Mobile faxing is a convenient way to send and receive documents, photos, and files as faxes from your smartphone or tablet. Instead of relying on a physical fax machine, phone line, and scanner to send your documents, mobile faxing allows you to use an internet connection to easily send faxes. In this blog post, we’ll go over how mobile faxing works, the benefits of using mobile faxing over traditional faxing, key features you should look for when choosing a mobile fax app, and why mobile faxing is the future. 

How Does Mobile Faxing Work?

Mobile fax works by allowing you to send and receive documents using a virtual fax service known as a cloud fax service. Here’s generally how mobile faxing works:

• First, download a mobile fax app like eFax. Frequently, these services offer a free trial so that you can test out the product before buying a subscription. 
• Once you select the best app for your business needs, create an account and choose the subscription plan that supports the volume of faxes you send and receive. 
• Next, you’ll need a mobile fax number. You can either use an existing fax number or obtain a virtual fax number from the faxing app.

Once you’ve signed up for the mobile faxing app and created an account, you can start sending faxes. Typically, mobile fax apps have an interface that allows you to upload a document or image from your phone, or take a picture of your document with your phone to scan it, or even fax from your email inbox. All you have to do is enter the recipient’s information and press send. The app will convert the document into a fax machine-compatible format, and transmit it as a fax over the internet.

Benefits of Using Mobile Faxing Over Traditional Faxing

There are unique benefits when you choose mobile faxing over a traditional fax machine. Below, we’ll cover these benefits, which include accessibility when you’re on the go, environmental benefits, cost-saving boons, security enhancements, clutter reduction, and additional features.

On-the-go accessibility

With a mobile faxing app, you can send and receive faxes from anywhere you have an internet connection. This benefit makes mobile faxing perfect for busy professionals and individuals who are frequently traveling or away from their offices. 

Environmentally friendly

Traditional fax machines use materials that can put additional strain on the environment to manufacture, such as toner, ink, paper, and a dedicated phone line. Mobile faxing eliminates the need for all of these resources, using only your cell phone or tablet and an internet connection to send and receive faxes.

Cost savings

The materials above aren’t just bad for the earth; they’re also costly to your business. With mobile faxing, you don’t have to take on the continued expenses of paper, ink, toner, and a dedicated phone line. Forget the ongoing maintenance headache of a traditional fax machine, too.

Enhanced security

Mobile fax applications offer enhanced security features to ensure your faxes reach their intended recipient without interception. Features like encryption of data at rest and in transit, audit trails, logs, and role-based access control keep your sensitive information private.

Reduced clutter

Say goodbye to piles of paper and mountains of fax logs. When you use a mobile faxing app, you can store and manage your faxes electronically. Many mobile fax apps offer free cloud storage of your documents, so you can keep your office or workspace uncluttered while maintaining faxes for your records. 

Additional features

Mobile fax apps offer more features to make your life easier: e-signatures, document annotation, secure file-sharing capabilities, easy upload, sending to multiple recipients, and more.

Key Features to Look for in a Mobile Fax App

If you’re looking for a mobile fax app, you might be wondering how to choose the right app for your needs. Consider these key features when you’re deciding on a mobile fax app.

Free trial

A mobile app that offers a free introductory trial or limited plan is a positive marker and something you should look for. This lets you test out the product before committing to make sure it offers the features you need and fits your existing workflow.

Subscription options

Make sure that the mobile app you’re considering offers a variety of subscription options. If you’re a small business with a low fax volume, you don’t want to pay for faxes you won’t send or receive.

Ease of use

The mobile fax app you choose should include a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. Your entire team should be able to  upload documents quickly and send them as faxes. 

Security features

Focus your attention on apps that offer robust security features like two-factor authentication, encryption, and role-based access control. These security features provide peace of mind when you’re sending and receiving sensitive documents.

Integrations

Look for a mobile fax app that integrates with other services, such as cloud document storage, for a seamless workflow experience.

Why Mobile Faxing is the Future of Faxing

Mobile faxing makes sending and receiving documents convenient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. Couple those benefits with the ability to send, sign, and receive faxes anywhere, at any time, and you can see why mobile faxing beats traditional faxing any day. Organizations such as healthcare, finance, legal, real estate, and many others still send documents as faxes daily. Mobile faxing combines the flexibility and security these industries require with the modern solution businesses need into one modern faxing package.

Experience Seamless Faxing with the eFax Mobile App on iOS and Android

eFax, a modern mobile faxing app, offers all of the benefits we’ve covered above. When you’re ready to recycle the old fax machine and embrace the future of faxing, you can download eFax’s free mobile app for Android or iOS. Sending faxes with eFax is simple:

1. Sign up for a free eFax trial account, so you can log in to the free mobile app for iOS or Android.
2. Download the eFax app.
3. Select the pencil icon in the app to start creating a fax.
4. Add a recipient from your contacts list, or type it in.
5. Attach the documents you wish to fax.
6. Click the Send button. Done!

FAQs Related to Mobile Fax

For all your questions related to mobile fax, see these frequently asked questions and their answers.

Is mobile fax the same as fax?

Yes, mobile fax uses the same core functionality as traditional fax to send and receive documents. Mobile fax is a modernized way of sending and receiving faxes, using the internet and a mobile device instead of a traditional fax machine and phone line.

