From our review of 12 reputation, security, and policy factors, we conclude that eFax.com is a safe service to use.
Last reviewed/updated: September 16, 2023
People are always looking for information before they trust their sensitive information with an online service. They want to make sure that they are dealing with reputable businesses, and that their sensitive information they entrust the provider with will be kept safe.
Specifically, when asking “Is eFax legit?”, we want to know the answers to several questions:
- What is this company’s reputation?
- Will my fax communications through them remain private?
- Is the service reliable?
- Can I cancel my subscription without being held like a prisoner?
We’re going to answer these questions by researching objective, third-party metrics.
Among other approaches, we’ll summarize what people are saying about eFax online, what reviews it’s getting, how much traffic it’s getting from search engines, what the site’s safety rating is, and more.
eFax Reputation & Safety Review
Summary
Combined reputation and safety score
Company reputation
The company scores a consistently high score. It appears that it has improved its customer service approach significantly over the past few years. Complaints, where they exist, seem to be concentrated around their difficult cancellation policies.
Site security
The site scores consistently highly across all security review sites.
Privacy Policy
Consistent with general practices in the online fax industry.
Reliability
No adverse findings.
Additional Security Insights
Encryption and Data Retention
According to a discussion on Reddit’s Sysadmin forum, eFax claims to use TLS encryption for secure faxing. However, the actual implementation and effectiveness of this encryption method have been questioned by some users. Additionally, the discussion raises concerns about how long eFax retains faxed data, which is crucial for long-term security and data privacy1.
Third-Party Integrations and General Security
PCMag’s review of eFax mentions its ease of use and third-party integrations with cloud storage services. While convenient, these integrations could introduce additional security risks if those third-party services are compromised2. The iFaxApp blog discusses the importance of multi-layered security, such as firewalls and SSL encryption, but it’s unclear if eFax offers these layers3.
Analog vs. Digital Faxing
A Security StackExchange discussion compares the security of eFax (digital) with traditional analog faxing. Some argue that analog faxing could be more secure due to its point-to-point nature4.
Phishing Risks
While not directly related to eFax’s own security measures, it’s worth noting that phishing scams have exploited the eFax brand. These scams often use fake eFax email addresses to send malicious links, serving as a cautionary note for users to verify sender details when receiving faxes via eFax5.
Cancellation Policy
This seems to be the main sticking point with eFax, and where it gets its low BBB rating from.
Most of the complaints recorded across review sites allege billing disputes or difficulty canceling accounts, such as double billing on credit cards which are not reimbursed.
Multiple reviewers complain about the company’s policy of requiring subscribers to contact support to cancel and account. The company claims that “for security reasons” it does not enable subscribers to cancel through their accounts settings, as is common in most other online services. Reviewers claim that this is just a deliberate obstacle on the way to leaving the service.
How to cancel eFax
Here are the methods to cancel eFax as summarized from the provided text:
| Method | Steps |
|---|---|
| Online | 1. Log in to your eFax web portal. 2. Go to the “Account Details” section on the top navigation. 3. Click on the “Billing” tab. 4. Find and click on the “Cancel My Account” link. |
| Chat, Phone, or Email | If you have an annual plan, multiple fax numbers, or an outstanding balance, you must contact eFax by chat, phone (323-817-3207), or email to cancel. For your security, you will need your eFax number and the last four digits of your card on file to verify your account before canceling. |
Once your account is closed, you will no longer be able to access your fax documents. Make sure to save any important documents you want to keep before you cancel your account. Your account will be closed at the end of your current billing cycle, and you may continue to use eFax and access your faxes until then.
If you are canceling during a free trial period, your account will be closed immediately. You will receive an email with a cancel confirmation number from Customer Service that confirms your account has been closed. If your account has an outstanding balance, it must be paid before your account will be closed.
References
- eFax Claims to Use TLS Encryption and Provide… – Reddit, /r/sysadmin Forum
- eFax Review – PCMag
- Is Online Faxing Secure? – iFaxApp Blog
- Is eFax More Secure Than Analog Faxing? – Information Security StackExchange
- Phishing Scam: eFax – MailGuard Blog