Why Would an Inmate Ask You to Send Money Through Cash App

If your inmate is asking you to send money through Cash App, Venmo, or any other peer to peer payment service, it is worth pausing before you do it.

Inmates cannot receive Cash App payments inside a facility. When they ask you to send money this way it is going to a third party on the outside, someone connected to them whose identity you may not know.

There are a few reasons this happens. The most common is that the inmate owes a debt to another inmate and is having it paid through outside contacts. It can also mean they are purchasing something inside the facility they should not have, and money is changing hands on the outside to settle that transaction.

Before sending anything, ask them directly whether they are repaying a debt or buying something inside. Their answer, or their reluctance to answer, will tell you what you need to know.

Legitimate money needs for commissary, phone calls, and personal items can all be handled through official facility approved channels. InmateAid can help you send money safely and directly to your inmate's commissary account through approved providers, where it is protected, documented, and actually benefits them.