Is mobile fax secure?

Yes, mobile faxing is very secure. Trustworthy mobile fax apps use security measures like encryption, secure servers, two-factor authentication, and role-based access control to ensure your faxes are sent and received securely.

How do you use a mobile fax?

Use a mobile fax app, like eFax, send a fax with an internet-connected device. Here are the steps:

1. Sign up for a free eFax trial account, so you can log in to the free mobile app for iOS or Android.
2. Download the eFax app.
3. Select the pencil icon in the app to start creating a fax.
4. Add a recipient from your contacts list, or type it in.
5. Attach the documents you wish to fax.
6. Click the Send button. Done!

Can mobile faxing be hacked?

Reputable mobile fax services employ security measures to prioritize security and reduce the risk of hacking. That being said, no system that is connected to the internet is entirely immune to bad actors or hacking attempts. To lower the risk of your mobile fax being hacked, you can take the following precautions:

• Choose a mobile fax provider with a proven track record and security measures in place and clearly defined.
• Select a strong passphrase for your mobile fax account when you create it.
• Enable two-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of personal identity protection.
• Regularly update your mobile app to use any recent security patches.

Yes, you can email to a fax machine, and it’s a game-changer for anyone who needs to send documents quickly. With modern email-to-fax technology, you can bridge the gap between digital and analog communication, making the process faster, more convenient and accessible from almost anywhere. 

While email is the go-to for most modern professional communication, fax remains vital in industries like healthcare, law and finance for secure document exchange. Email-to-fax is an ideal, reliable bridge between digital and physical formats. Here, you’ll learn how it works, the steps to send an email to a fax machine and the benefits of choosing a service like eFax. 

How Does Email to a Fax Machine Work?

Sending an email to a fax machine might seem like magic, but it’s powered by smart technology that translates digital files into fax-readable formats. This process gives you seamless communication between your email platform – whether it be Gmail, Outlook or another provider – and a traditional fax machine.

Here’s a closer look at how the technology operates:

• Email-to-fax services like eFax act as intermediaries. They receive your email, process it, and convert it into a format that a fax machine understands.
• Attachments such as PDFs, DOC files or images are rendered as fax pages. The recipient’s fax machine prints the document just as if it were sent from another fax machine.
• Once the fax is delivered, the sender typically receives a confirmation email.

This efficient system eliminates the need for dedicated fax hardware and gives reliable communication to all fax users.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Send an Email to a Fax Machine

Sending an email to a fax machine is straightforward when you follow these steps. Each step helps you make sure your document reaches its destination without a hitch.

1. Compose Your Email

Start by opening your email client and composing a new message as you normally would. 

In the “To” field, input the recipient’s fax number followed by the domain provided by your email-to-fax service (e.g., [email protected]). 

When helpful, add a short description of the fax’s purpose in the subject line. You can also type a brief message in the email body that will appear as a cover page, which can give your fax a professional touch. For formatting ideas, explore free fax cover sheets and templates. 

Make sure the recipient’s fax number is accurate and that you’ve clearly stated the purpose of your transmission.

2. Attach Your Files

Next, attach the file or image you want to fax. Most email-to-fax services support common file types like PDFs, Word documents and JPEGs. To avoid errors, make sure your file is formatted correctly and is easy to read. 

Recheck the attachment for readability and compatibility before you proceed to mitigate any issues during transmission. Properly prepared files lead to smooth faxing.

3. Double-Check Details

Before hitting send, take a moment to verify all the details: 

• Confirm the recipient’s fax number, as even a small mistake can lead to failed delivery. 
• Review your attachment carefully to make sure it’s accurate and free of errors. 

Confirming these details can help you make sure that your fax goes to the right recipient with the correct information, which saves you time and effort.

4. Send the Email

Once everything looks good, simply click “Send.” Your email-to-fax service will handle the rest of the process, convert your email into a fax and deliver it to the intended recipient. It’s a straightforward step that gets your document where it needs to go.

5. Wait for Confirmation

Finally, keep an eye out for a confirmation email from your service provider. This email will verify that your fax was successfully delivered. If any issues arise, you’ll typically receive an error message detailing the problem so you can make corrections and resend.

 A confirmation email gives you peace of mind knowing your communication was successful.

Key Benefits of Emailing a Fax Machine

These advantages make email-to-fax a practical and forward-thinking solution for modern communication needs. It’s a cost-efficient, eco-friendly and secure alternative to traditional faxing that fits seamlessly into today’s digital landscape.

Convenient and Flexible Communication

Email-to-fax lets you send faxes from anywhere with an internet connection, making it a game-changer for modern communication. You no longer need bulky hardware or a dedicated phone line to transmit documents. This is especially ideal for remote workers or professionals who travel often, as it ensures they stay connected without relying on outdated equipment or fixed office setups.

Cost Savings on Hardware

Traditional fax machines come with hefty upfront costs and require ongoing maintenance to stay functional. Switching to email-to-fax removes the need for dedicated hardware entirely, eliminating expenses tied to paper, ink and machine repairs. 

These savings add up over time, offering a cost-effective alternative that keeps your budget in check.

Eco-Friendly Fax Transmission

Email-to-fax helps reduce paper waste by enabling entirely digital communication. Since fewer pages are printed, businesses can lower their carbon footprint and embrace more sustainable practices. 

