Free options to send a FAX from a Mac?

[krs]

I need to send some confidential documents to my Financial Institution. They offer FAX or regular mail.

I wouldlike to use FAX to speed things up but still keep the docs confidential.
What are appropriate FAX services that people would recommend?

TIA

 

[pm-r]

What are appropriate FAX services that people would recommend?

Does your printer or scanner have FAX capabilities built in???


- Patrick
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[Randy B. Singer]

What are appropriate FAX services that people would recommend?

I wrote an entire article on the topic, and it especially (at the end) mentions several services for folks who only need to send one or two faxes very occasionally:

SRFax and Other Internet Faxing Alternatives to MaxEmail - TidBITS

We may be well into the 21st century, but many of us still have to use 19th century technology to send faxes. Users of the popular MaxEmail service are seeing hefty fee hikes after its acquisition by eFax, but Randy Singer has some recommendations for alternatives.

tidbits.com

 

[Rod]

I must admit I thought PDF's had kind of replaced Fax's as a secure document transfer method. We sold a property in our home country from O/seas a few years back and that's how we did it. Lots of documents requiring signatures.

 

[chscag]

I must admit I thought PDF's had kind of replaced Fax's as a secure document transfer method. We sold a property in our home country from O/seas a few years back and that's how we did it. Lots of documents requiring signatures.

No way. Sending a PDF file by email or mail is not a secure or even accepted way when dealing with government agencies and financial institutions.

I rarely have to send a fax and usually just go to my local UPS store and have them do it for me. The charge is minimal and the service fast.

However, the next time I need to send a fax, I'm going to try using one that Randy recommended. I like Free Fax because they also accept Word documents in addition to PDF.

 

[krs]

Does your printer or scanner have FAX capabilities built in???

It does, but I use a wireless home phone which is essentially a stationary cellphone.
I suppose I ould try it to see if it goes through.

 

[krs]

I wrote an entire article on the topic, and it especially (at the end) mentions several services for folks who only need to send one or two faxes very occasionally:

Thanks, I will check it out.

 

[krs]

No way. Sending a PDF file by email or mail is not a secure or even accepted way when dealing with government agencies and financial institutions.

The bank that wants this confidential documentation has an option on their secure website to send their clients onfidential documentation via their website - I have to call them tomorrow to see if I can't use that option to sen to them.

But a FAX option is always good to have.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

I must admit I thought PDF's had kind of replaced Fax's as a secure document transfer method. We sold a property in our home country from O/seas a few years back and that's how we did it. Lots of documents requiring signatures.

A PDF isn't a "document transfer method". It is a document file format. A transfer method would be e-mail, snail mail, commercial courier, text message, etc.

The PDF format is not a secure format. Even a flattened PDF can be fairly easily intercepted and changed by someone with minimal technological ability. PDF's were originally intended to be a least common denominator format for exchanging documents without regard for what computer or programs the receiver has. PDF's are designed to open-able, readable, and to look the way they were intended to. Adobe Acrobat does include a password/security feature for PDF's, but it isn't a universal feature and it thus hasn't caught on and become popular.

A fax transmission isn't particularly secure, but it's what certain entitles are comfortable with. There are nice, open source, easy to use, encrypted ways to transfer files via e-mail, and you would expect that would be what just about all institutions would be using by now, but many institutions (especially government institutions) are very slow to change.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

It does, but I use a wireless home phone which is essentially a stationary cellphone.
I suppose I ould try it to see if it goes through.

The problem with trying to fax using a multi-function device from a Macintosh is that the Mac OS no longer includes fax modem drivers. They were deleted years ago. So, unless your MFD came with Macintosh fax modem drivers, you are SOL.

 

[krs]

The problem with trying to fax using a multi-function device from a Macintosh is that the Mac OS no longer includes fax modem drivers. They were deleted years ago. So, unless your MFD came with Macintosh fax modem drivers, you are SOL.

The way I see it, the Mac doesn't get involved when sending a FAX using a multi-funtion printer.
I plug the phone line into the MFP
Place the document (that I had printed) to be faxed onto the scanner
Select the FAX function on the MFP
Dial the FAX number using the printer keypad

 

[pm-r]

The problem with trying to fax using a multi-function device from a Macintosh is that the Mac OS no longer includes fax modem drivers. They were deleted years ago. So, unless your MFD came with Macintosh fax modem drivers, you are SOL.

Oh, does this ever remind me of the excellent Global Village FAX software and their Fax modem that just worked so well!!

Oh for the good old days...


- Patrick
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[krs]

I called the bank this morning.

Turned out they have a secure email service which is basically a web-based email service with encryption (ie https). So I just sent the documents that way - easy, peasy.

Don't know why their original email requesting these documents did not include that option.

 

[pm-r]

Turned out they have a secure email service which is basically a web-based email service with encryption (ie https). So I just sent the documents that way - easy, peasy.

Don't know why their original email requesting these documents did not include that option.

I'm glad you found a solution and that is good information to know IF our own Banks have the same service if and when needed.

It is amazing to me how many businesses seemed to have the left and right hands not knowing what each is doing,
And golly gee, don't let the customer or the consumer know what services are available. I think they think it's some sort of Security breach thing!!!


- Patrick
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[krs]

This bank, if anyone is interested in Canada, is Scotiabank.

 

[jpdemers]

When we sold our parents' house last year, the entire process was done via "signed" pdf files. Easy and convenient; I didn't have to leave my desk, except for one item (gov't paperwork, natch) that had to be notarized and sent FedEx.
That said, the R.E. agent's email account had been hacked, and I got a bunch of fake crap sent to me over the next few months, where the scammers pretended to be the agent (in need of account information, of course.) There were Nigerian IP addresses in the header info. Bottom line is to be very aware of who you're sending files to - because YOU are very often the weak link.