Complaints

This profile includes complaints for ViaPath Technologies's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  ViaPath Technologies

  3120 Fairview Park Dr Ste 300 Falls Church, VA 22042-4570

• 

  Global Tel* Link Corporation

  72 North Village Ave Ste 2E Rockville Centre, NY 11570

• 

  Global Tel* Link Corporation

  201 Cayuga Ave Ste 15 Altoona, PA 16602

• 

  Global Tel Link

  3945 Okemos Rd Ste A4 Okemos, MI 48864

• 

  Global Tel* Link

  1203 Governors Square Blvd. Ste 501 Tallahassee, FL 32301

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/16/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  (see below email to GTL) "I just spoke with ********, GTL Agent ID Number *******, at approximately 6:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. EST), March 14th, 2023. This is about the 10th time I've spoken with a GTL representative concerning my refund for $95.18. GTL has repeatedly told me that it was sent and that it would arrive in the mail any day, and to continue to wait. The last time they sent the check was December 1st, 2022 and it has still not arrived. GTL representative ******** told me that the check is no longer valid and they would have to resend it and that he would send it "with urgency" since I have been waiting for almost a year, since May, 2022, to receive the check. I have spoken with about 10 GTL representatives and I'm still expecting my refund. to my knowledge, you can find me in your system by looking up my name *****************************, ************, email addresses ************************* and ********************** date of birth 4/27/84, facility: ******** County Sheriff's Office, booking key ****** (my booking number in that jail was *******). I've also sent an email, a couple of weeks ago, to [email protected] and I received no response, so I resent it this morning. I ask again will you please refund my money of $95.18. to avoid any more complications regarding me not receiving the check that you guys send I am asking that you please consider depositing it into one of my bank accounts or debit cards, because, as you can tell from the history of this issue, this seems to be an ongoing issue, one that will not be fixed unless the money is deposited into my account rather than be re-mailed and lost again for the third or fourth time. Please note that I was the inmate associated with this account, but I am no longer an inmate. I am still associated with the account. a power of attorney is the person who originally paid it when I was in jail, from an debit account that is no longer active. during the intervening months after my release, GTL switched the account to me."

  Business Response

  Date: 04/21/2023

  ******************************;                               April 21, 2023
  ***************************************** *
  Apache Junction, AZ ***** 
  **************
  Email: *************************
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania

  RE:***************************** Complaint ID# ********

  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer ***************************** contacted BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania citing that I just spoke with ********, GTL Agent ID Number *******, at approximately 6:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. EST), March 14th, 2023. This is about the 10th time I've spoken with a GTL representative concerning my refund of $95.18. GTL has repeatedly told me that it was sent and that it would arrive in the mail any day, and to continue to wait. The last time they sent the check was December 1st, 2022, and it has still not arrived. GTL representative ******** told me that the check is no longer valid, and they would have to resend it and that he would send it "with urgency" since I have been waiting for almost a year, since May 2022, to receive the check. I have spoken with about 10 GTL representatives and I'm still expecting my refund. to my knowledge, you can find me in your system by looking up my name ****** ********, ************, email addresses ***************@*****.com and ************@*****.com date of birth *******, facility: ******** County Sheriff's Office, booking key ****** (my booking number in that jail was *******). I've also sent an email, a couple of weeks ago, to [email protected] and I received no response, so I resent it this morning. I ask again will you please refund my money of $95.18. to avoid any more complications regarding me not receiving the check that you guys send I am asking that you please consider depositing it into one of my bank accounts or debit cards, because, as you can tell from the history of this issue, this seems to be an ongoing issue, one that will not be fixed unless the money is deposited into my account rather than be re-mailed and lost again for the third or fourth time. Please note that I was the inmate associated with this account, but I am no longer an inmate. I am still associated with the account. a power of attorney is the person who originally paid it when I was in jail, from a debit account that is no longer active. during the intervening months after my release, GTL switched the account to me.
  