This method aligns with many organizations’ goals to operate in an environmentally conscious manner while also cutting down on resource consumption.

Secure Document Transfer

Email-to-fax services often use encryption to protect sensitive data, which provides an added layer of security compared to traditional faxing methods. 

In turn, this makes it an excellent choice to send confidential documents like contracts or medical records, without the risk of interception. It combines convenience with peace of mind, which makes it a reliable tool for businesses and individuals alike.

5 Best Practices When Emailing a Fax Machine

To make sure your fax reaches its destination without issues, follow these best practices. They can help streamline the process and prevent common errors.

1. Double-check the Recipient’s Fax Number

Always double-check the recipient’s fax number before you send your email to avoid failed deliveries. A small mistake in the number could prevent your fax from reaching the right person, which can cause delays or miscommunication. If you’re unsure, confirm the details with the recipient for accuracy and to avoid unnecessary hassle.

2. Use Supported File Types

Make sure your attachments are in formats supported by your email-to-fax service. Common file types like PDF, DOC and JPEG are usually compatible and ensure smooth delivery. In some cases, you may need to avoid using rare or unsupported formats, as they can result in errors or failed transmissions that mess up your workflow. Note that most document types can be sent with eFax. 

3. Avoid Large Attachments

With some providers, large files can cause delays or even prevent your fax from being delivered altogether. To ensure a smooth process, minimize large files if necessary and keep your attachments under the recommended size limit. This can help make sure you experience timely delivery and prevent potential technical issues.

With eFax, you can transmit large files via fax, up to 3GB. Plus, you can attach any format, including zipped files.  

4. Verify Successful Transmission

After sending your fax, check for a confirmation email from your service provider. This serves as proof that your document was successfully transmitted. If you don’t receive one, contact your provider to troubleshoot or resend the fax to avoid any missed communications.

5. Choose a Reliable Provider

Select an email-to-fax service known for its reliability, security and support. Services like eFax are trusted for their robust features and user-friendly systems, which can give you confidence in your fax transmissions. A dependable provider helps you make sure that your documents are delivered securely and efficiently, every time.

Choosing the Right Email-to-Fax Solution: What to Consider with eFax

Not all email-to-fax services are the same. When choosing a provider, it’s important to weigh key factors like reliability, features and security. Look for a solution that offers:

• A user-friendly interface.
• Robust security measures.
• Broad file compatibility.

eFax stands out by making it simple to send and receive faxes with an intuitive design that assures a hassle-free experience. Its compatibility with most email clients and devices makes it an adaptable choice for users across different platforms.

Security is a top priority with eFax. The service uses encryption and secure servers to meet industry standards to protect sensitive communications. This means you can trust your documents are safe during transmission.

eFax also supports over 170 file types, including PDFs, Word documents, Excel files and more. There’s no need to spend time converting files into specific formats—just upload and send.

Choosing a trusted provider like eFax ensures you get reliable, secure and seamless email-to-fax communication.

To get started, sign up for an eFax account today! 

FAQs Related to Email to Fax Machine

Is there a way to email to a fax machine?

Yes, online services like eFax allow you to send emails to fax machines. These services can seamlessly convert your email into a format compatible with fax machines.

Can I email to a fax machine for free?

Some providers offer free trials, but most require a subscription for ongoing use. However, many free services tend to lack advanced features and robust security.

Can I email to a fax machine from Outlook?

Yes, Outlook works seamlessly with eFax’s email-to-fax services. Simply compose your email, attach your file and send it to the fax number with the provider’s domain.

What types of files can be emailed to a fax machine?

Common file types for email-to-fax include PDFs, Word documents, Excel files and image formats like JPEGs. Check your provider’s supported formats. eFax is compatible with over 170 file types..

How secure is sending email to a fax machine for sensitive documents?

Sending email to fax machines can be highly secure. For example, eFax uses advanced encryption and secure servers to protect your data, which helps assure safe document transmission. Our technology is compliant with HIPAA and other regulations across industries. 

As the modern world becomes increasingly digital, it may be tempting to assume that technologies like faxing will be consigned to the past. But in reality, faxing is more critical than ever for many businesses. This is especially the case in highly regulated industries like financial services, healthcare and legal, which rely on faxing to securely share sensitive information like patient data and financial records.

The good news is that business users no longer have to rely on bulky physical fax machines to securely share information with clients and colleagues. To get started with online faxing, users will only require a fax number that enables them to send and receive fax messages.

If your business relies on sharing secure data and you’ve wondered, “How do I get a fax number? “, then this guide will explore how to get a free fax number.

What is a Fax Number?

A fax number, like a phone number, allows people to send messages to their contacts’ fax machine, fax server or online fax provider. Fax numbers follow a similar format to phone numbers, including area and country codes, but transmit faxed messages to a machine that enables the recipient to read the fax. 

Businesses can technically use the same number for their phone and fax communications, but it’s advisable to have separate lines. Maintaining separate phone and fax numbers to have a dedicated business fax number enables you to take customer outreach and communication to the next level.

There’s no need to maintain physical landlines just to get a fax number. You can now get a free fax number online, which solves issues like how to get a fax number to email or how to get a fax number for my printer.

