If you have a plan to use JailATM to send money to your loved one in prison, you may wonder whether your money will be delivered safely or not. However, making a deposit through JailATM is regarding whether the money will be received by the inmate or not, as if not, it may be hard to get a refund.
To know the real information whether or not JailATM is safe to use, we’ll inform you everything we know about the JailATM arrangement. Of course, knowing the rules of the use of JailATM, it prevents you from any scam. So, let’s dive into our post to find out the information about it!
How Safe is JailATM?
It is known that JailATM uses your personal information to use this system. At a glance, you may be doubting whether JailATM is safe to use or not, as they use your personal information. However, it is so normal if financial companies select how they share your personal information.
Likewise federal law that gives consumers the right to limit some, but not all, sharing. In this case, federal law also needs JailATM to tell you how they collect, share and also protect your personal information.
It is a common thing that financial companies need to share the personal information of every consumer to run their everyday business. Even though JailATM uses your personal information, they will protect your personal information safely.
To protect the consumer’s personal information from unauthorized access and use, JailMail uses security measures which comply with federal law. The measures actually include computer safeguard and secured files and buildings. Regardless of reasonable effort, there is no security measure that is ever perfect or guaranteed 100% of the time.
The way on how JailATM collects the personal information is performed when you open an account on JailATM, give them your contact information, use your credit or debit card, deposit money and tell them who receives the money.
However, federal law will give you the right to limit only:
- To share for affiliates’ everyday business purposes (for example: the information about your creditworthiness)
- To share for nonaffiliates to market to you
- State laws and individual companies probably give you additional rights to limit sharing.
Talking about money deposit, JailATM also restricts the limit of deposit for one inmate to a maximum of $300.00 per week. It aims to remain compliant with the Anti-Money laundering Act and also to avoid other forms of fraud.
Of course, the information regardless of a deposit or purchase may be shared with corrections or law enforcement entities and their agents at any time in response to a court order, subpoena or in support of a law enforcement investigation.
JailATM’s Consumer Fraud Prevention
Thankfully, JailATM provides the information about the consumer fraud prevention to prevent any scams occur in JailATM system. In fact, scams actually happen every day. Well, it’s such great information from JailATM, so the consumers will be able to prevent unwanted things from happening later.
Even though a lot of inmates are looking for better lives and get a positive impact when they’re released, some may seek to use you to get money by pretending that they need a lot of money so they can live a life of imprisonment. That’s why JailATM provides consumer fraud prevention that aims to help ensure you don’t fail victims of fraud.
There are some tips and tricks from JailATM you can use to prevent any scams, here are they:
1. Make sure to call the correctional facility when doubt
Certainly, the correctional facility that incarcerates the inmate is just as concerned about fraud as JailATM feels. If you are not sure if an inmate is telling you the truth, it would be better for you to contact the prison directly.
For example, if an inmate told you that he/she needs money and then asks to send money immediately to buy toiletries or any hygiene items, to ensure it, you can contact the facility to know what items are provided for free charge to every inmate. So, you can know whether an inmate uses you or tells the truth.
2. Make sure to send money only to people you know
Before it is too late, a lot of scams can be stopped with this simple rule. The official site of JailATM is actually designed to allow family and friends the chances to help or communicate with an inmate. If you do not know the incarcerated individual, it would be better for you to avoid sending money to them.
3. IRS payments are scams
If any parties require you to send money through the IRS, it is definitely a scam. In the case of sending money, JailATM does not process payments to the Internal Revenue Service. So, if you receive a threatening notice to make a payment, make sure to stop and contact the Internal Revenue Service directly.
4. Make sure to always verify any charities through jail staff
It is not doubt if an inmate is requiring you to send money for a charity, it is likely a scam. If it sounds like a worthy cause, it’s highly recommended for you to contact the jail directly and talk to an officer to verify that it is legitimate. Therefore, it may be best to give any donations directly to the correctional facility.
5. Sweepstakes, bets or other winnings are not on JailATM system
Generally, some scams will involve a notification that a person has won something of value. After that, you will be required to send some money to cover shipping or other costs. If someone requires you to send money, please don’t send money in these cases.
6. Buying from inmates must be avoided
In hopes of purchasing an item from an inmate, you probably will send some money to them. If it occurs, don’t send money to the inmate. However, if it is legitimate, the sale can occur when the inmate is released or can be set through an inmate’s family member.
