Business Profile

Communications

ViaPath Technologies

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Important information

Customer Complaint:
Please be advised that due to the high volume of complaints received for this business, BBB publishes 1 out of every 10 complaints handled through our conciliation process.

Complaints

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

Customer Complaints Summary

736 total complaints in the last 3 years.
175 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

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:09/01/2023
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.
Union arrival to ************** my tablet was discovered by the property department to be damaged upon opening the packaging. The tablet was never distributed to me nor was it functional enough to turn on. When notifying Viapath Technologies support staff I was informed that Viapath bares no responsibility for damage products once products are shipped.
Business Response
Date: 09/21/2023
**********************; September 21, 2023
*********************
Philadelphia, PA *****
**************
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 Union arrival to ************** my tablet was discovered by the property department to be damaged upon opening the packaging. The tablet was never distributed to me nor was it functional enough to turn on. When notifying ViaPath Technologies support staff I was informed that ViaPath bears no responsibility for damage products once products are shipped.

Upon review of the complaint to address the concerns outlined, ViaPath was unsuccessful in our attempt to review or confirm the details of the complaint due to the lack of information provided. ************ would need to provide the estimated date the device/tablet was ordered and delivered. If the device was not provided to ************ as stated, he would be entitled a refund, given the information provided is accurate. ************ is welcome to provide this information to be investigated and refunded where applicable.

We regret ************ has not had a great experience in 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Customer Answer
Date: 10/02/2023
[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:
From: *********************** <************************>
Date: Mon, Oct 2, 2023 at 3:23 PM
Subject: Ref. ID ********
To: <************@mybbb.org>

A new tablet was sent but the screen is broken and not fully functional. A new complaint ticket was logged and we are waiting for a response. I will send an update as things progress.

***********************
????

Regards,

*****************
Business Response
Date: 10/06/2023
**********************; October 6, 2023
*********************
Philadelphia, PA *****
**************
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 to reject our initial response citing that A new tablet was sent but the screen is broken and not fully functional. A new complaint ticket was logged, and we are waiting for a response. I will send an update as things progress.

Upon review of the complaint to address the concerns outlined, ViaPath confirmed a support link ticket was received regarding the new tablet and the damages outlined. Please note that these tickets are answered in the order received. Upon inspection of the tablet received to confirm the issues noted, a replacement tablet/device will be provided.

We regret ************ has not had a great experience in 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Initial Complaint
Date:08/31/2023
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 announced using an automated system that calls are 14 cents a minute. using an example that a 10-minute call will cost $1.40, and an additional $3.00 for using the service to connect with incarcerated loved ones. And if the call is not connected there will be no charges. But it fails to say that if an inmate hangs up during the lengthy wait of entering the credit card information and the payment is successful there will be an amount of $7.34 still charged to the card. After two separate times calling the Customer Service telephone number at ************** on one of those calls the representative stated she would process that lost call for an investigation and if it was a credit she would load it to my account that I could use in cheaper phone calls with my loved one, I literally had to state that I want my money processed back to my credit card. And this last call to Customer Service this representative said I could not get my money back at all. I believe this is a scam because it clearly violates its automated announcement. Also when looking up this company by its name it seems fraudulent because there is GTL, Connection Network GTL, and a name listed on my statement as GTL Inmate Phone Service.
Business Response
Date: 09/08/2023
*** ******* ***** September 8, 2023
**** ************* #*
Metairie, LA *****
**************
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 announced using an automated system that calls are 14 cents a minute. using an example that a 10-minute call will cost $1.40, and an additional $3.00 for using the service to connect with incarcerated loved ones. And if the call is not connected there will be no charges. But it fails to say that if an inmate hangs up during the lengthy wait of entering the credit card information and the payment is successful there will be an amount of $7.34 still charged to the card. After two separate times calling the Customer Service telephone number at ###-###-#### on one of those calls the representative stated she would process that lost call for an investigation and if it was a credit she would load it to my account that I could use in cheaper phone calls with my loved one, I literally had to state that I want my money processed back to my credit card. And this last call to Customer Service, this representative said I could not get my money back at all. I believe this is a scam because it clearly violates its automated announcement. Also, when looking up this company by its name it seems fraudulent because there is GTL, Connection Network GTL, and a name listed on my statement as GTL Inmate Phone Service.