Why Do You Need a Dedicated Online Fax Number?

A dedicated online fax number offers many business benefits, from saving money to environmental advantages. Here are some of the main reasons why so many businesses are setting up online fax services:

• Environmentally friendly: Businesses are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and approaches that help them become more environmentally friendly. Securing an online fax number to send and receive fax messages enables companies to go paperless and remove the need for physical fax machines, which require large volumes of paper, ink and toner.
• Simple setup: An online fax number is easy to set up and roll out across an organization. 
• Easy accessibility: Every employee who uses faxing to interact with clients and customers can be provided with a unique online fax number. Rather than clamoring over access to the office fax machine, they only require a dedicated online faxing app or a login to the service’s website. As a result, business users can send and receive faxes at any time and from anywhere. 
• Cost reduction: A dedicated online fax number enables users to access online fax services, removing the costs of physical fax machines. Physical fax machines are expensive, require regular maintenance and a steady supply of paper, ink and toner.

Can You Get a Free Fax Number Online?

In the modern digital world, businesses struggling with how to get a free fax number have a simple solution thanks to online fax providers like eFax. You can quickly get a new fax number and start using it immediately or transfer an existing fax number to your online fax account. Getting a free fax number online offers business benefits like:

• Online Security: A message received on a fax machine could be picked up by anybody in the office, risking sensitive data being shared with unauthorized individuals. Online faxing removes this risk and is highly secure, protecting sent and received messages via high-grade encryption. The approach is ideal for organizations operating in highly regulated industries to share sensitive data like medical records and employment contracts.
• Quick Setup: Getting phone lines is a lengthy and expensive process, especially when businesses require multiple numbers. Getting a free fax number online makes it simple to sign up for a service, download the faxing solution app and start sending and receiving faxes.
• Enhanced Productivity: Traditionally, fax communication relied on employees being based in a company’s office and having access to a physical fax machine. This approach is no longer viable for most companies, with employees increasingly working remotely outside of standard working hours and spending less time in the office. Getting a free fax number online means users can send and receive faxes online at any time without going to the office.

How to Get Fax Number Online?

Online fax numbers help businesses provide seamless communication for their users. When a new eFax account is created, the user is assigned a free dedicated fax number that’s automatically linked to their account. Securing the right fax number will depend on the organization’s target audience and geographic reach.

The following information can help you get a fax number online that works for your business:

Getting a Free Fax Number Online

Upon signing up for a new eFax account, users can choose a toll-free or local fax number, depending on their business requirements. Existing fax numbers can also be ported into the eFax online faxing service. Users can then send and receive faxes from any device using the eFax portal or mobile app.

Steps to Get a Local Fax Number

A local fax number helps businesses connect with customers in a specific area. Having a local fax number can help companies appear more professional and reliable, establish a strong presence within their community and build trust with customers in the region. They can also add the local fax number to marketing and branding materials to appeal to locally-based customers.

Local fax numbers can help companies get set up quickly and efficiently and can be obtained via:

• Local Phone Line: A traditional option is to connect a fax machine to a local phone line. This approach enables businesses to use their local fax number to send and receive fax messages, but it can become costly if they require multiple phone lines or send large volumes of faxes.
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): Businesses can also obtain a local fax number through their Internet-based VoIP provider. The approach can be cost-effective and flexible for companies that need to send and receive multiple faxes simultaneously. However, VoIP systems can be complex to set up and maintain. 
• Online fax services: Online providers like eFax provide an excellent way for businesses to get a free local fax number and easily send and receive fax messages. This approach enables users to send and receive fax messages and manage their documents at any time and from anywhere. eFax provides local fax numbers in 49 countries, allowing up to 10 fax numbers per account, enabling businesses to connect with partners and build credibility and trust worldwide.

How to Get an International Fax Number?

Businesses can also secure international fax numbers that enable them to easily share fax messages with people all over the world. An international fax number looks similar to an international phone number, using the country code and the local prefix, so it will vary based on the country. 

Alternative Methods to Obtain a Free Fax Number

Businesses can also secure a free fax number by using an alternative approach. Other free fax number options include:

Google Voice: While Google doesn’t specifically offer fax services, it is possible to use a Google Voice number for faxing solutions. A Google Voice number can be ported over to an online faxing service like eFax and used as a fax number, enabling users to send and receive faxes online. eFax is also compatible with Google services like Chrome, Drive and Gmail, allowing users to combine their preferred productivity tools with the convenience and efficiency benefits of online faxing.

Phone providers: Businesses can also obtain a free fax number by contacting a local phone service provider. Mobile operators can assist with securing a local number or a toll-free international line, depending on the organization’s requirements.

Why Choose eFax to Get Online Fax Numbers?

eFax makes it easy to secure an online fax number and send and receive fax messages at any time and anywhere on any device. The benefits of using eFax to get online fax numbers include:

Secure Faxing: It’s critical to use an online faxing solution that keeps all sent and received messages safe from prying eyes. eFax encrypts data and fax messages on devices and while it’s in transit via AES 256-bit encryption and Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption. eFax also enables you to securely monitor and audit fax usage and compile reports on specific clients, employees and fax numbers.

Keeping Costs Down: Managing fax communication becomes costly when businesses have to purchase and maintain physical fax machines and keep them stocked up with supplies like paper, ink and toner. eFax removes the need for fax machines, enabling users to use their online fax number to send and receive messages online via their laptop or mobile phone.

