Digitization has transformed document management in most sectors, but the physical delivery of sensitive information remains a daily reality in banks, notaries, law firms, healthcare centers, and public agencies. Original contracts, deeds, bank cards, medical records, and ballots continue to travel in envelopes and cardboard boxes, often without any system to detect if someone has accessed the contents during transit.
This vulnerability, which many organizations assume is inevitable, has, however, a simple and low-cost technical solution: tamper-evident sealing tapes .
A simple mechanism with relevant implications
Unlike conventional adhesive tape, these seals incorporate a system that leaves a permanent mark —usually the message "OPENED / VOID"—both on the tape itself and on the surface of the packaging if someone attempts to remove it. The result is twofold: an intact seal means the shipment has not been tampered with; a visible message indicates that there has been an attempt to open it.
For compliance, security, or management personnel, this feature transforms a simple package closure into an element of traceability and documentary evidence.
Where it becomes especially relevant
The sectors where the chain of custody of documents has legal or reputational implications are the main users of this type of solution.
In the notarial and registry field , the sending of wills, deeds, or powers of attorney between notaries, registries, and clients presents a recurring problem: if an envelope arrives tampered with, it is difficult to prove that the contents have not been altered. A seal with evidence of tampering does not prevent manipulation, but it does make it detectable.
Financial institutions face similar risks when sending cards, checkbooks, contractual documents, or internal audit files. Tamper-evident sealing allows them to strengthen controls without adding operational complexity.
In the healthcare sector , where patient confidentiality is strictly regulated, the transport of laboratory results, medical records, or samples between centers requires integrity guarantees that a conventional tape does not offer.
Perhaps the most critical case is that of electoral processes . Sealing ballot boxes requires systems that visibly and unequivocally guarantee that no one has been able to access the contents before the count. A seal with an opening message fulfills this function effectively and economically.
Frictionless implantation
One of the advantages of this type of solution is that it requires no changes to existing processes or investment in equipment. Simply replace the standard sealing tape with a tamper-evident tape and inform recipients to verify the seal's condition upon delivery.
Organizations with a higher volume of sensitive shipments can add an internal log and assign enforcement officers, but even without that additional step, simply using the seal already establishes a verifiable layer of control.
A proportionate measure
In a regulatory context where data protection and document traceability are increasingly demanding, continuing to send confidential information with conventional closures involves assuming a risk that, in many cases, could be avoided with a minimal investment.
Tamper-evident sealing tapes do not eliminate the possibility of someone accessing the contents, but they ensure that any attempt will leave clear physical evidence, useful for both early detection and the resolution of potential disputes.
