06 April 2019
5 Free Online Services for Sending Email to a Fax Machine
Send and receiving fax is old school. You might not see many fax machines these days, but they’re still in operation in certain workplaces. Insurance companies, banks, and realtors all use fax machines to quickly and securely exchange important documents.
Nothing else has managed to beat the fax machine at its own game—not even email. How can you send a fax without a fax machine, though? Thanks to online email to fax services, all you need is a PC with an internet connection.
These online fax services are functional, and best of all, they’re free to use. Let’s run through them and see how to send a fax from an email.
1. GotFreeFax
Using GotFreeFax is about as easy as it gets. Just enter your information as the sender, enter your recipient’s information and fax number, and then either upload a PDF, DOC, or JPG file. You can also add text to your fax in the text box provided (with formatting).
The main service is restricted to U.S. and Canadian fax recipients, but if you click the “Send an International Fax” button at the top of the page, you’re given the option to fax documents to various other countries.
No ads or watermarks are added to any free faxes you send. GotFreeFax is one of the few free services that allow this option. The only limitations are that your faxes can’t be more than 3 pages, and you can only send 2 free faxes per day.
For casual users, this free fax service is a good option.
2. FaxZero
FaxZero is, as the name implies, a zero-cost solution to sending fax online. You type the sender and receiver information into the provided form, including the recipient’s fax number. You can either attach a document, type a text message in the provided text box, or do both. The service supports DOC, DOCX, and PDF file formats for sending. It’s one of the fastest and easiest ways to send what is effectively an email to a fax machine.
The free version of this online app will insert an ad onto the cover page, and you’re only allowed a maximum of 3 pages, plus the cover page. With the ad, FaxZero might not be the best option for legal documents. You can send up to 5 free faxes a day, so it’s a good option for most users.
For a $1.99 fee (payable by PayPal) you can send up to 25 pages per document without ads. Like GotFreeFax, clicking “Send an International Fax” at the top of the page allows you to send fax abroad via email.
3. eFax
eFax claims to be the “number one online fax service” for millions of customers. It’s got a strong claim to that title, with a professional website and service that any consumer would be happy to use.
If you came across the eFax website, you wouldn’t think it offered a free service. It’s hidden away, but it’s there, although the downside is that its free service is only to receive faxes, not send them. To be able to send a fax through email, you’ll need to register for a 30-day free trial.
This’ll give you an allowance of 150 pages each of inbound and outbound fax pages. Additional pages will cost you $0.10 a page. You’ll have to provide your credit card details and sign up for a post-trial subscription costing $16.95, which you can cancel before your trial ends without paying anything.
eFax claims to support up to 46 different countries for international faxes, so if you need to send faxes abroad, you can.
You’re able to send a fax through the website, the eFax iOS or Android app, or you can send a fax by email. This is a perfect, inexpensive online fax service for anyone who doesn’t own a fax machine and doesn’t need to send or receive a high volume of faxes.
4. MyFax
MyFax is an interesting service with a slightly different setup than the other email-to-fax free services mentioned here. The free service acts as an advertisement to encourage users to sign up for its premium service with no fax-send limits and a dedicated fax number. The free service is pretty good for users who need to send one or two faxes in an emergency.
You can only send two faxes in a 24-hour period with MyFax’s free service. It isn’t clear how many pages you can send per fax, or whether there will be an ad cover page, so it’s probably safe to assume that there will be until you give it a test run.
You can only send to U.S. or Canadian fax numbers using this free service.
If you’re just looking for a quick way to send an email to fax, just fill out the form, type your message and attach a document. Then click “Send Fax”—it doesn’t get much easier than that.
5. FAX.PLUS
There’s not just one “number one rated fax service” here—there’s two! The second so-called top service is from FAX.PLUS, a rather professional looking outfit which claims to have corporate users ranging from Uber to Harvard University.
It’s clear that this service is targeting commercial users first, but it’s the free service we’re interested in. You get 10 free pages to send, with additional pages costing you $0.20 per page. The free service is solely for sending faxes via their website or using their email to fax service, and you aren’t able to receive faxes without upgrading.
Special mentions do go to their more advanced, premium packages. How many online fax services include slack integration, electronic signatures, and unlimited cloud storage? You can get some, or all, of these features from $4.99 to $49.99 a month.
You can send a wider range of documents using FAX.PLUS, including DOCX, XLSX, PDF, and various image file formats. You’re able to send to international fax numbers but FAX.PLUS may use more of your page allowance, depending on the destination. To send a fax, just type in the fax number, attach your document, add a message, and then click send.
One word of warning, however—you will need to verify your account by providing your cell number first before you can use the service.
Send Free Faxes Online by Email With Ease
Fax machines might be rare these days, but if you need to send important faxes on occasion, these online fax services can help you do it without hunting down some old-school tech. You’re only limited by page numbers, destination countries, and how often you want to send faxes during a 24-hour or monthly period. You might also have to accept watermarks or ads on any documents you send.
But do explore better (and faster) options like cloud printing and cloud sharing too.
You’re not limited to these free fax services, though. If you’d prefer, you can send faxes using your Android smartphone for free. These are great in a pinch.