Cloud Storage: In addition to making fax communication more convenient, eFax also provides unlimited cloud storage. Users never have to worry about their critical documents being lost or deleted. They can store all sent and received messages in the secure eFax cloud environment, which is accessible at any time and on any device.

Tech Integration Options: eFax is compatible with a wide range of applications and workflows, ensuring the technology easily integrates with businesses’ existing infrastructure. Therefore, users with a fax number can use the online service in conjunction with popular collaboration tools, email and social media services and cloud storage solutions to maximize user productivity. 

Regulatory Compliance: Businesses must ensure their communication processes comply with increasingly stringent data privacy regulations. eFax is ideal for companies that require robust auditing and reporting processes. The online faxing solution eFax simplifies bringing faxing communications in line with laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Sending a fax from a scanner is simpler than ever, thanks to online services that let you skip traditional fax machines. Whether you’re faxing for work, medical needs or personal records, you may need to transmit a scanned document. In this case, you still need to know how to fax from a scanner. 

Here, you’ll find how to do it all, from setting up to troubleshooting, so you can fax a scanned document with confidence.

Prerequisites for Sending a Fax from a Scanner

Before you begin, it’s crucial to have the right setup. 

To send a fax using a scanner, you’ll need:

• Scanner
• Stable internet connection
• Fax software or online fax service
• Compatible file format(s)

Any scanner will work, though a multifunction printer can streamline the process. For documents with fine details, look for a scanner with higher DPI for better clarity. A stable internet connection is fundamental, especially for large files or multiple pages. 

Using fax software or an online service like eFax lets you send scanned documents without needing a fax machine. Choose a service that fits your needs, and save documents in a compatible format like PDF to maintain quality during transmission.

eFax supports over 170 file types—including Microsoft 365 files, Adobe PDFs, image files like JPEGs, and various email or web formats. It allows you to attach up to 10 documents from your phone, cloud apps, or computer in a single fax transmission, keeping the process flexible and efficient.

Learn how to fax large documents online with eFax. 

4 Simple Steps to Send a Fax Using a Scanner

Here’s a straightforward breakdown that explains how to scan and fax a document, step-by-step.

1. Scan the Document

Begin by scanning your document through your scanner’s software. Choose the highest quality or “text” setting for documents with text, or “photo” if it contains images. Save the document in PDF or TIFF format—these file types transmit well and maintain quality.

2. Open Your Fax Software or Service

Access the fax service you’re using. Online fax services, like eFax, typically offer a web portal, desktop app or mobile app where you can upload and send scanned documents. Make sure to log in and select the option to send a new fax.

3. Upload the Document

Upload your saved document file from your computer or mobile device to the fax software or service. Input the recipient’s fax number carefully and check that the document is attached properly. Most services allow you to add a cover page, which can be useful, especially for formal documents.

4. Send the Fax and Confirm Delivery

Once your document is ready and details are confirmed, hit “send.” Our fax service will notify you once your fax has been successfully sent, either through an on-screen message or an email confirmation.

Best Practices to Improve the Quality of a Scanned Fax

Fax quality can make a difference, especially if you’re faxing important documents. Here are tips for the clearest and most professional-looking scans.

1. Choose scan settings based on your document type: use 300 DPI for text and 600 DPI for color or image-heavy pages. Grayscale often works best for standard documents. 
2. After scanning, review the document for clarity. Make sure pages aren’t skewed or blurred. 
3. Using the preview function in your fax software can help catch alignment issues or faint text before you send. 
4. Regularly clean the scanner glass to avoid streaks and ensure clear scans.

With these tips, you can make sure your faxed documents are clear, professional and easy to read on the other end.

Find out how long it takes for a fax to send. 

Troubleshooting Common Issues When Faxing from a Scanner

Even with the best setup, issues can arise as you learn how to scan to fax smoothly. 

Here’s how to troubleshoot common problems:

• Fax too light or blurry: If your fax is light or blurry, use at least 300 DPI and avoid faxing color documents in black and white to keep details clear. 
• File size too large: For large file sizes, try black and white settings or lower the DPI to speed up transmission and fit within upload limits. 
• Pages missing: Missing pages often result from scanning each page as a separate file—combine them in your fax software. 
• Fax service connectivity issue: For connectivity issues, check your internet connection, restart the app, or clear your browser cache. 
• No confirmation: Verify the fax number, your connection, and resend; many services provide email confirmations for added assurance.

With these tips, you can troubleshoot common faxing issues and send documents with certainty.

Effortlessly Fax Scanned Documents Online in Minutes with eFax

eFax makes faxing from a scanner quick, secure and straightforward, ideal when you want a flexible, paperless option. With eFax, you can upload scanned documents and send them instantly. Whether you’re using a computer, tablet or phone, eFax lets you fax from any device.

The eFax app offers a fully mobile experience, allowing you to upload, manage and send faxes from anywhere. You can also capture documents with your phone’s camera if you don’t have access to a scanner. Plus, eFax prioritizes security with encrypted transmission and storage, which is perfect to handle sensitive or confidential documents.

To experience the most convenient fax solution, start faxing with eFax today. 

