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Lee.

Hi all.

I' ve recently got a first letter from a lady in Florida, she asked if I could send her a stamp and envelope. It is easier for me to send her a few dollars, what I would like to know is has anybody on here used JPay before and am I correct in thinking that I can just credit money to her account without her consent? It looks like I can but I don't want to get her in any trouble with the prison.

Thanks in advance.
Lee.


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Lee.

Thanks for all of the responses, I ended up not sending anything this time but have decided I will send her a few dollars soon.

 
celticprincess

When money sent by Jpay inmate has no say in it: the next day it should be on inmate's account; my pp can see from his statement when money was deposited, how much, and the sender's name. I keep him on budjet: spend all at once or streatch it till next term! It is up to him! Money is very important: last time he got bad tooth ache, and was able to get treatment because he had 20$ to co-pay!(I got the S.P.O.invoice)

If you feel comfortable to send few dollars to help with postage: what is wrong with that? If inmate has limited funds and few people to write -- what State provides for free for indigent inmates, can not cover postage's needs!

On average monthly wage from 12$ to 28$ per month (min wage not everyone can have), and most of it will be used for hygine items and food!Food is sucky! Not everybody good at arts or crufts to trade; many will take by force from weak what they need! I do not wish for my pp to be tempted to do that...

I gave you reputation for this post Mimi, well said....

I've struggled with wanting to send one of my guys a few dollars...I'm a kind hearted soul but I am no sucker nor fool....my brain struggles with giving and then the dynamics of our relationship (friendship) changing. My guy used to 'do drugs' and in no way do I ever want to help someone buy that bad schit in prison...its what landed him there in the first place, taking what didn't belong to him so that he could do that...I want to help him change his life, not get himself back inside when he does get out.

He has done so much for me so far and not once asked me for anything, but I do know he has little money..and I would like to help him out 'every now and again' but I don't want to become an ATM to him, I'm his friend not a bank.

Your post has put it all into perspective for me...I just sent him $20, hoping that he uses it wisely, making it clear its a one-off thing (for now) and I just know that if he ever asks me for money or suggests I send it again, I will walk away and he will lose me...but, if I can help him get some good eats, improve his self-respect and be able to post all these letters to me without him having to 'hustle' or do without something else, then that's ok with me.

Thank for your post...it helped me feel comfy sending one of my guys a small amount of money...without my being paranoid or worried about it.

 
Mimi

When money sent by Jpay inmate has no say in it: the next day it should be on inmate's account; my pp can see from his statement when money was deposited, how much, and the sender's name. I keep him on budjet: spend all at once or streatch it till next term! It is up to him! Money is very important: last time he got bad tooth ache, and was able to get treatment because he had 20$ to co-pay!(I got the S.P.O.invoice)

If you feel comfortable to send few dollars to help with postage: what is wrong with that? If inmate has limited funds and few people to write -- what State provides for free for indigent inmates, can not cover postage's needs!

On average monthly wage from 12$ to 28$ per month (min wage not everyone can have), and most of it will be used for hygine items and food!Food is sucky! Not everybody good at arts or crufts to trade; many will take by force from weak what they need! I do not wish for my pp to be tempted to do that...

 
karleigh

I've been using JPAY for the best part of a year with my TX dude and have had no problems at all =D

 
SeaCaptDon

Believe me you have more to fear from JPay than you do from any inmate. JPay is part of Securus Correctional Billing Services and a simple Google or Bing search for complaints regarding "Correctional Billing Services" and its precedent companies will turn up hundreds of complaints about customer service and unauthorized charges and charges for services never performed. And for instance last night I went to send an e-mail to my new PP in Texas and on Step 3, they asked me to check a box saying that I agreed to their Terms of Use, but when I tried to see what their terms of use might be the link is dead. I called them at JPay and got someone whose English was barely understandable and all I got was the run-around. From past experience with Correctional Billing Services and unauthorized hidden service charges put on my card I am not about to agree to anything with their subsidiary JPay unless I can read the Terms of Use to see if there are hidden charges in the fine print. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I am not saying do not use JPay, but if you do, check out all that you are agreeing to in using their service.

 
YMIHere

It's all relative. I'm not been to New York or a Mexican border town, and my guess is that neither of you have been to London.

It's not just the 'hoods that scare me, it is the roads, the attitude of some of the police (yes, I've had dealings with some) and just being there as a non-native. I feel safest when I'm inside the prison.

Never been to London, but I can imagine parts of it are likely to compete with NY. I just couldn't imagine them competing with the podunk towns in Texas.

 
gpl43695

Send a few dollars. It certainly will not hurt you. Perhaps she cannot afford postage to keep writing you. Perhaps that is all she wants. However there many here that have been worked over for money by Pen Pals. At this point I would not be too concerned. If requests for money escelates into more frequency, and for larger amounts, then you will have to decide for yourself whether you are doing something good for someone that has nothing, or that perhaps you are being made a fool of. Always going to be your choice, and yours alone.

 
sunray's wench

It's all relative. I'm not been to New York or a Mexican border town, and my guess is that neither of you have been to London.

It's not just the 'hoods that scare me, it is the roads, the attitude of some of the police (yes, I've had dealings with some) and just being there as a non-native. I feel safest when I'm inside the prison.