  Upon review of the complaint addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath confirmed that the initial refund request was delayed for processing, due to a system error, however, ViaPath approved the refund and expedited the refund via check for $95.18 to be sent overnight to the address on file, due to the delay referenced. Please refer to the following tracking number via ***: ******************, with a guarantee to be delivered by the end of day Friday, Apr 21, 2023.
  
  We regret the delay in processing the request, however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. Considering the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
  
  Cordially,
  
  ****** ********
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager, Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  www.viapath.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/22/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  It has taken nearly one year for GTL to issue any kind of response, and it is a response that I believe does not resolve the issue. I should be compensated for the wait as well. GTL did this on purpose, deliberately refusing to refund me for almost one full year and paying me back only after I called them eleven times, emailed them several times, and filed a formal BBB complaint, proving that they maliciously held on to my money as a business scam and issued a response only after they were compelled to do so. Though my complaint was specifically regarding my own refund, the thousands of other former inmates and their friends and family who have been deprived of their refunds permanently or indefinitely must not be forgotten. 
  

  Regards,

  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/13/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Mailed ************* check number ************ for $300.00 to Global Tel-Link Corp in Mobile AL.. Check was deposited in Denver Co on 12-21-2022 not applied to the account for ***** ***** to be used by *** ***** **** **** ****** ***** Prison in ***********, SD. Seconded ******* ***** check number 19-********* for $300.00 was mailed by certified mail on 1/11/2023 and pick up at the post office in Mobile AL. on 1/31/2023 at 9:22 AM. So far as of today 3/13/2023 this check has not been cashed when we call ******* ***** to check on the status of the check. It also should of been applied to *****'s account. I have been having my daughter in law ***** call with me to GTL just about every week to see why these have not been applied. They keep putting tickets on it to solve this so far nothing has been done. I would like the monies to be applied to my account. They just keep giving us the run around.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/10/2023

  **.  *********************;                                                                                 April 10, 2023
  ***********************
  Aberdeen, SD ***********
  **************
  Email:  N/A
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
  
  RE: ********************* Complaint ID# ********
  
  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer ********************* contacted the BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania citing that Mailed ******* ***** check number ************ for $300.00 to Global Tel-Link Corp in Mobile AL.. Check was deposited in Denver Co on 12-21-2022 not applied to the account for ***** ***** to be used by *** ***** **** **** ****** ***** Prison in Springfield, SD. Seconded ******* ***** check number ************ for $300.00 was mailed by certified mail on 1/11/2023 and pick up at the post office in Mobile AL. on 1/31/2023 at 9:22 AM. So far as of today 3/13/2023 this check has not been cashed when we call ******* ***** to check on the status of the check. It also should have been applied to *****'s account. I have been having my daughter in law ***** call with me to GTL just about every week to see why these have not been applied. They keep putting tickets on it to solve this so far nothing has been done. I would like the monies to be applied to my account. They just keep giving us the run around.
  
  Upon review of the complaint addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath located and applied both money orders for $300.00 as of  today, April 10th, 2023, per the following money order #’s to the Pin Debit phone account of ****** ***** ID#*****, located in **** ****** ***** Prison.
  ************-$300.00
  ************-$300.00
  
  We regret the delay in locating and posting the money orders as received, however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. Considering the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
  
  Cordially,
  
  ****** ********
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager, Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  ***************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/05/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Connect Network offers services for **** **** ** that you can pay for, but their services are a scam. I purchased what I thought was debit link funding for my sister and she has never received the money and the purchase was successful. Upon trying to render a solution with CN I find out that they don't actually provide those services for **** **** **. I called and asked for a refund where I was told those sales are final and no refund can be issued. I then spoke with supervisor who said the same thing. I am filing this complaint because I feel that I was definitely scammed as they offer fake services. I feel taken advantage of and highly disrespected as a hard working American. Please investigate this company.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/07/2023

  **. ******* ****                                                                                            April 7, 2023
  ***********************
  Cleveland, TN ********
  **************
  Email: ***************************
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
  
