Ask The Inmate. Real answers from people who've been there.

It is not a scam. You are asking because you are hoping there is a better way, a cheaper way.  Most times there is a better way. To understand our service, you have to understand how the prisons and jails do inmate calling. EVERY facility has only ONE service that has the contract to provide calling for inmates. InmateAid does not replace that service. We make it cheaper to use by assessing the call prices by area code. We get you a phone...

Our letters and photos service is mailed through the USPS. Folks like the convenience of taking a picture at a family event and sharing it with your inmate within a couple days. Inmates will tell you they get a lot of promises of pictures from family gatherings but we on the outside sometimes get busy and forget. Don't be that guy. Ours is convenient, reliable and super-easy to use. Books are the great escape for inmates. Sending some to an inmate there is...

When letters or photos show a pending status for longer than usual, it is understandably concerning, particularly when you are relying on that communication to reach someone who is counting on hearing from you. In most cases, however, a prolonged pending status is a display issue on the account side rather than an indication that the letters have not been sent. InmateAid processes letters and photos through an automated API connection with its fulfillment partner. Once an order is submitted and...

Yes, InmateAid works at FCI Florence and at federal facilities across the country. The service was actually created with federal inmates in mind, which is where it started before expanding to cover state and county facilities as well. For federal inmates specifically, the savings tend to be meaningful. The Bureau of Prisons phone system charges rates that add up quickly over the course of a month, particularly for families who talk regularly. InmateAid's discount phone service typically saves families about $45...

The most likely issue is that your husband is dialing your original number instead of the new InmateAid number. That is the most common reason the service appears not to work after setup. InmateAid does not replace Securus, which is the carrier Starr County Jail uses. What InmateAid does is provide a different number for your husband to dial, one that routes calls through Securus at a lower rate than your regular in-state number generates. The call still goes through Securus...