 
KAM

I have never been to Texas but I have to laugh to try to imagine what parts of Texas could be THIS SCARY! I've been in Harlem (NYC) at 5 a.m. working. I've stood on a train platform in East New York (Brooklyn) in the middle of the night. I just can't FATHOM any part of Texas ever competing with NY for scare factor.

I have been in cities all over the US, at all times of the day and night, many times with only a CB radio to call for help, and I dont remember any Texas cities being close to Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, South Central LA, East Oakland, and different parts of Brooklyn and the Bronx. I never went into Harlem so I cant answer to that. Let me tell you Dallas, Houston, Austin, are all relatively mild compared to where Ive been and what Ive seen. The Texas DOC may be rough and tough, but Texas ghettos are MILD compared to the ones in other places.

Now let me qualify my answers. I have lived in 47 towns/cities in 11 different states. I have driven truck over the road for years, and before that rode with my dad in his truck. I have been in and through all 48 contiguous states, and have driven into both Canada and Mexico. Now you wanna talk REAL scary places, go to those Mexican border towns, even in broad daylight, and chances are you will either see a robbery, murder, or kidnapping. Especially if your white, and it will probably be YOU it happens to. It has become a free for all down there, ruled 100% by the drug lords.

 
YMIHere

Scares the hel out of me the whole time I am there. I'd rather walk through the roughest parts of any UK city in the middle of the night on my own than go to some parts of Texas in the day time.

I have never been to Texas but I have to laugh to try to imagine what parts of Texas could be THIS SCARY! I've been in Harlem (NYC) at 5 a.m. working. I've stood on a train platform in East New York (Brooklyn) in the middle of the night. I just can't FATHOM any part of Texas ever competing with NY for scare factor.

 
sunray's wench

Texas sounds a scary place though!

Scares the hel out of me the whole time I am there. I'd rather walk through the roughest parts of any UK city in the middle of the night on my own than go to some parts of Texas in the day time.

 
celticprincess

hehe my pal in Texas is already asking me to go visit him (only 3rd letter lol) ... tempting! I've never been to Texas and I hear Texas Cowboy Boots look pretty good on a chick in a nice pair of jeans *grin*

Texas sounds a scary place though!

 
sunray's wench

Yes Florida inmates can receive stamps in the mail from those in the free world. It's difficult for us in Europe to get hold of them though, unless we happen to be travelling to the US.

 
gooddog

Ah sorry, I didn't see that you were in the UK... duh!!!!!!! Makes perfect sense.

 
Lee.

english2791 I don't think celticprincess warning me off sending money was paranoid, they aren't in there for tickling people too hard and it might have been a slippery slope for some people starting sending money too early on if the penpal had the wrong intentions.

gooddog, sending them is the easy part, getting them is another story. That's why I asked if anyone has used JPay as it's a lot easier to just send the money for them.

celticprincess thanks for the welcome and i'll play it by ear.

 
gooddog

Lee,

I'm sure it's allowed to send stamps otherwise your pp wouldn't have asked, BUT, some states do not allow stamps to be sent. For instance, I am not allowed to send stamps to Nevada. Check the DOC website for the state for the rules.

 
celticprincess

Thanks for the responses celticprincess, I thought at first she might be trying it on and I didn't know about them getting stamps and envelopes unless they bought them so thanks for that. I'll tell her I can't get hold of them ( which is why I was going to send her a few quid) and see what happens if I think she's after cash I'll tell her to sling her hook.

I personally think that is a safe way to go about it with a new pen pal. We all know the majority of pen pals out there seeking friends are genuine, but taking precautions with a new one is never a bad idea...Good Luck with your new friend...I've got a couple of great friends from this so far and can highly recommend it as both rewarding and fun! Hope it goes well for you :) Welcome to WAP.

:welcomebluesign:

 
english2791

well she probably was but you stated she asked for one of each we don't want to make others too paranoid now do we

 
Lee.

Thanks for the responses celticprincess, I thought at first she might be trying it on and I didn't know about them getting stamps and envelopes unless they bought them so thanks for that. I'll tell her I can't get hold of them ( which is why I was going to send her a few quid) and see what happens if I think she's after cash I'll tell her to sling her hook.

 
celticprincess

Quite possibly so - I was more responding to his idea to send her money....just urging caution that is all...didn't mean to upset anyone.

 
english2791

aren't we over reacting its just a stamp and an envelope

 
celticprincess

Forgot to add - no, she wouldn't get into trouble at the prison. Anyone can add funds to a prisoners account, if they so wish, as long as they are legal funds etc.

 
celticprincess

Yes you can Lee. Jpay allows you to effortlessly deposit funds into an inmates account.

But, I would urge you to think carefully before you do send money to a new pen pal who you have only just met. Inmates do get limited funds and stamps and envelopes if they do not have any money. Its unusual for a new pen pal to ask for stamps and an envelope in a first letter. The majority of pen pals never ask anything from their pen pals but their time and friendship.

Be careful of giving this lady money so soon...I'd hate for you to get hurt in any way when you are doing a kindness...just my thoughts...if you do still wish to send her a bit of money, jpay is the way to go if she is at a jpay enabled facility.