As remote work continues to gain traction and more and more businesses are choosing to operate online, the popularity of mail scanning services is booming.
That’s because these services are an extremely easy (and affordable) way to set up a remote address where you can receive and manage postal mail.
However, in the process of considering these services, many individuals and businesses express concerns about the security of their sensitive information as it passes through the hands of a third-party.
It’s completely natural to worry about the protection of personal details, financial records, and confidential correspondence you may receive by mail.
After all, if this information were to fall into the wrong hands, it could lead to serious problems, such as identity theft, financial loss, and privacy breaches.
In this article, we’ll dive into the world of mail scanning services, discussing their safety and addressing the concerns of those seeking a secure and reliable way to manage postal mail.
What is a Mail Scanning Service?
A mail scanning service provides its subscribers with online access to postal mail by forwarding it to a specialized facility, where it is opened, scanned, and uploaded to a secure online portal for remote viewing.
Mail scanning services cater to online businesses, expatriates, and frequent travelers who dont always have access to their physical mail, enabling them to read, organize, and respond to the correspondence they receive from almost anywhere in the world.
These services typically provide additional benefits such as mail forwarding, virtual business addresses, and enhanced privacy, making it an attractive option for individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses looking for a modern approach to handling their mail.
What are the advantages of a mail scanning service?
Mail scanning services provide a range of benefits that make them an attractive solution for individuals and businesses alike.
Unlike traditional P.O. Boxes, users are able to view their mail online from an app or web browser, instead of having to drive over to the post office to retrieve it.
For those who like to travel, these services can make it easy and affordable to keep tabs on your mail while you are away from home.
Receiving personal mail digitally also allows you to shield your home address from senders, adding an additional layer of protection to your personal privacy. You can even use it when signing up for subscriptions and completing online forms to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive.
For home based/online businesses, mail scanning services give you a real street address you can use for business purposes, instead of having to resort to publicly listing your personal/home address. It is also significantly cheaper than hiring employees to maintain an on-site mailroom, especially if you receive a lot of mail each day.
Digitized mail is also easier to share and distribute to members of your team, especially if you employ remote workers or operate in multiple locations.
Why is Mail Scanning Security Important?
With mail related fraud steadily on the rise, the security of your mail should always be in the back of your mind, and that is no different when using a mail scanning service
When you sign up for these services, you are entrusting sensitive information you receive by mail, including personal and financial documents to a third party, who’s employees will need to open and scan the contents of your mail.
Ensuring that your chosen service provider maintains high security standards is crucial to protecting your privacy and preventing identity theft or fraud.
Next, let’s talk about some of the security features of our mail scanning service.
Security Features of Our Mail Scanning Service
At Virtual Mail Now, we understand that the security of your postal mail is of paramount importance. As more individuals and businesses turn to our mail scanning services to manage their mail efficiently and conveniently, we want to assure you that we take the protection of your sensitive information very seriously.
We have implemented numerous security measures to ensure the highest level of security, so you can have peace of mind knowing that your mail is in safe hands with us.
Secure Scanning Facilities
The opening and scanning of your mail takes place in our ultra secure mail scanning facilities, equipped with key card controlled access, 24/7 video surveillance monitoring, and vault-like mail storage conditions, eliminating the risk of unauthorized access to your physical mail items.
Employee Screening
Every employee goes through a thorough background check, substance abuse screening, and assessment before starting their job with us. We also offer comprehensive security awareness training and certification to guarantee that each team member is proficient, skilled, and well-versed in their job duties as well as the proper management of sensitive PII and PHI records.
In addition, each employee signs a Network and Access Control Policy, Acceptable Use Policy, Substance Abuse Policy, Code of Business Ethics and Conduct, and Fraud Policy, all of which are reviewed annually to ensure compliance and maintain our high standards of security.
Encryption
Data encryption is essential for protecting your digitized mail as it prevents digital eavesdropping and potential privacy breaches. That’s why we use strong encryption protocols both during transmission and when stored, such as SSL/TLS and AES-256.
Advanced Tracking
Your mail items are barcoded by staff and tracked throughout their time at our facility to ensure a secure chain of custody is maintained for your mail at all times.
Free Mail Shredding Service
We provide secure cross cut shredding for your mail items free of charge to ensure dumpster divers and would be wrongdoers are unable to access your private information.
Privacy Policy
Our transparent privacy policy makes it easy to understand what information we collect and how we protect your data. If you have any questions about our policy or security protocols, contact us for more information.
Protecting the Privacy of Your Mail
In addition to the security measures implemented by our mail scanning service, you can take the following steps to further protect the privacy of your mail.
Secure Your Online Accounts
Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for your email and other accounts related to your mail management. Choose a password that contains a mix of letters, special characters, and numbers that is at least 8 characters long. Update your passwords regularly to maximize your accounts security. Do not share your account credentials under any circumstances.
Be Cautious With Your Personal Information
Limit the amount of personal information you share in your mail correspondence whenever possible, and avoid sending sensitive data such as social security numbers, bank account details, or passwords through the mail unless the recipient is well known and trusted.
Monitor Your Mail
Keep track of important mail items and follow up with senders if you don’t receive them when they are expected. You can also take advantage of USPS Informed Delivery to closely monitor important mail items.
Stay Informed About Scams and Mail Fraud
Be aware of common mail scams and phishing attempts, and never provide personal information to unknown senders, especially by mail.
What comes next?
Mail scanning offers numerous benefits that can help you protect the confidentiality of your mail. With Virtual Mail Now, you can enjoy the convenience of digital mail management without any risks of compromising your sensitive information. To get started, take a look at our virtual mailbox service, or contact us for more information.