Abstract: A method for enabling a user of a mail receptacle to remotely receive information relating to the content, if any, of such mail receptacle includes the steps of generating status information for the mail receptacle, the status information including information indicating whether the mail receptacle contains one or more mail items, storing the status information in a computer system, and providing the status information to the user via the computer system, whereby the user can determine from a location spatially remote from the mail receptacle whether the mail receptacle contains the one or more mail items. Preferably, the generating step includes generating information indicating the number of mail items delivered to the mail receptacle, the class of one or more mail items, the sender of one or more mail items, and/or approximately when the one or more mail items will be delivered to the mail receptacle.