Fake PO Box Rental Scams via Email
How fraudulent email-marketed PO box and virtual mailbox services collect rental fees for mail addresses that do not exist or forward mail to unsecured or criminal operations.
Part of: Fake PO Box Rental Scams
Last reviewed: 8 June 2026
PO box and virtual mailbox services are legitimate business tools used by home-based businesses, digital nomads, and individuals who require a private mail address. The legitimacy and utility of these services creates an opportunity for fraudulent operators to offer similar-sounding services that either do not exist at all, or exist but route mail through insecure operations used to harvest identity documents.
Fraudulent PO box rental emails typically offer cheap, no-identification-required mailbox addresses that appeal to privacy-conscious consumers or individuals who cannot qualify for a legitimate mailbox. The no-ID element may itself be a draw for people who misunderstand why identification is required by genuine services.
The harm ranges from simply losing the rental fee to having identity documents or sensitive mail intercepted and used fraudulently.
How this scam works on email
An email advertises a virtual mailbox or PO box address service at a very low price, requiring no identification beyond a name and payment details. After payment, an address is provided. Attempts to use the address result in mail being returned undeliverable, never arriving at all, or arriving at an address that routes mail through an unsecured collection point.
In the more harmful variant, the fraudulent service is operated specifically to intercept the sensitive mail that privacy-seeking users send through it — bank correspondence, government notices, business documents — which is then used for identity fraud.
Some fake services collect the first year's rental fee and then abandon the mailbox, leaving users with an address that stops functioning mid-subscription.
Common red flags
- PO box or virtual mailbox offered at a price significantly below market rates for comparable legitimate services
- No identification required — legitimate USPS PO box rental and most virtual mailbox services require identity verification
- Service promoted exclusively through email advertisements with no verifiable physical address
- After payment, the provided address is undeliverable or mail does not arrive
- No customer service contact beyond an email address that becomes unresponsive after payment
How to protect yourself
- Use only established, verified virtual mailbox providers with verifiable company registrations and physical operations
- USPS PO boxes require identity verification — this is a legal requirement and a security feature, not an obstacle
- Be cautious of any mailbox service that markets anonymity without verification as a selling point
- Research virtual mailbox providers on independent review platforms before paying
How to report it
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- Report the USPS Postal Inspection Service if a fraudulent US mailing address is involved
- File a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer protection office
Frequently asked questions
Why do legitimate PO box services require identification?
Federal law in the US (and equivalent rules in other countries) requires identity verification for PO box holders to prevent anonymous use for fraud, illegal mailings, and identity crimes. Any service that bypasses this requirement is operating outside legal standards.