  RE: ******* **** Complaint ID#********
  
  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer ******* **** contacted The BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania citing that Connect Network offers services for **** **** ** that you can pay for, but their services are a scam. I purchased what I thought was debit link funding for my sister and she has never received the money and the purchase was successful. Upon trying to render a solution with CN I find out that they don't provide those services for **** **** **. I called and asked for a refund where I was told those sales are final and no refund can be issued. I then spoke with supervisor who said the same thing. I am filing this complaint because I feel that I was scammed as they offer fake services. I feel taken advantage of and highly disrespected as a hard-working American. Please investigate this company.
  
  Upon review of the complaint addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath confirmed the service offered for Debit Link Units at the Tennessee Department of Corrections **** was accidentally enabled and the transaction referenced was accepted for the service referenced. Considering this information, a refund of $22.00 has been approved to be refunded via check as we are unable to refund the original method of payment, as these transactions are normally non-refundable. Please allow up to 30 business days to receive the refund via check. We regret the delay and inconvenience this action has caused.
  
  We regret *** **** has not had a great experience using our services; however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. Considering the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
  
  Cordially,
  
  *****************************
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager,Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  ***************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/01/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My calls have been disconnected several times saying “No Third Parties Allowed” while I’m trying to speak with my incarcerated loved one. The line gets disconnected each time. There are never third party calls taking place. I spend lots of money on this service and I find it unacceptable for it not to work properly. This has been happening to lots of other customers as well. My loved one has to spend lots of time in the phone line to call me, 30 minutes before he’s able to make another call. This is not fair, I have done nothing wrong. GTL/ViaPath needs this issue resolved immediately.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2023

  **. ******************************                           April 4, 2023
  *************************
  Winter Haven, FL *****
  **************
  Email: *****************************
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
  
  RE: ***************************** Complaint ID# ********
  
  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer ***** ********* contacted The BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania citing that my calls have been disconnected several times saying “No Third Parties Allowed” while I’m trying to speak with my incarcerated loved one. The line gets disconnected each time. There are never third-party calls taking place. I spend lots of money on this service and I find it unacceptable for it not to work properly. This has been happening to lots of other customers as well. My loved one has to spend lots of time in the phone line to call me, 30 minutes before he’s able to make another call. This is not fair; I have done nothing wrong. GTL/ViaPath needs this issue resolved immediately.
  
  Upon reviewing the complaint and addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath checked the prepaid AdvancePay account ending in **** as it was attached to the complaint. ViaPath is more than happy to review associated accounts connected to *** ********* regarding the issue outlined of third-party interruptions during calls. ViaPath’s phone/calling system is extremely sensitive to interruptions in calls such as an incoming call notification or beep and placing the call on hold to answer a second call. Long pauses where the conversation is null and additional energy such as conversations/voices in the background, will also trigger the system to disconnect the call citing a three-way call. It is imperative that incoming calls are not answered during a call as this may result in the call being disconnected. Please also note that upon the release of a call for whatever reason, billing is terminated as ViaPath bills on a per-minute basis of $0.14 per minute and is regulated by the FCC.
  
  Considering the issues reported and confirmed, ViaPath has taken the initiative to submit a change request to the facility for approval to lower the sensitivity features in the phone system, referenced above. ViaPath is working diligently to ensure conversations are not disconnected and coded as a three-way call when that is not the case. In the meantime, should these issues continue to occur, minus the instances outlined above, please include specific dates and times of the occurrence(s) as this information would be helpful in escalating the matter to be investigated to identify if there is an equipment or system issue on our end that may be causing the disruptions reported to be resolved in a timely manner.
  