Image Credit: kurhan/Shutterstock
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Your Amazon Order Never Arrived? Here’s What You Should Do
Amazon is one of the largest retailers in the world. However, despite its size, the company still occasionally gets things wrong. Amazon is afflicted by all the same issues that its competitors face; damaged goods, incorrect items being sent out, and occasionally, packages not delivered
If you bought something but the Amazon package never arrived, what can you do? Which dispute channels are available to you? Keep reading to find out what you should do.
You Ordered an Item, But It Hasn’t Shipped Yet
A Google search for Amazon delivery problems will reveal a lot of people complaining about this. What happens if you placed an order, but several days, weeks, or even months have passed, and the seller still hasn’t shipped it?
Well, don’t panic. Amazon will not charge your credit card until the order has been confirmed. Until that point, you can still cancel the order by going to Accounts and Lists > Your Account > Your Orders and selecting Cancel Order.
Amazon Item Shows as Delivered, But It Never Arrived
Amazon issues guidelines for precisely this type of situation. Some of them might seem obvious, but they’re still essential to tick off:
- Check the shipping address was correct on your order.
- Look for a notice of attempted delivery.
- Check the vicinity of the delivery location.
- Check with your neighbors.
- Do you have Amazon Locker?
- Look in your letterbox; some deliveries use multiple carriers, including the regular postal service.
- Wait 36 hours. Sometimes packages may show as delivered while still in transit.
If 36 hours have passed and there is still no sign of your delivery, you need to contact Amazon directly. Log in to Amazon and go to Help > Browse Help Topics > Need More Help > Contact Us.
You should see all your recent orders on the screen. Click on the order you’re having problems with, and scroll down the page. In the dropdown menu next to Select an issue, choose Where’s My Stuff. Then, in the menu next to Select issue details, choose Tracking shows delivered but item not received.
The site will give you the choice of reaching out via email, phone, or live chat. Amazon will investigate the case and ultimately issue a refund.
It’s Safer to Buy “Fulfilled by Amazon” Items
The Amazon website features items sold by both Amazon itself and by third-party retailers. When using a third-party retailer, you might notice a Fulfilled by Amazon message on the product you’re buying.
The message implies that even though the product is being sold by a third-party retailer, it is being sent to your house from an Amazon Fulfillment Center. As a buyer, it means you’ll be able to track a package’s progress through your Amazon account portal, and Amazon is responsible for customer service and product returns.
If you buy from a third-party seller whose items are not fulfilled by Amazon, you are protected by the company’s A-to-Z Guarantee Protection.
What Is Amazon’s A-to-Z Guarantee Protection?
Let’s assume you’ve bought an item from a third-party seller who doesn’t have the Fulfilled by Amazon protection.
It means you won’t be able to use your Amazon account portal to track a parcel using an Echo or anything else. A rogue seller could charge your card and tell you they have shipped the item without actually putting anything in the post.
Luckily, you still have some methods of recourse open to you. It comes in the shape of Amazon’s A-to-Z Guarantee Protection.
The A-to-Z Guarantee mandates that any item purchased from an Amazon seller via the Amazon website is eligible for compensation of up to $2,500.
To make an A-to-Z claim, you first need to contact the seller through your Amazon account, then give the seller 48 hours to respond. If the seller doesn’t give you a satisfactory response, you can file a claim. You just need to meet one of the following five conditions:
- You did not receive the item within either 30 days or three days past the estimated delivery date
- Your article was damaged, defective, or materially different from the one you ordered
- You returned an item to Amazon but did not receive a refund
- You need to return an item internationally, but the seller does not provide either a U.S. address or an international shipping label
- The seller miscalculated customs and/or shipping charges, and you had to pay those fees upon delivery
You must make A-to-Z claims within 90 days of the estimated delivery date. To make a claim, go to Accounts and Lists > Your Account > Your Orders. Find the order you want to make a claim against and click on File/View Claim. In the first box, explain why you’re making a claim. In the second box, choose Request refund through A-to-Z Guarantee.
Missing Packages Shipped With Amazon Prime
If you’re an Amazon Prime member and an item on your Amazon order never arrived, the processes we’ve already discussed still apply. You should work through them.
However, Amazon Prime members also get some additional sweeteners to ease the pain of a non-delivery. If the item either arrives outside of the time-frame Amazon gives you at the time of purchase or never turns up at your door, you might be eligible for a free one-month subscription to Amazon Prime, which is added as a free month to the end of your existing Amazon Prime subscription’s expiry date.
Some users have reported Amazon has even given them discount vouchers, Amazon Prime discounts, and other perks. Amazon appears to issue these benefits on an ad-hoc basis.
Amazon Prime Pantry purchasers may have different experiences. Check our linked article for more details on that program.
How to Avoid Fake Sellers on Amazon
The problem of fake sellers on Amazon is becoming more widespread.
Fraud is worryingly easy to pull off. A criminal opens a new Amazon seller account and selects popular items to sell. If they use Amazon’s seller’s platform, it only takes a few seconds. Typically, they’ll list items for less money than other retailers are selling them for.
