtrema]

(first)(middleinitial)(middleinitial)(Last)@gmail.com

worked for me.

My Chinese name now serves as 2 middle names.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by ercchry
custom domain+google apps=best of both worlds

[woodywoodford]

Wait I'm confused, what do you mean gmail doesn't recognize the periods? I've got (last)(first)@gmail.com, but does that mean the guy with (last).(first)@gmail.com is getting my mail, or more likely the reason that I can't register that one is because I already have the non-period version?

[sabad66]

It means I can email you at first.last or firstlast and it will still go to you. As far as google is concerned they are the same username. In fact, you can even email [first].[last]+[any word]@gmail.com and it will still go to you. The second one is useful to see if shady websites have sold your email. For example, if you sign up for beyond with the address [email protected] and you start getting penis enlargements advertisements sent to that address, you can safely assume they sold your address to spammers.

[benyl]

Originally posted by ercchry
custom domain+google apps=best of both worlds

Not free anymore...

Google has also taken away Sync.

I am betting they are going to find some way to squeeze out the grandfathered accounts into paying $50 / user.

I managed to get my lastname.ca address and user google apps.

So I now have an email that looks like:

[email protected]