Connect LegalZoom Virtual Mail to an AI assistant such as Claude or ChatGPT to find mail, read scanned documents, and manage supported mailbox tasks through conversation. This guide explains what the connection can do, what it costs, and how to stay in control of your mail.
Understanding the connection
An AI assistant (such as ChatGPT or Claude) is an app you can ask questions or give instructions to in everyday language. When connected to Virtual Mail, it can use mailbox tools to help carry out your request.
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. It is a standard that lets an AI assistant connect to another service, such as Virtual Mail. You may also see the connection called an integration or a connector.
The integration gives you another way to use your mailbox. The supported mailbox actions are also available in the Virtual Mail web or mobile app.
Costs
As of now, on your plan, Virtual Mail does not charge an additional fee for MCP access. Your usual Virtual Mail plan and service fees still apply. Any subscription or usage charges from Claude, ChatGPT, or another AI provider are separate.
What you can do
Depending on your account permissions and connection, you can ask your assistant to:
- Find mail by sender, recipient, or words in scanned content.
- Read and summarize documents that have already been scanned.
- Show the details and history of a mail item.
- Organize mail with tags, move items into existing folders, or archive items.
- Request scans or shredding for eligible items.
- Check shipment tracking or the status of an existing check deposit.
For example, try asking:
- “Find the letter from my insurance company.”
- “Summarize this scanned letter and point out any dates mentioned.”
- “Show me the status of the shipment for this mail item.”
Reading a document requires a completed scan. A scan request still needs to be processed before its contents are available.
The assistant cannot update Virtual Mail’s generated summary or document category through MCP. With a connection that permits changes, it can use tags to help organize mail based on its analysis.
Keeping a person in control
The integration can reduce the work of finding and organizing mail. The person managing your mailbox should still review important information and decisions.
Check AI summaries against the original scan, especially before relying on a date, amount, or required action. Before requesting a mailbox change, make sure the assistant has identified the correct items and action.
Confirmation prompts depend on the AI app you use. Virtual Mail’s MCP server does not add a separate approval step before carrying out an authorized request from that app. Review the app’s approval settings before allowing changes.
Shredding permanently destroys the physical original. Review any shredding request carefully.
How MCP differs from Claude and ChatGPT connectors
Virtual Mail’s MCP server provides the mailbox tools an AI assistant can use, such as searching mail, reading scans, and requesting supported actions. MCP is the standard used to communicate with those tools; it is not an AI assistant itself.
The Claude and ChatGPT connectors are the connections you enable inside those AI apps to use Virtual Mail. They use our MCP server, while Claude or ChatGPT interprets your request, chooses which available tools to call, and presents the results. The AI app also controls its own confirmation prompts and how it handles information returned by the tools.
For most people, the guided Claude or ChatGPT connection is the easiest way to get started. A manual MCP connection lets you configure a compatible client directly, including other AI assistants that support MCP, or choose the separate read-only connection. The actions available depend on the connection, your Virtual Mail permissions, and what the chosen AI app supports.
Choosing read only access
A separate read-only MCP connection lets your assistant search, read, and summarize mail while blocking mailbox changes. It cannot request scans or shredding, apply tags, move items, or archive mail. You can make those changes yourself in the Virtual Mail app.
Read-only access is a separate MCP setup option. Do not assume that a standard Claude or ChatGPT directory connection is read-only. If you want this restriction, use the read-only connection described in the MCP setup documentation.
Read-only access still allows mail information to be read by your chosen AI service. Review that provider’s privacy settings before connecting.
Access and privacy
The connection uses your existing Virtual Mail permissions. It can access the mailboxes your user account is authorized to use and does not grant access to other mailboxes.
OAuth sign-in lets you authorize the connection through a sign-in flow. Links provided for scanned documents expire. Your chosen AI provider’s privacy settings and policies also apply to information processed through the connection.
Before connecting a business mailbox, check your organization’s policies for using AI services with confidential mail.
Getting started
For Claude or ChatGPT:
- Sign in to the Virtual Mail web app.
- Open Settings, then Integrations.
- Find the Claude or ChatGPT integration and follow its guided connection flow. Review the requested access before authorizing it.
You can also browse the Claude connector directory or the ChatGPT app directory, find Virtual Mail, and set up the connection directly from its listing. Follow the setup prompts and review the requested access before authorizing it.
Once connected, start with a simple request, such as finding a specific letter. Check the result in your mailbox before moving on to actions that change or dispose of mail.
For a manual MCP connection, including read-only access, follow the MCP setup documentation. It includes connection details for supported clients.
Getting help
For technical help with the Virtual Mail integration, email api@earthclassmail.com.
Include the AI app you are using, the step that failed, and the error message. Remove confidential mail content from screenshots, and never include passwords or API keys.