If you’ve ever used a fax machine or online fax solution, chances are you’ve experienced fax spam. But what exactly is fax spam, and what strategies can you use to block junk faxes from flooding your fax line? 

In this blog post, we’ll go over what fax spam is, how to stop unwanted faxes, the legal action you can take against fax spam senders, and answer the frequently asked questions you might have about fax spam.

What is Fax Spam?

Fax spam is also known as junk fax, and refers to faxes that you receive that you did not sign up for or agree to. Fax spam is the equivalent of email spam, and often comes in the form of unsolicited advertisements or other marketing material sent to your fax machine.

Fax spam occurs when telemarketing companies buy a list of fax numbers from an online database or business directory.  Some companies even offer services that allow businesses to send a fax to a large number of recipients at once. This can be used for legitimate purposes, or spammers can misuse the service to send fax spam.

How to Stop Fax Spam Using Traditional Fax Machines?

If you’re receiving any amount of unsolicited faxes to your traditional fax machine, you’re probably wondering how you can get it to stop. There are a handful of ways to stop fax spam when you’re using a physical fax machine and a dedicated phone line. Below, we’ll go over some of the ways you can block unwanted faxes to free up your phone line and save on paper.

Enable the Block List Feature on Your Fax Machine

Your fax machine likely has a feature that allows you to add specific numbers to a list, blocking them from sending you any more faxes. To find the instructions to add senders to a blocked list, you can check your fax machine’s user manual or conduct an online search using your fax machine model.

Once you have identified the numbers that are sending you spam faxes, you can add them to the block list. Doing so means your fax machine will no longer receive faxes from those numbers.

Disable Automatic Printing on Your Fax Machine

You can disable the setting on your fax machine that automatically prints the faxes you receive. This way, you can manually review incoming faxes before your fax machine prints them, allowing you to weed out any spam faxes. By disabling automatic printing, you can save money on paper and toner by only printing the faxes you want to keep.

To disable automatic printing, read the user manual that came with your fax machine or use a search engine to look up the setting for your specific fax machine model.

Opt-Out of Fax Lists

Similar to the way you can opt out of promotional texts and emails, some companies offer you the ability to opt out of faxes. If a spam fax includes a number or email address and provides instructions to opt-out, you can remove your fax number from the list. 

The FCC provides guidance for adding yourself to an opt-out fax list. According to this FCC resource: “When you send an opt-out request, be sure to identify the telephone number of your fax machine. Senders must honor opt-out requests within the shortest reasonable time, not to exceed 30 days. Putting an opt-out notice on a fax ad does not, by itself, make the fax lawful if the sender doesn’t also satisfy the requirements described above.” 

Change your Fax Number

Old fax numbers are more likely to be targeted for spam faxes as they’ve been in circulation for a long time. If you’ve been using the same fax number and you’re receiving a lot of fax spam, it might be time to get a new fax number. Changing your fax number won’t completely eliminate junk faxes, but it can temporarily reduce the amount you receive. 

File a Legal Complaint

Beyond just pesky, spam faxes are illegal in the United States. If you’re tired of receiving spam faxes and the above options haven’t worked, you can file a complaint to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a last resort. 

Once you file an official report, the spam fax sender is legally required to opt you out of their messages. If they ignore the complaint and continue sending you junk faxes, they can be fined. We’ll talk more about the Junk Fax Protection Act below.

Modernize your Faxing Process with a Digital Fax Solution

Traditional fax machines are typical targets of spam faxes. If you’re ready to change to a more secure faxing process, consider retiring your physical fax machine and upgrading your process to an online, digital fax solution. These services often include features that you can enable to help prevent junk faxes.

Preventing Spam Faxes Using Online Fax Services

To further safeguard against spam faxes, consider modernizing your faxing workflow by migrating to a digital fax service like eFax. Digital fax services offer features that can help you block spam faxes:

• Spam filtering: When you sign up for an online fax service, you can enable advanced filters that will automatically identify and remove unsolicited faxes. This feature works much the same as an email spam filter.
• Caller ID: Setting up caller ID on your online fax service allows you to view the fax sender number before you receive a fax. This way, you can block the number or set up a filter to remove this sender.
• Blocking numbers: Most online fax services allow you to block faxes from numbers you specify. When you can identify persistent spammers, you can add their number to the block list and prevent them from sending you any more junk faxes.

How to Block a Fax Number Using eFax

If you’re using eFax, it’s simple to block a fax number. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your eFax account.
2. Go to your inbox.
3. Select the junk fax message.
4. Click the Block Sender button.

This adds the number to your blocked list, preventing future faxes from that number.   

You can also add fax numbers to a block list manually:

1. Go to your account settings.
2. Look for the “Blocked Numbers” section.
3. Add the number you want to block.

The Legal Recourse Against Unsolicited Fax Senders

In 2005, the United States signed the Junk Fax Prevention Act into law, making it illegal for anyone to send unsolicited fax advertisements to any person who has requested that the sender not send them unsolicited fax communication. 

 There are a couple of exceptions to this law, such as an established business relationship between the sender and receiver or if the receiver voluntarily made their fax number available for public distribution. 

If the above exceptions don’t apply to you, you can sue the sender for up to $500 per unsolicited fax. If the sender willfully or knowingly sent you fax spam when you specifically opted out, that amount can be tripled. 

