Sell a Gmail Account

July 9, 2011 9:29 AM

Someone (who I don't know) wants to buy one of my gmail addresses. Is this legal? How much should I ask for?
posted by Brocktoon to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

It's a violation of Gmail's Terms of Service

5.5 Unless you have been specifically permitted to do so in a separate agreement with Google, you agree that you will not reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, trade or resell the Services for any purpose
posted by inturnaround at 9:36 AM on July 9, 2011 [3 favorites]

IANAL, but I don't see any reason why it would not be legal... however, I would proceed with extreme caution. You could end up with no money and someone using your name and Gmail account for nefarious purposes.
posted by brownrd at 9:37 AM on July 9, 2011

Didn't see inturnaround's reply - what he/she said, but still my point remains... your name has probably been associated with that address for years, and you wouldn't want someone using your email address for illegal/immoral purposes.
posted by brownrd at 9:38 AM on July 9, 2011

Response by poster: I haven't used it in years (since at least 2004), and searching for it on the web produced zero results.
posted by Brocktoon at 9:53 AM on July 9, 2011

Apparently gmail addresses, like organs, can only be given away not sold. Unlike your organs, you don't appear to be using it. Is there any harm in giving it away?
posted by mercredi at 12:18 PM on July 9, 2011

Is it an unusual or somehow cool name, like [e-mail]? Because Bill could probably afford to, you know, put your kid through university or something.
posted by sneebler at 12:21 PM on July 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

I believe that once you sell it, whether Google wants to make anything of it is the buyer's problem.
posted by dhartung at 4:21 PM on July 9, 2011

Ask the prospective buyer to make an offer, then counter with a figure that is 20% higher.
posted by AngerBoy at 2:25 PM on July 11, 2011