  We regret *** ********* has not had a great experience using our products and services, however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. Considering the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
  
  Cordially,
  
  *****************************
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager,Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  ***************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/28/2023

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have an account with Telmate that I was using to communicate with my brother who is incarcerated, my account has always been in good standing. About 6 months after I began using Telmate to talk to my brother and send money to his own account on Telmate, I was no longer able to deposit funds to on his. I hadn't any idea of why. I had to ask my husband to drive to the county jail to set up an account at a kiosk and then deposit money minus a 17 percent fee that in its self is ridiculously high and to be what I consider unfair the family and friends of inmates who are already facing the burden of legal fees etc (Telmate preys upon people who literally have no other options as far as communication with their families), because I was in *******, 300 miles away while my 75 yr old father was having open heart surgery and I couldn't deal with Telmates bs at the time. Upon calling the scam number listed on Telmates website to contact the worst customer service ever after being placed on hold for 47 minutes(I was told I would be on hold for approx 4 minutes as I was the 3rd caller in line), that because a transaction between someone else and brother had not gone through, and the funds that were never actually in Telmates jack bag wagon possession, were "taken back by the bank" I could not longer make deposits to my brother AND if I tried to my account would be locked "because it's like a domino effect" said the troglodyte on the other end of the line.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/26/2020

  March 26, 2020 
   
  Better Business Bureau *******************************************************************;
   
  RE *********************************** #******* 
   
  This letter serves as a formal response to the complaint listed above. 
   
  Consumer *********************************** contacted the Better Business Bureau regarding that her phone number and the account of the incarcerated individual was blocked from debit/credit card transactions and was a cash only account. 
   
  In reviewing the incarcerated account there was a credit/debit card block on the inmates account as well as **. *********** account due to a credit card dispute made by a friend and family member of the incarcerated. Previously whenever a customer disputed credit card charges, the inmate and anyone that had added funds to the inmates account or was associated money wise to the inmates account were then blocked from making a debit/credit card transaction until the dispute was resolved. The reasoning behind this is customers would add funds, then disputes the charges, so that number would be blocked, the customer would then get a new number and add funds again, and again dispute charges. So, changes were made so that not only would that phone number would get blocked, they also blocked the inmates and any other phone number that had added funds so that it was a cash only account. The reasoning for requiring a cash only account is Telmate did not wish to take a chance of accepting a credit/debit card payment and instead require secured payment of cash or ***** **** ******* to add funds. As a merchant is legally entitled to demand any form of payment they wish, and a credit/debit card is not legal tender, but it is merely one of many convenient ways of paying a debt or paying for a service and is not preventing the customer from making deposits or adding funds, only the option to add these funds by debit/credit card.  
   
  We are always updating policies and procedures as circumstances change. The most recent change that was approved recently, was that when a customer disputed a credit card charge, only their phone number would be blocked from adding funds via a debit credit card. The inmate account and other associated with the inmates account will not be blocked. This policy is subject to change at any time. 
  **. *********** phone number and the inmates account has been unblocked and she is not able to add funds via debit/credit card.  
   
  Telmate anticipates that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions please feel free to contact me. 
   
  Sincerely yours, 
   
  ************************* *******, Issue Resolution Spec.  GTL |  *********** office ************/ fax ************ 
   

  Business Response

  Date: 04/07/2023

  **. *******************************************************************************************                                                                                 April 7, 2023
  *******************************
  Springfield, OR ********
  **************/ **************
  Email: ************************
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
  
  RE: *********************************** Complaint ID# ********
  
  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer *********************************** contacted The BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania citing that I have an account with the that I was using to communicate with my brother who is incarcerated, my account has always been in good standing. About 6 months after I began using Telmate to talk to my brother and send money to his own account on Telmate, I was no longer able to deposit funds to him. I hadn't any idea why. I had to ask my husband to drive to the county jail to set up an account at a kiosk and then deposit money minus a 17 percent fee that is ridiculously high and to be what I consider unfair to the family and friends of inmates who are already facing the burden of legal fees. (Telmate preys upon people who have no other options as far as communication with their families),because I was in *******, 300 miles away while my 75 yr. old father was having open heart surgery and I couldn't deal with Telmate bs at the time. Upon calling the scam number listed on Telmate site to contact the worst customer service ever after being placed on hold for 47 minutes(I was told I would be on hold for approx. 4 minutes as I was the 3rd caller in line), that because a transaction between someone else and brother had not gone through, and the funds that were never actually in Telmates jack bag wagon possession, were "taken back by the bank" I could no longer make deposits to my brother AND if I tried to my account would be locked "because it's like a domino effect" said the troglodyte on the other end of the line.
  
