Fighting against the prison phone companies and their scams

[Budwoman]

FED EX:

I NOW HAVE A BATTLE WITH EVERCOM (THE PRISON BILLING SERVICE) MYSELF. I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING PHONE CALLS AT MY PLACE OF BUSINESS FOR 12 YEARS FROM MY SON. EVERCOM HAS CHANGED THEIR RULES. NOT ONCE HAVE THAT NOT BEEN PAID FOR PHONE CALLS BUT NOW THEY TELL ME THAT I CANNOT RECEIVE THESE PHONE CALLS ANY LONGER UNTIL I PREPAY A DEPOSIT IN THE AMOUNT I THING I WILL USE IN A MONTHS TIME SO THE COLLECT CALLS CAN BE MADE.
I HAVE CALLED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE SO MANY TIMES AND THEY TELL ME IT IS FIXED AND I CAN RECEIVE CALLS. THE NEXT TIME MY SON CALLS HE CANNOT GET THROUGH. THEN, I CALL THEM AGAIN.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS DONE WITH THIS TELEPHONE MONEY. MY SON IS NOW 15 MINUTES FROM ME AT BOTH WORK AND HOME. IT IS NOT LONG DISTANCE AND COULD BE A 25 CENT PHONE CALL. BUT HE HAS TO CALL COLLECT AND IT COSTS ME 3.25 FOR 10 MINUTES.

WITH THE INMATES FAMILIES IN THE USA, WHERE IS ALL THIS MONEY GOING? i COULD UNDERSTAND IT IF IT WERE HELPING TO PAY MEDICAL EXPENSES OR INSURE THEY HAD BETTER FOOD, OR HAD CLOTHES TO WEAR THAT FIT THEM BUT NOT ONCE DO YOU SEE THAT HAPPENING. THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR A DOCTORS CALL HERE IN NC. $ 10.00 EACH TIME THEY VISIT A DOCTOR. SO, THE FAMILIES ARE PAYING THAT TOO. WHO IS REALLY IN PRISON HERE. US OR OUR LOVED ONE?????

i WOULD REALLY LIKE AN ANSWER TO THAT?

DONNA

[Tiffany]

I have had enormous phone bills because of talking to my husband. He is incarcerated in NY state and I live in PA, so I have paid Verizon thousands, just to have a chance to hear my husband's voice and he to hear mine. I have had to battle MCI several times, and their rates are completely outrageous. $3.27 for the first minute and 27 cents for every minute after, in half-hour increments, so they can keep charging for that first minute. How can we combat this???

[Budwoman]

Tiffany:

I have been writing to all my local and State Representatives, The Governor of the State of NC and to every place I can possibly find to write.

I do know the CURE has started a campaign to help us with these exhorbant phone bills.

Also, Amnesty International is working on some things also.

Keep your fingers crossed and start writing to your Representatives also. Send them copies of your phone bills so they can see the difference in prison rates and regular long distance rates.

Donna

[sherri13]

the link to the equitable telephone charges siteThis link will tell you how to become involved in the campaign for equitable telephone charges

www.curenational.org/~etc/

get involved
we can make things happen if we work together

sherri

[Tiffany]

Thanks everyone!!! Hopefully this will work. Prisoners and their families just keep getting screwed.

[jvthomp]

I was visiting a prisoner here in SD and live a mile from the prison, but phone calls were $2.71 for 20 minutes and I was charged the full price even if we were cut off after 2-3 minutes. Now he's in Oregon and it's $22.05 for 20 minutes. This is insane. Someone in another inmate club told me I can get a local number in the prison state from Verizon and have it call-forwarded to my number automatically, so I would only be charged for a local collect call. Verizon denies knowing anything about it since they don't provide local service in SD. Does anyone have experience with this kind of connection, and can tell me how to set it up? Thanks!:argh

[Nevadatude]

Nevada DOC's rates are comprable to the rates you speak of -- $2.30/first min. + .55cents every min. thereafter. We have no prepaid out here either either they have collect access or you can't call. This is an excellent issue to discuss as our families (who did nothing) are punished too.

[mabear]

In Michigan the guys used to call and they had so much time to say they're name so they were giving messages real fast as their names "ComeuponMonday" "ILoveYou" and hanging up. They could call right back and leave another. I know it's a one sided phone conversation but it was free. Well, that pissed them off cuz they felt they were losing money. So now they have to record their name and all you hear is a recorded message saying they're name. You can't hear anything from them. But get this they can hear you pick up the phone and say something. My husband calls when I come back from a visit just to be sure I made it home okay. He knows how long it should take so I pick up the phone and instead of saying hello I say I love you. He then hangs up the phone and knows I made it home okay and it didn't cost anything.

Another interesting note the recorders start recording the minute the prison phone is picked up before any numbers are pushed. (Found this out because of a ticket.) (Long story) I told him it would be a great protest if guys just started picking up the phones and reading out of a book. Not calling anyone or pushing any numbers just rambling on into the phone. Just think of the millions of tapes used up. I wonder how much of their profit could get cut with things like this?

[Zamyia]

Mabear,

I think that was too funny! I'm gonna have to mention that one to Jack and have him pass that along! I wonder what they would come up with that to combat that one?!

[colinuk]

Anything connected with prison means we get shafted.

[niemand]

Hallo!

On one of my many trips to "SIS" to be threatened, I came across a "Prison guard" magazine. (I "Abstracted" it when not directly observed)

Advertisement for "ITS" inside, had long queue of inmates at telephone, and a smiling prison guard collecting money from ITS.

Advertisement had number to ring for representatives/"Sales associates wanted".

Had (Then) wife ring and get details, horrible it was.

And they call US "Crooks".

May I suggest ringing these companies AS IF YOU WISH TO SELL THEIR SYSTEMS.

They will, (One presumes) happily send full information including wonderful "Profit predictions"

(This will work with companies providing "Urinalysis" if one needs company supplied information as to inaccuracy inherent in said tests)

Why fight to gain something that your enemy will provide easily for free?