BEYOND pissed! Having issues with ISP phone people

[tilforever08]

I've been having some issues with the ISP phone people recently and I juist figured I needed to vent about it before I just start screaming uncontrollably..

First off, when he first got prison, I had my home phone number, and his mom's number added- apparently they weren't ":taking" in the system.. I had to call back 4 times to get it taken care of. They had to be added "manually".. and that took 3 WEEKS. Finally, I had to change my phone number, since he finally got to his next camp. So I disconnected my old one, and was supposed to transfer the money from my old number to my house phone number, to wait for my new number to get approved.

Well.. apparently, first off- ISP told me that *HE* was the only one that could transfer money. Then the next day it was, "You'll have to write a letter to do it." So I did.. THEN, the prison he's AT tells me my home number isn't APPROVED! So back again I call to ISP, and they tell me YES, it IS on there. SO BACK AGAIN I call to my husband's prison and I say, "Yes it is" and they say "Oh ya sorry about that it had to be added manually, it will take 4-5 days for us to transfer the money." 4-5 days?!?!?!? WTF its done ELECTRONICALLY!!!

So I wait about a WEEK.. and it finally goes through today.

I ALSO sent in a money order last week to ISP for $35.00... last monday. IT STILL HASNT BEEN RECIEVED.

WHATS GOING ON?!?!?!?!?! I have tracked the order and it still hasn't been "cashed" yet, I know theyh ave it, it only takes 3 days to get there.

I'm done playing games. If it's not there tomorrow afternoon, I am calling the ombudsman and I am also filing a complaint with the warden and emailing the central office in Des Moines. So in order to ensure they get my f--n money orders, I have to pay $3 to send them CERTIFIED?!?!?! I SHOULDNT HAVE TO PAY MONEY TO HAVE *MONEY* PUT ON A PHONE ACCOUNT!!!!!! I NEEEEEVVVVEEERRR had this problem when the money was going to Oakdale, never got lost ONCE. Now all of a sudden, they smoehow didnt RECIEVE it?!?!?!?!

How in the hell do I get my money back now?!
I seriously am complaining tomorrow and if any of you are having the same problem, PM me.. I'm done taking this crap, this is ridiculous. And on TOP of it, the man on the phone got a LIP with me!!!!!!

[Infinityandbeyond]

Dang til, what a run around! That is BS!
So you are saying you sent a money order approx. 10 days ago and they still havent received/cashed it?

I hope you get some answers tomorrow. I hate that we have to wait till after 1pm to call and check the phone accounts. So it was the guy at the Offender phone acct's number that got lippy with you? Can you ask to speak to the supervisor?

Be sure to have your husband send you his approval list he gets from phone services that shows the deposits made and the numbers approved etc... and keep records of everything. My husband gets a print out once a month and sends to me.

My husband has filed grievances over phone issues with us before. Usually the issue would get resolved pretty quickly. Has your husband reported this to anyone in there?

I've found the only safe way to put money on their accounts that doesnt get messed up is to send all money by western union to his commissary account and have him transfer phone money from there to his phone account. That way no paper mail to "get lost", no money orders MIA where you are out your money with no way to get it back, no waiting 3 days for mail its there within about 15-20 minutes, etc...
The only bad thing is the cost to send western union. It costs me $7.95 to send him money. I think this varies from state to state and depends on the amount but from Mo. that is what it costs me and he has it immediately, well "they" do, but it usually gets posted to his account by the next day for sure.

I'm here to tell you, prison is EXPENSIVE!!! For us, the families, not the institution but us. I average $500 a month on "prison related" expenses for my husband. Sometimes more but rarely less. I keep my receipts for everything, including stamps b/c when his time is up, I plan to add up what the 2 years, 8 months incarceration has cost us.
I dont think it costs $500 to "support" him out here a month. The only thing we are not paying for is his food (although he does buy snacks) and clothes (although he does buy tennis shoes and some misc. clothing). And dont get me started on Iowa taxes!

Anyway, sorry to rant on and on...but I feel angry with you and I hope you can get this resolved tomorrow and your money order miraculousy appears. Stay after them Til, its the only way to get them to do their jobs! They make good money to sit there all day doing nothing.

Keep us posted. Glad you was able to vent.
Infinity

[tilforever08]

i just cannot believe the run around I got.. I was like, "I sent it last Monday, why don't you have it yet?"

His smartass remark well, "Well, MAAM.. we can't CONTROL the post office!"