When they receive orders, the person immediately says the item is en route to the courier. Doing so releases the funds to their account. By giving an estimated delivery date of four weeks, the merchant can beat Amazon’s two-week payment cycle and disappear before buyers start complaining and Amazon closes the account.
Luckily, it’s quite easy to avoid fake sellers: just check the feedback score. To do so, click on the seller’s name in the upper right-hand corner of a listing page. You will see their profile page.
On the profile page, you can see the person’s lifetime feedback rating, as well as their score over the last three, six, and 12 months.
As you can see from the image below, this cheese seller seems very trustworthy. Only four percent of their reviews are negative from a total of more than 18,500.
Hey Amazon, Where’s My Stuff? Forget It!
We’ve shown you the three primary methods for resolving delivery issues for items you bought off Amazon and explained how spotting fake sellers is straightforward if you know where to look. Make sure you let us know about any of your horror stories in the comments below.
And remember, if you’re fed up with Amazon, there are plenty of Amazon shopping alternatives available. It might even be time to use eBay instead. Check out our Amazon vs. eBay comparison for more information.
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VSCO sues PicsArt over photo filters that were allegedly reverse-engineered
Photo editing app-maker VSCO has filed a lawsuit against competitor PicsArt.
The suit focuses on 19 PicsArt filters that were supposedly “reverse engineered from VSCO’s filters,” with VSCO alleging it’s become a legal issue involving false advertising and violations of the app’s terms of service.
“VSCO has invested significant time and resources in developing its presets [a.k.a. filters], which represent valuable intellectual property of VSCO,” the company writes.
In a statement, PicsArt denied the suit’s claims:
VSCO is not a direct competitor, but they clearly feel threatened by PicsArt. VSCO’s claims are meritless. It’s disappointing that they have made these false claims against us. PicsArt will vigorously defend itself against these baseless claims and all options are under consideration.
Specifically, VSCO says that at least 17 PicsArt employees created VSCO accounts — probably not an uncommon competitive practice, but the suit claims they used those accounts to reverse engineer the filters, thus violating the terms in which users “agree not to sell, license, rent, modify, distribute, copy, reproduce, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, publish, adapt, edit or create derivative works from any VSCO Content.”
In addition, the suit accuses PicsArt of engaging in false advertising by describing the filters in its PicsArt Gold subscription as “exclusive” and “only for [PicsArt] Gold users.”
Why is VSCO so sure that the PicsArt filters were based on its own? The suit says:
VSCO’s color scientists have determined that at least nineteen presets published by PicsArt are effectively identical to VSCO presets that are only available through a VSCO account. Specifically, VSCO determined that those PicsArt filters have a Mean Color Difference (“MCD”) of less than two CIEDE2000 units (in some cases, far less than two units) compared to their VSCO counterparts. An MCD of less than two CIEDE2000 units between filters is imperceptible to the human eye and cannot have been achieved by coincidence or visual or manual approximation. On information and belief, PicsArt could have only achieved this degree of similarity between its filters and those of VSCO by using its employees’ VSCO user accounts to access the VSCO app and reverse engineer VSCO’s presets.
The suit goes on to claim that VSCO’s lawyers sent PicsArt a letter in February demanding that the company identify and remove any filters that were reverse engineered or copied from VSCO. The letter also demanded “an accounting of all profits and revenues generated from such filters” and that PicsArt identify any employees who had created VSCO accounts.
In VSCO’s telling, PicsArt then responded that it was “in the process of replacing certain underperforming filters and modifying others,” including the 19 filters in question, but it only removed 17 — and supposedly two of the new filters “were similarly reverse engineered from VSCO’s proprietary presets.” The suit also says PicsArt has failed to provide the information that VSCO demanded.
VSCO does not appear to be suing for a specific monetary value, but the suit asks for “disgorgement of any proceeds obtained from PicsArt’s use of VSCO filters,” as well as injunctive relief, compensatory damages and “the costs of corrective advertising.”
You can read the full complaint below.
VSCO Complaint by on Scribd
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On balance, the cloud has been a huge boon to startups
Today’s startups have a distinct advantage when it comes to launching a company because of the public cloud. You don’t have to build infrastructure or worry about what happens when you scale too quickly. The cloud vendors take care of all that for you.
But last month when Pinterest announced its IPO, the company’s cloud spend raised eyebrows. You see, the company is spending $750 million a year on cloud services, more specifically to AWS. When your business is primarily focused on photos and video, and needs to scale at a regular basis, that bill is going to be high.
That price tag prompted Erica Joy, a Microsoft engineer to publish this Tweet and start a little internal debate here at TechCrunch. Startups, after all, have a dog in this fight, and it’s worth exploring if the cloud is helping feed the startup ecosystem, or sending your bills soaring as they have with Pinterest.
For starters, it’s worth pointing out that Ms. Joy works for Microsoft, which just happens to be a primary competitor of Amazon’s in the cloud business. Regardless of her personal feelings on the matter, I’m sure Microsoft would be more than happy to take over that $750 million bill from Amazon. It’s a nice chunk of business, but all that aside, do startups benefit from having access to cloud vendors?
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