If Pobox detects numerous failed login attempts from an IP address, the IP address will be blocked and you will be unable to log in to your Pobox account from that IP. This block is a security measure meant to keep your account safe, as it prevents attackers from trying to guess Pobox users' passwords.
How can I tell if my IP address has been blocked?
If your IP address has been blocked, you will see a banner that says "Your IP address has been blocked!" when attempting to log in to your Pobox account.
You can also check if your IP address has been blocked by clicking the following link: https://www.pobox.com/am-i-blocked
If your IP address is not blocked, the above link will show a banner that says "You are not blocked."
Why does Pobox block IP addresses?
An IP address is a number used to approximately identify your computer on the internet. You can see your current IP address at any time by checking the What Is My IP? website. It's common for home wireless networks to share one IP address for all the devices on its network.
Attackers can use software to attempt to log in to an account by using a different generated password each time. Because some people choose weak passwords, this can be effective in gaining access to accounts, either to send spam or steal data.
Since attackers may be trying to gain access to more than one account, we enforce a block on the IP address (not the account) after we get too many failed login attempts.
How do I clear the block on my IP address?
You can clear the block by going to the Am I Blocked? page and following the steps to submit a delisting request.
We limit the number of delistings available for each account, and if any of your mail clients or devices continue trying to access your Pobox account with an old password your IP will be blocked again. To keep attackers from abusing the delisting option, you must authenticate your request with your password. After submitting your delisting request, wait at least 2 minutes before trying to log in again.
Why is my IP address repeatedly getting blocked?
We sometimes see customers experience a pattern where their IP address is blocked, then cleared, then blocked again soon after.
If this is happening to you, this is likely because you (or another Pobox user who shares your IP address) have a mail client or device repeatedly trying to connect with an incorrect or old password.
We recommend checking the settings of all email apps or clients across all of your devices, even if you do not regularly use them or don't remember setting them up. If you are having trouble receiving mail on any of these apps or clients, this is likely the source of the issue.
If anyone else in your home or on your network also uses Pobox, it's possible that their devices are the cause, as we have blocked the IP address, not your account. You'll want to ask them to verify their password is updated on all of their mail clients and devices as well.