InmateAid is designed to be as simple and accessible as possible, but questions about how the platform works are completely normal, especially for first-time users navigating a stressful situation. This section covers the most common technical and account questions including how to create an account and set up an inmate profile, how to send letters and photos through the platform, how the discount phone service works and when your number will be ready, how to track the status of a letter or money transfer, what to do if an order did not go through as expected, how to update an inmate's facility information after a transfer, and how to contact InmateAid's support team when you need help. The guidance here is written to get you back on track as quickly as possible so you can focus on what matters, staying connected with your loved one. See also our sections on Send Inmate Mail, Inmate Phone Calls, and Money Transfer.
Related InmateAid Services
Subject: Website function questions
Inmate profiles aren’t automatically private.
Privacy is controlled by the person who created the inmate profile. They have the option to make it private, which also removes it from search visibility online.
So if a profile is private, it means the account owner chose those settings, not the system or the facility.
Subject: Website function questions
Yes, InmateAid services are available for inmates at the Colorado State University Correctional Facility in Boulder and at any other facility across the United States. Services including sending letters, photos, postcards, greeting cards, magazines, and money deposits are available regardless of which facility your loved one is housed in.
The discount phone service works differently. It is only effective when the facility's phone carrier uses multi-tiered pricing based on the destination of the call — meaning local numbers are billed at...
Read moreSubject: Website function questions
Once you complete your purchase, your new phone number is delivered by both text message and email, and is also placed automatically in your Account Dashboard under your phone lines section.
If you have not received it yet, here is what to check first.
Look in your spam or junk folder. Automated emails from new services sometimes get filtered before reaching your inbox. If the email is there, marking it as not spam will prevent it from happening again.
Check that the mobile...
Read moreSubject: Website function questions
InmateAid does not currently have a dedicated mobile app available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. If you have been trying to find or reload an app you may have been looking in the wrong place and that is completely understandable.
InmateAid is a mobile-optimized website that works directly through your phone's browser. No download or installation is required.
To access InmateAid on your phone simply open your browser, whether that is Safari, Chrome, or any other browser, and...
Read moreSubject: Website function questions
When your inmate wants to write back to you through InmateAid, the process starts on their end with a physical letter written by hand inside the facility.
Here is how it works.
When your inmate wants to write back to you through InmateAid, the process starts on their end with a physical letter written by hand inside the facility.
Here is how it works.
Your inmate writes a physical letter and sends it to InmateAid's processing address rather than directly to your home. Once...
Read moreSubject: Website function questions
Changing your InmateAid password works the same way as most websites.
Log into your account and navigate to Account Settings. From there select Edit Account Details where you will find the option to update your password. Enter your current password, then your new password twice to confirm, and save your changes.
If you have forgotten your current password and cannot log in, use the Forgot Password link on the login page. Enter the email address associated with your account and InmateAid will...
Read moreSubject: Website function questions
Yes. In almost every case InmateAid is happy to provide a refund if you are not satisfied with your experience.
We understand that things do not always go as planned. Mail occasionally gets delayed or lost in transit. Magazines sometimes go missing, which unfortunately does happen. Phone lines do not always produce the savings we hoped for in every situation. Whatever the reason, we would rather make it right than leave a customer frustrated.
To request a refund simply email us at...
Read moreSubject: Website function questions
Inmates cannot directly access InmateAid from inside a correctional facility through any authorized means. The internet is not available to inmates through official facility systems and InmateAid is not accessible through approved tablet platforms or inmate computer terminals.
The way inmates learn about InmateAid and the services available to them is through their families and friends on the outside. A family member discovers the site, uses it to send letters, set up discount calls, or locate their loved one, and then...
Read moreSubject: Website function questions
These are two separate questions and both have straightforward explanations.
Why an inmate might not appear on InmateAid
Inmate profiles are occasionally removed at the request of the individual or their family, particularly when someone has been released and no longer wants their information publicly visible. Profiles may also be updated or temporarily unavailable during data refresh periods. If your loved one's profile has disappeared it does not necessarily mean anything has happened to them inside the facility.
Why your sent letters are...
Read moreSubject: Website function questions
Yes, InmateAid is a legitimate service that has been helping over a million families stay connected with their incarcerated loved ones since 2012. For verification and additional assurance, you can check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, where InmateAid holds an 'A' rating.
