Want to keep your personal information safe while staying connected?
Cybercriminals have stolen more personal information than ever from both the traditional mailbox and digital channels. In fact, 94% of organizations experienced a phishing attack in the last 12 months.
Here’s the problem:
Your regular mailbox is an identity thief’s dream. Mail from banks, the IRS, credit cards — all that personal information that companies send through the mail is laying there for someone to take.
But there’s a secret that most people don’t know about…
Virtual mailbox services are revolutionizing the way we protect our digital identity and personal information. These services offer all the benefits of a physical address without putting your real location at risk.
What You’ll Discover:
- The Mechanics of Virtual Mailbox Security
- Cybersecurity Perks You’ll Actually Receive
- The Benefits of Services that Protect Your Digital Identity
- Why Mail Security the Traditional Way Falls Short
The Mechanics of Virtual Mailbox Security
Virtual mailbox services operate by providing you with a real street address that is different from your home or office location. Once the mail arrives at this address, trained professionals scan it and upload secure digital versions to your online account.
Here’s what makes it secure:
The best providers use military-grade encryption for all your scanned documents. In addition, they require two-factor authentication so only you can access your account.
The actual physical facilities themselves are 24/7 monitored with restricted entry. They also have agreements with law enforcement — police need the proper warrants to enter these highly secure sorting facilities.
But the security goes deeper than the physical protection of the premises…
Digital storage occurs in highly encrypted cloud systems that adhere to strict privacy policies and regulations. Providers then securely shred the physical mail according to legal standards once you’re finished with a document.
And here’s something most people don’t know — virtual address services actually make you less exposed to cybersecurity threats than a traditional mailbox.
Cybersecurity Perks You’ll Actually Receive
For a moment, think about your current mailbox situation.
Your mailbox sits outside exposed to the elements and the public eye. Anyone walking by can see what companies send you via physical mail. They can snatch your bank statements, pre-approved credit offers, even actual checks.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) reported there were 38,500 incidents of theft from mail receptacles in 2022 alone.
Here’s why virtual mailboxes are different:
The physical mail gets processed and stored in secure facilities with employees who have undergone background checks. No random individual will have access to your mail.
The digital scanning process allows for creating searchable digital archives of all your important documents. You can pull up that tax document from three years ago in seconds instead of rifling through filing cabinets.
Mail forwarding can be selective. You only receive the physical items you actually want to receive. Everything else stays secure and safe in the cloud.
And if you travel frequently or work remotely, you don’t miss important deadlines. You can access your mail instantly from anywhere.
But there’s an even bigger cybersecurity benefit you get…
The Benefits of Services that Protect Your Digital Identity
Identity theft is a huge issue. In 2021, more than 23.9 million Americans became victims of identity theft.
The connection between physical mail and digital threats is stronger than most people realize.
Identity thieves often use physical documents to enable more modern, digital forms of fraud. They use personal information and data from your mail to answer security questions, reset passwords, and otherwise gain access to your online accounts.
Virtual mailbox services sever this connection by keeping the physical documents away from vulnerable areas and people.
When you use a virtual mailbox, criminals can no longer:
Steal pre-approved credit card offers from your mailbox and apply for cards in your name. They can’t swipe bank statements to learn your account numbers. Insurance information, mortgage documents, and any other sensitive paperwork stays completely protected.
The digital security features give another layer of defense. Most providers employ 256-bit AES encryption, the same standard used by financial institutions and government agencies.
Two-factor authentication means even if they get your password, your account is still locked without access to your phone or authentication app.
Why Mail Security the Traditional Way Falls Short
Let’s be real with each other about traditional mail security…
Your mailbox probably has a tiny lock anyone with basic tools can open in seconds. Mail carriers jam documents into slots where they stick out and get rained on. Important documents get exposed for hours or days until you even open your mailbox.
Here’s what really happens:
Thieves target entire neighborhoods, taking from multiple mailboxes in a single pass. They look for specific types of envelopes — tax documents, financial statements, anything that looks official.
It doesn’t even matter if you religiously check your mail daily. The documents are still spending too much time exposed. And when you travel for work or vacations, the mail piles up and it’s a far bigger target.
Mail forwarding through the postal service is a frustratingly slow and unreliable process. Documents get lost, delayed, or delivered to wrong addresses all the time.
The digital age has made all of these problems even worse, not better. Criminals can now take physical documents and use them to enable digital fraud faster than ever.
Choosing Services that Protect Your Digital Identity
Not all virtual mailbox services are created equal when it comes to providing security.
Here’s what to look for:
Providers should be registered with the USPS as a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA). This ensures they follow all federal regulations for mail handling.
Look for facilities with physical security measures. Surveillance cameras, restricted access, and secure storage areas. The best providers will also not let law enforcement inside without proper warrants.
Digital security features should include end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and regular security audits. They should also be following compliance standards like HIPAA or SOC 2, if that’s a requirement for you.
Employee background checks are important. The people handling your mail should be thoroughly vetted and trained on all security protocols.
Check the privacy policy. The best providers only collect the absolute minimum personal information and are transparent about their data usage policies.
Choose a provider that has multiple secure facilities. That way your service will continue uninterrupted even if something happens at one of their locations.
Wrapping It All Together
Virtual mailbox services represent a massive upgrade in terms of both personal security and digital identity protection.
It eliminates the biggest vulnerabilities in the traditional mailbox. Physical exposure, delayed access, and lack of digital organization. At the same time, virtual mailbox services add layers of digital security that most people don’t have for their physical documents.
Cybercrime is increasing every year and mail theft continues to rise. The old way of managing mail just doesn’t work in today’s connected world.
Using a reputable virtual mailbox service, you get:
Professional-grade physical security. Military-level encryption for digital access. Instant mail access from anywhere. Searchable archives that make management a breeze.
And the best part? You still maintain complete control over your own information. While also dramatically reducing your exposure to identity theft and fraud.
Protecting your digital identity starts with securing your physical mail. Virtual mailbox services make that protection both simple and effective.