  Upon review of the complaint addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed the account associated with ************************ and was unable to locate any blocks enabled with the account that would hinder/halt communication, however, in the event that there was a deposit made to a resident which was later disputed, that action would enable a block to the residents account for credit/debit card deposits until the balance is paid in full, no matter who was responsible for said transaction.************************ did not provide her brothers name and or pin number to confirm that this is **************** brother. ViaPath is more than happy to review and confirm that the instance referenced above has been applied to **. *********** loved ones account, however, in order to do so, it is necessary to provide us with all pertinent information, such as the residents name and or pin number,as well as the facility in which they are located to assist in further detail.
  
  We regret ************************ has not had a great experience of using our services; however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. Considering the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
  
  Cordially,
  
  *****************************
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager,Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  ***************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/28/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This company holds a monopoly on communications between inmates and their loved ones at *** County Jail. No in-person visitation is allowed, it must be performed virtually through this company, as well as phone calls, providing money for commissary and messaging, with plans in a couple of months to include any paper letters/photos needing to be scanned in. These services are not free, we are paying for any form of communication with our loved one. They plan to charge inmates to even read letters originally sent by postal service. The app currently does not work, last night it said an update was required, which I then did through the App Store but it continues to say it needs updated, but the App Store has no updates and tries to open the app. The app does not support sending photos intermittently, saying they are too large of files, while others do work, though these are all photos from the same phone. The website is far from user friendly and there are no options to share photos from the website, only the app. Instructions on the app and webpage are not clear, when trying to add money to an inmates account, there are three options. A loved one must pay money to their own account to send messages or receive phone calls, but they must also apply money to the inmates phone account for these same privileges, and then there is a separate account for commissary, which as it turns out the inmate can transfer those funds to their phone if needed but not the other way around. This information is not relayed anywhere on the website or app, the inmates have told us. The app will randomly be in French, though I have never seen an option to change the language and I do not speak French. This has proven to be a very unreliable service and there are not alternatives. This exacerbates a stressful situation. I would be curious to know how *** County Jail came to select this company for inmate communications as it has been nothing but a disappointment.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/20/2023

  **. *************************                                                    April 20, 2023
  **** * **********
  Boise, ID *****
  **************
  Email: ********************
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
  
  RE:***************************** Complaint ID# ********
  
  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer ***************************** contacted The BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania citing that This company holds a monopoly on communications between inmates and their loved ones at *** County Jail. No in-person visitation is allowed, it must be performed virtually through this company, as well as phone calls, providing money for commissary and messaging, with plans in a couple of months to include any paper letters/photos needing to be scanned in. These services are not free, we are paying for any form of communication with our loved one. They plan to charge inmates to even read letters originally sent by postal service. The app currently does not work. Last night it said an update was required, which I then did through the App Store, but it continues to say it needs updated, but the App Store has no updates and tries to open the app. The app does not support sending photos intermittently, saying they are too large of files, while others do work, though these are all photos from the same phone. The website is far from user friendly and there are no options to share photos from the website, only the app. Instructions on the app and webpage are not clear. When trying to add money to an inmate’s account, there are three options. A loved one must pay money to their own account to send messages or receive phone calls, but they must also apply money to the inmates’ phone account for these same privileges, and then there is a separate account for commissary, which as it turns out the inmate can transfer those funds to their phone if needed but not the other way around. This information is not relayed anywhere on the website or app, the inmates have told us. The app will randomly be in French, though I have never seen an option to change the language and I do not speak French. This has proven to be a very unreliable service and there are no alternatives. This exacerbates a stressful situation. I would be curious to know how *** County Jail came to select this company for inmate communications as it has been nothing but a disappointment.
  