You can file a complaint with the FCC to help stop unwanted fax ads. Follow these steps to file a complaint:

1. Gather information about the sender, such as their name, address, and phone number. Also collect the date and time you received the fax spam and keep a copy of the document.
2. Visit the FCC consumer complaint website and follow the instructions to file a complaint. The more specific you can be in the description of the incident, the better.
3. Alternatively, you can file a complaint by sending a complaint form in the mail or calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322).

eFax: Your Best Defense Against Spam and Junk Faxes

When you sign up for an online faxing account with eFax, you can rest assured that junk faxes will be limited. eFax offers several features that help you avoid spam and junk faxes:

• Caller ID blocking allows you to block specific numbers or area codes, preventing unwanted faxes from reaching your inbox.
• Advanced spam filtering that identifies and discards faxes automatically when they meet specific criteria.
• Encryption protects your faxes and reduces the risk of spam and unauthorized access.
• The user-friendly interface makes it easy for you to implement spam prevention measures.

Businesses are constantly looking for innovative methods that hook potential customers’ interest in their products and services. One often overlooked tactic is mass fax marketing, which can effectively engage potential customers and unlock new audiences.

Fax advertising and marketing remain highly relevant in the digital age, enabling organizations to stand out among modern tactics. This article will explore the benefits of fax broadcast marketing and how businesses can maximize successful campaigns.

What Is Fax Marketing?

Fax marketing involves promoting products and services to audiences via fax technology. The practice emerged in the 1980s when fax machines became a staple of offices worldwide. Companies would send marketing and promotional materials, such as brochures, coupons, flyers and special offers, to customers’ fax machines. 

Modern fax marketing takes this approach to a new level, using online fax technology to send mass fax marketing communications to multiple recipients. Online fax servers can handle vast volumes of outgoing faxes, enabling companies to easily send marketing campaigns to wider audiences.

5 Key Benefits of Fax Marketing

Fax marketing provides businesses with many advantages, from cost-effective fax advertising to enhanced brand visibility and relationship-building. The benefits of fax marketing include:

Cost-Effective Approach 

Marketing campaigns can quickly spiral out of control and cost businesses vast amounts to launch and maintain. A fax marketing campaign allows companies to keep costs down while ensuring they reach more people. Creating a fax advertising campaign may require investment in copy and graphics, but offers significant cost benefits on similar approaches like pay-per-click and print advertising. 

Establishing Customer Relationships

Fax marketing provides a direct approach that enables businesses to establish personal relationships with customers in ways that other forms of marketing can’t. Existing customers may appreciate directly receiving marketing material and adverts that are timely and relevant. The approach can establish customer trust, helping organizations to sell more products and maintain long-lasting relationships.

Increased Visibility

Fax marketing can be highly effective in helping consumers to view ads and absorb companies’ messages. Online marketing approaches like social and email campaigns can struggle due to ad fatigue. But direct fax broadcast marketing offers a different approach that can cut through the noise and enhance customers’ perception of a brand and its products and services.

Customer Targeting

Fax marketing provides companies with solutions that help them quickly reach wider audiences. They can launch marketing or advertising campaigns that target small businesses in a particular area, people operating in specific industries or large international companies. Fax campaigns can also be quickly submitted to a user’s global contacts simultaneously, providing options to tailor promotional efforts to different people.

Fax Marketing vs. Email Marketing

Email marketing has been a popular business and consumer outreach tool since the early days of the Internet in the 1990s and has similarities and differences from fax marketing. Email and fax marketing enable companies to share promotional materials with multiple recipients, including current and prospective customers. However, fax marketing provides recipients with physical copies of a company’s ads and marketing materials, while emails are virtual but can be printed. 

Email Marketing

Email marketing continues to be a popular tool for businesses of all sizes worldwide. The approach has proven beneficial for promoting business solutions, e-commerce products, entertainment and events, online consultation and much more. Email campaigns can also become expensive, so it’s often best suited to companies with sizable marketing budgets. Despite its widespread use, email marketing may not be effective when targeting fax-reliant organizations. 

Fax Marketing 

Companies operating in highly regulated industries, such as healthcare, legal, manufacturing, and real estate, rely on fax technology. So, fax marketing may be preferred by organizations targeting potential B2B customers in these sectors. That said, traditional fax marketing may not be the best approach for companies looking to market to consumers, given that most people no longer have a fax machine. 

5 Best Practices for Successful Fax Marketing Campaigns

Fax marketers can maximize the potential success of their campaigns by following best practices that help them communicate a clear message and reach their target audiences. A few recommended strategies for mass fax marketing include:

Utilize the Whole Page

Unlike social and email marketing, designing a compelling fax message relies on utilizing the entire page. Avoid leaving blank spaces or margins on your faxed marketing and use a font size that’s clear and easy to read for your recipients.

Use Appropriate Designs

The success of any marketing campaign relies on considering the user’s experience. For example, you wouldn’t send an email campaign with fonts that a recipient couldn’t read or broken links that didn’t lead to your products. Similarly, when creating a fax marketing campaign, you need to use designs that are appropriate to fax machines. For example, a printed fax message may not produce a high-quality image, so try to use fax-friendly designs that are easy to read.