I was like.. oh hell no you didn't.

So, the money however that was supposed to be transfered from my old number to my house phone WAS transfered, thankfully.. and he was able to call today but I was at work, and until they get my cell # approved, I won't hear from him.

AUUUGGGHHHH they make me want to PULL my HAIR out!!! Why can't they do it automated like they do when your loved one is in jail? When my husband was in county, I was able to do it automated off my debit card, and it funded to his account within 15 minutes.

[Kathy1961]

Sorry you're going through this! The only thing I've ever dealt with pertaining to the phone happened a few weeks ago. I called the number at 1:09 p.m. to see if my money order had been received for my friend's account. It rang like 7 times & the man who answered the phone said: "I'll check it this time, but from now on could you wait 'til after 1 to call?" I looked at my clocks & said "Um...it IS after one". After that he DID apologize & I just laughed it off with him. I know those things happen, but YOUR problem is infuriating! I've run into a lot of really nice COs, but it only takes one unpleasant experience to taint it all. doesn't it? Hope it works out soon for you!

[tilforever08]

I take my lunch at noon, so I have to wait until my afternoon break to take it.. which only gives me 15 minutes. Sometimes, they don't answer the phone until the 5th time I try calling.

Why are we only allowed to call between 1 and 4? Do they just not want to deal with it until then? That will also be in my complaint today if I don't get any answers. Sometimes I can't get to the phone until after 4 pm. So then what am I supposed to do? Wait until tomorrow? My schedule is the same all week, so am I just supposed to assume my money gets put on, and then go out of my way and miss work to track it? No thanks, not doing that anymore.

[Benny's Wife]

Til, sorry to hear you are having such problems. I have to agree with Infinity though in that the only seemingly "no problems" way to send money is through Western Union. It does cost a bit more but whenever I send my husband money I use the website and he always has the money on his account within 2 days at the maximum and then he transfers money over for the phone from his commissary. Luckily, I haven't had to send him too much lately because he's been using his money from work to buy what he needs. Good luck with everything and I hope you are able to either get your money back or that he will get the money soon!

[tilforever08]

We shouldn't have to do that though, and thats exactly whats going to be in my complaint. We shoudln't have to "PAY MONEY" to "PUT MONEY" on a phone account when we're already sending in hard earned money in the first place!!!!

[tilforever08]

Ok.. so get THIS..

APPARENTLY.. my "phone number" isn't approved yet, so thats why it hasn't been added to his phone account.. it's been MAILED BACK TO ME.

Now.. tell me why it hasn't been approved, b/c he CALLED ME ON THAT NUMBER YESTERDAY AND TODAY!!!!


... I'm seriously done dealing with these people....

[Infinityandbeyond]

They mailed the money order back to you?

Did you get any resolution to this today?

When you do write a complaint letter, I would recommend sending it certified (which costs money too) or what I did was I faxed my letter to the Directors Office, that way I KNOW and have confirmation it was faxed to that number cause it says so at the top of the page, it would be hard for them to deny they received it if the fax goes through. A lot of fax machines will print out a verification form that it did go through. I also called after I faxed to be sure they received the fax. And wrote down the lady's name who confirmed with me she had received it with the date and time I spoke to her. (I am able to use the fax machine at work so I dont have to pay for it)

The only other way to be certain they receive something and cannot deny is to email it to them and ask that they respond immediately just to say they received the email.

You cannot CYA too much with these people. They make you take extreme measures to be sure they are doing their jobs.

(we are already experiencing a new "challenge" of the right hand/left hand disease the IDOC seems to have. I swear they take classes before they are allowed to start their positions that teaches them to lie, cover up, deny, change their stories, and give political answers)

[tilforever08]

Yeah apparently it was mailed back to me..

MY question is, why wasn't I told this on the phone the day before when I called? The man on the phone simply told me it wasn't there, and then the next day, the lady I spoke with, told me that they had mailed it back THE DAY THE MAN TOLD ME HE DIDNT KNOW WHERE IT IS.

Yeah, I have my letter all typed up. I'm emailing it, and I'm also mailing it to their office to make sure they have double copies.

Seriously, I'm tired of playin games. One person tells me one thing and then another person tells me something else.. really? Is it that hard to do a little bit of work?

[Infinityandbeyond]

Oh girl I have too much to say about this and for the sake of not taking over your thread I will start my own.

I'm with you and feel your frustration though. Sorry you are having to deal with the insanity of it all.