  Upon reviewing the complaint and addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed the account attached to *** ******** shows successful messages, photos and calls and there did not appear to be an issue that prohibited either party from communicating successfully, prior to *** ********’s’ release.
  
  Regarding the language displaying as French, please note that the language button at the bottom of the screen via the application you must select to change the language before signing in on the application.
  
  Regarding updates to the application, ViaPath recommends enabling automatic updates to the application as the last update for the application was 02/23/2023. Please note that Android devices may or may not allow automatic updates for the application. Automatic updates are allowed for the application, however, upon doing so, the device must be plugged into power before the update will successfully update. Please note that photos can only be added via the application and should be formatted and saved as jpeg files prior to sending via the application.
  
  We regret *** ******** has not had a great experience using our products and services, however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. Considering the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
  
  Cordially,
  
  ****** ********
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager, Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  ***************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/27/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On the 18th they charged my card twice and told me it would take 30 days to refund it has been well over 30 days they customer care number has not been any help all I want it my 86 dollars back

  Business Response

  Date: 04/07/2023

  *******************************;                                                                                 April 7, 2023
  ***** **********
  Crossville, TN *****
  **************
  Email: ***********************
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
  
  RE: ******************************* Complaint ID# ********
  
  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer ****************************** contacted The BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania citing that on the 18th they charged my card twice and told me it would take 30 days to refund it has been well over 30 days they customer care number has not been any help all I want it my 86 dollars back.
  
  Upon review of the complaint addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed the account associated with *** ********* and was unable to locate a duplicate transaction for $86.00 as referenced on the 18th of any month. ViaPath is more than happy to refund duplicate transactions as reported, however, confirmation of the duplicate transaction is required to issue a refund for the amount referenced. A bank statement showing duplicate transactions, on the date referenced with the status of paid would suffice to expedite a refund. *** ********* is welcome to provide this information directly via the email address below or in response to this complaint via the BBB as we would like to resolve this issue as soon as possible.
  
  We regret *** ********* has not had a great experience of using our services; however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. Considering the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

  Cordially,
  
  *****************************
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager,Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  ***************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/25/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been using email communications through ViaPath's Getting Out. Recently, I haven't been receiving reply emails from the incarcerated person. I called the Getting Out customer service. They said the inmate cannot send reply email with the Getting Out funds. I was told that the Getting Out funds were only for me to send an email. I am really confused by this revelation, as I have not had prior issues. I was instructed to open a ******* ******* account so the inmate could send a reply email. I created a ******* ******* account & deposited funds. Recently, I deposited funds to the ******* ******* trust fund on a Wednesday. After I got notice from my bank that the account was charged, I checked the account balance with ******* *******, the website shows a $0 balance. I called the customer service number for ********************. The person on the phone told me that I would have to submit an email form for the inquiry. Interestingly, the "form" states to call the customer service number for account questions. I demanded to speak with a supervisor. I was transferred to "Escalations". From there I was informed that I wouldn't be able to view what the ******* ******* trust fund balance is from the website. I was told that I could only know if the funds were deposited by speaking to the inmate. I have read many of the complaints about this company. There seems to be a pattern of fraudulent & purposeful deception. ViaPath is not interested in providing a quality service, operating a valid business, or practicing good customer service. This company by all appearances & personal experience is the definition of swindling.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/30/2023

  *** ******* ******                                                             March 30, 2023
  ** **************
  Shawnee, OK *****
  **************
  Email:  *******************
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
  