Test Your Fax Messages

The hard work you put into a fax marketing campaign will be wasted if your message doesn’t reach the target audience or isn’t readable by recipients. It’s therefore critical to test your fax advertising campaigns by sending messages to different types of fax machines to check factors like font size and image quality. Another option is to send test messages to small audience samples to monitor their reaction and modify your future approach.

Customize Your Approach

Fax marketing is highly customizable, enabling you to tailor specific messages to certain segments of your target audience. For example, if you’re targeting customers who recently purchased from you, send them messages that aim to upsell them on similar products and services. Or, if you send faxes to people who have shown an interest in particular products, you can craft personalized, relevant messages that help build loyalty and trust.

Update Contact Lists

There’s little point in designing and sending fax marketing campaigns, only for your contact list to be inaccurate and outdated. Your sent messages will go unread, the campaign will be a waste of time and money, and you could run into legal issues relating to anti-spam laws. So it’s vital to maintain accurate fax lists and regularly verify the accuracy of your fax numbers.

Industries That Benefit The Most From Fax Marketing

Fax marketing is especially beneficial for organizations operating in highly regulated industries that rely on fax machines for their daily activities. Sectors that remain valuable targets for fax broadcast marketing include:

Financial Services

Financial institutions work with a wide range of sensitive and confidential information, so they remain heavily reliant on fax technology. As a result, fax marketing is useful for financial professionals who want to share promotional material that helps them generate leads and drive revenue for their banking, lending, and investment firms. For example, fax marketing can be a lucrative option for firms to share details about new financial services, enabling their customers to grow their assets and investment portfolios.

Healthcare

Healthcare organizations remain heavily reliant on fax messaging, enabling healthcare practitioners to securely share sensitive information and images. This reliance on faxing makes healthcare providers a good target for fax marketing. Additionally, healthcare companies, such as dentists, doctor practices and physicians, can achieve success by sharing information about insurance plans, medical services and discounts on treatment plans via fax marketing.

Insurance

Like financial services, companies operating in the insurance sector work with highly sensitive information and rely on fax messaging to share critical data. Insurance providers can use fax marketing to successfully share their latest offers and provide prospective customers with additional information on their insurance policies. This approach can be successful for independent advisors and global insurance providers.

Legal

The legal industry is bound by strict rules and regulations relating to data privacy and retention. So legal professionals rely on fax messaging to share agreements and contracts with authorities, clients and colleagues. Legal firms can also use fax marketing to promote their services securely, build trust among their client base, and grow their organizations. 

Manufacturing

Many manufacturing firms use fax technology to securely share project agreements, contracts and scope changes with their clients, legal firms and government authorities. Using fax marketing allows manufacturers to share information about their latest products or project successes with clients and prospective customers.

Real Estate

Real estate firms use fax technology to quickly and securely share housing agreements and mortgage contracts with government agencies, homeowners, other realtors and solicitors. Realtors can also use fax marketing to promote their latest listings, circulate open house opportunities and share updates on property prices. This can be a highly effective approach for establishing trust with prospective clients receptive to fax messages.

Understanding Fax Marketing Compliance and Laws

Before going ahead and sharing your fax campaigns with all your contacts, it’s vital to understand the compliance laws and regulations that apply in different countries. Before sending fax advertising to contacts, research the specific rules that apply to the country they are located in. Fax marketing compliance and laws include:

Canada

Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation protects its citizens from receiving electronic spam and threats. That said, the legislation doesn’t consider fax messages and numbers electronic formats, so you may not have to ask for a recipient’s consent before sending fax advertising. However, fax marketing via online fax will come under the remit of the legislation.

European Union

The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) enhances citizens’ control and rights around their personal information. Under GDPR, companies must be explicit about collecting, storing, and using personal data for marketing purposes, including asking for permission to collect it.

United Kingdom

The UK’s Electronic Communications and Privacy Regulations heavily restrict companies from sending unsolicited electronic marketing. The regulations carry strict sanctions around illegal marketing to individuals.

United States

The US Federal Communications Commission introduced legislation to regulate and restrict fax messaging in 2005. The FCC Rules for Junk Faxes prevent sending advertising materials via fax without the recipient’s consent. 

Maximize Your Fax Marketing Potential with eFax

eFax is an online faxing service that simplifies sending and receiving fax communication. The solution enables companies to securely fax advertising and promotional material without relying on expensive, inefficient physical fax machines. eFax offers a wide range of benefits, including: 

Saving Costs

Physical fax machines can be costly to purchase and maintain, as businesses must pay for fixed telephone lines, ongoing maintenance and paper, ink and toner. eFax removes all these costs, as well as providing free storage and toll-free numbers.

Simple Faxing

eFax enables employees to send fax messages at any time and wherever they are. The eFax app is easy to download, create an account and send faxes directly from the app. eFax accounts can also be integrated with email providers, social media services, collaboration tools and cloud storage solutions to maximize productivity.

Regulatory Compliance

Increasingly stringent data privacy regulations make it crucial to implement robust auditing and reporting processes. eFax brings your fax marketing approach in line with legislation like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the GDPR.

Secure Faxing

eFax provides anytime access to archived faxes via a web portal secured by AES 256-bit encryption and Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption. Users can easily track and audit their fax usage and compile reports based on specific clients, employees or fax numbers.