  RE:*************************** Complaint ID# ********
  
  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer *************************** contacted The BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania citing that I have been using email communications through ViaPath's Getting Out.Recently, I haven't been receiving reply to emails from the incarcerated person. I called the Getting Out customer service. They said the inmate cannot send reply email with the Getting Out funds. I was told that the Getting Out funds were only for me to send an email. I am really confused by this revelation, as I have not had prior issues. I was instructed to open a ******* ******* account so the inmate could send a reply email. I created a ******* ******* account & deposited funds. Recently, I deposited funds to the ******* ******* trust fund on a Wednesday. After I got notice from my bank that the account was charged, I checked the account balance with ******* *******,the website shows a $0 balance. I called the customer service number for ********************. The person on the phone told me that I would have to submit an email form for the inquiry. Interestingly, the "form" states to call the customer service number for account questions. I demanded to speak with a supervisor. I was transferred to "Escalations". From there I was informed that I wouldn't be able to view what the ******* ******* trust fund balance is from the website. I was told that I could only know if the funds were deposited by speaking to the inmate. I have read many of the complaints about this company. There seems to be a pattern of fraudulent & purposeful deception. ViaPath is not interested in providing a quality service, operating a valid business, or practicing good customer service. This company by all appearances & personal experience is the definition of swindling.
  
  Upon review of the complaint addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath confirmed the information provided regarding the deposit to an offenders Trust/Commissary account will not show in **. ************ account as the deposit is the property of the offender.
  
  In regard to email communications, ViaPath can only confirm, due to privacy regulations, that there were no issues found that would prevent a response to your messages.
  
  We regret the inconvenience this may have caused; however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. In light of the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
  
  Cordially,
  
  *****************************
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager, Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  ***************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/24/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I placed funds onto my account so that my friend could contact me when needed. They haven't needed to contact me in some time, and due to inactivity, they shut the account down and kept the remaining balance. Being told that there is nothing they can do to re-instate those funds or issue a refund. No notification of expiration, no notification of account closure due to inactivity, nothing. Found out because my friend tried to call me and could not. This is ridiculous and somehow feels illegal and certainly unethical. It's not a lot of money ($50) but it's more of the principle around these large companies making these unilateral decisions and not having any consideration for the impact they have on people and their lives. If anything, I hope this serves as a warning to others to be aware of these unethical practices.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/23/2023

  **. ************************                                                                          March 23, 2023
  **** ********
  Orlando, FL****

  *****/ **************/**************
  Email: ************************
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
  RE: ************************* Complaint ID#********
  
  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer ************************* contacted The BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania I placed funds onto my account so that my friend could contact me when needed. They haven't needed to contact me in some time, and due to inactivity, they shut the account down and kept the remaining balance. Being told that there is nothing they can do to re-instate those funds or issue a refund. No notification of expiration, no notification of account closure due to inactivity, nothing. Found out because my friend tried to call me and could not. This is ridiculous and somehow feels illegal and certainly unethical. It's not a lot of money ($50) but it's more of the principle around these large companies making these unilateral decisions and not having any consideration for the impact they have on people and their lives. If anything, I hope this serves as a warning to others to be aware of these unethical practices.
  
  Upon review of the complaint addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath located the AdvancePay account ending in **** & **** to which Expired Funds were found as removed from the account, as there had been no activity. As of December 28th, 2022, ViaPath updated our AdvancePay Inactivity Policy and Text and Email Alert Opt-In Feature Notice that states the following: To all AdvancePay Account Holders, please be aware that your account will become inactive after 180 days of inactivity or non-use. Refunds are only available for active accounts by contacting our customer service center within the 180-day period. If you would like to sign-up for a text and/or email alert reminder 30 days before your account goes inactive, please visit AdvancePay Account Preferences.  This policy can be found upon log-in at **********************.
  
  As a one-time courtesy, ViaPath reinstated the Expired Funds balance of $19.01 per the prepaid AdvancePay account of (**** ******** for approval of a check refund to be sent to the address above. The Expired Funds balance of $25.58 per the prepaid AdvancePay account of (**** ******** has also been approved to be refunded via check to be sent to the address above. Please allow up to 30 business days to receive the refunds referenced.
  
  We regret *** ******** has not had a great experience in using our services; however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. Considering the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly. 
  
  Cordially,
  
  *****************************
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager,Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  ***************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/26/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have a couple of complaints being I have been a valued customer of long standing with this company. I spend anywhere from $400-$700 a month with this company just to communicate with my husband and my children can talk to their father. Lately my calls keep getting dropped because it says “no third party calls” I can assure you there is no 3rd party action. I’ve made several complaints to the company and they have been no help. This is happening to thousands of their customers. I am in many groups of loved ones who are incarcerated and tons of people are experiencing the same thing and they will not hold accountability. Also, they blocked me from using one of my phone numbers because of the third party call accusations (made by an automated service mind you) and I had to go and purchase another phone for 100$ just to make a new account with this company. I am a single mother being my husband is incarcerated. If I am spending this much money into a company each month I expect the service to be great. Or at least decent. This is horrible! As a valued customer I am very disappointed. Please help! So many people are dealing with this and they will not hold accountability!

  Business Response

  Date: 03/23/2023

  *****************************;                                                                                    March 23, 2023
  9639 ************
  New Port Richey, FL  *****
  **************/ **************
  Email: *************************
  
  c/o BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
  
  RE: *************************** Complaint ID# ********
  
  This letter serves as a response to the complaint listed above.
  
  Consumer *************************** contacted The BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania citing I have a couple of complaints being I have been a valued customer of long standing with this company. I spend anywhere from $400-$700 a month with this company just to communicate with my husband and my children can talk to their father. Lately my calls keep getting dropped because it says “no third-party calls” I can assure you there is no 3rd party action. I’ve made several complaints to the company, and they have been no help. This is happening to thousands of their customers. I am in many groups of loved ones who are incarcerated, and tons of people are experiencing the same thing and they will not hold accountability. Also, they blocked me from using one of my phone numbers because of the third-party call accusations (made by an automated service mind you) and I had to go and purchase another phone for 100$ just to make a new account with this company. I am a single mother being my husband is incarcerated. If I am spending this much money into a company each month, I expect the service to be great. Or at least decent. This is horrible! As a valued customer I am very disappointed. Please help! So many people are dealing with this and they will not hold accountability!
  
  Upon reviewing the complaint and addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath checked the prepaid AdvancePay accounts ending in **** & **** to confirm and resolve the issues outlined. Upon doing so, we found most calls dating back from 01/01/2023 till the current date of 03/16/2023 have been successful, although there were some calls that were disconnected citing the detection of a three-way call. ViaPath’s phone/calling system is extremely sensitive to interruptions in calls such as an incoming call notification or beep and placing the call on hold to answer a second call. Long pauses where the conversation is null and additional energy such as conversations/voices in the background, will also trigger the system to disconnect the call citing a three-way call. It is imperative that incoming calls are not answered during a call as this may result in the call being disconnected. Please also note that upon the release of a call for whatever reason, billing is terminated as ViaPath bills on a per-minute basis of $0.14 per minute minus a reconnection fee and is regulated by the FCC.
  
  Going forward, should these issues continue to occur, minus the instances outlined above, please include specific dates and times of the occurrence(s) as this information would be helpful in escalating the matter to be investigated to identify if there is an equipment or system issue on our end that may be causing the disruptions reported to be resolved in a timely manner.
  
  Regarding the block added to the prepaid AdvancePay account ending in 2666, this account was blocked due to a formally disputed transaction processed on 01/28/23 for $25.00, by way of the financial institution attached to the credit/debit card ending in ****. However, the block was not enabled until notification from the financial institution on 02/17/23.
  
  We regret *** ******* has not had a great experience using our products and services, however, we remain willing to continue to improve our services and address issues that may arise in a timely manner. Considering the explanation outlined, we anticipate that this will close this complaint, and should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
  
  Cordially,
  
  *****************************
  ViaPath Technologies | Manager, Consumer Complaints
  ********************************************************
  ***************