Upon review of the complaint to address and resolve the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed and confirmed that two Advance Pay One Calls (APOC) on August 29th, 2023, were charged the full amount although both calls were either prematurely disconnected or were never connected. The $7.34 charge is a hold amount for a 15-minute call which is normally voided and refunded back to the credit/debit card used for the duration of the call. In reviewing these calls, we found that there were two APOC calls for which a full refund was due. As of September 8, 2023, these transactions have been approved to be refunded back to the original method of payment ending in 4171 in the amounts of $3.36 & $6.90. Please allow 3-5 business days for the credit to appear back on the credit/debit card used.

We regret the delay in processing the initial request, 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Initial Complaint
Date:08/29/2023
Type:Billing 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 August 17th I attempted to put funds on an inmate account. Connect network declined my payment so I tried a second time, it was declined as well. Both times for 25 dollars each. On the following Monday I was checking my banking app and saw that both payments had been taken from my account. I then contacted CN and asked them about it. They said the payment could be pending I needed to call my bank(The ********** and ************). *** told me that the payments were settled so I would need to follow up with CN. When calling Connect Network back they told me to send in a copy of a statement and they'd return my complaint in up to 72 hours. I waited the alloted time, called back on the 23rd of August only to be told they never got it. Sent it while on the phone and had them confirm they got the copy of the bank statement. He told me he could add the funds to the inmate account and it would take 3 business days.I then called today, 8/29 because no money has been refunded or added to the inmate account and they told me the same thing, they've never received my bank statement.
Business Response
Date: 09/08/2023
**. *************************** August 30, 2023
*** **********
Gnadenhutten, OH *****
**************
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 August 17th I attempted to put funds on an inmate account. Connect network declined my payment so I tried a second time, it was declined as well. Both times for 25 dollars each. On the following Monday I was checking my banking app and saw that both payments had been taken from my account. I then contacted CN and asked them about it. They said the payment could be pending and I needed to call my bank(The ********** *** ******* Bank).*** told me that the payments were settled so I would need to follow up with CN. When calling Connect Network back they told me to send in a copy of a statement and they'd return my complaint in up to 72 hours. I waited the allotted time, called back on the 23rd of August only to be told they never got it. Sent it while on the phone and had them confirm they got the copy of the bank statement. He told me he could add the funds to the inmate account, and it would take 3 business days. I then called today, 8/29 because no money has been refunded or added to the inmate account and they told me the same thing, they've never received my bank statement.

Upon review of the complaint to address the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed and confirmed two deposits each for $25.00, were attempted within seconds of each other to be applied to the Pin Debit Inmate account # *******. These deposits show a Controller Timeout and were not applied or processed. These transactions may be shown as pending with your financial institution but will be released back to the original method of payment. Also, in reviewing the attempted transactions, we confirmed shortly thereafter two additional deposits were successful in the amounts of $50.00 and $10.00 and were applied to the Pin Debit account # referenced. ****************** is encouraged to provide the full bank statement for the months of August and September to disprove that both $25.00 deposits were not voided and refunded back to her account, if she is still in dispute of the information provided above. This information can be provided in response to this resolution letter or directly to the email address below. We are more than happy to assist you in resolving this matter.

We regret ****************** has not had a great experience in 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Initial Complaint
Date:08/28/2023
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.
There a phone service for the inmates is horrible. We wait for our inmates to call us. When we pay for the calls and then when they finally get a chance to call us, the service cuts in and out, they will hang the phone up sometimes without warning sometimes it will say dialing additional digits is not allowed or a three-way call is not alone when none of that is happening just randomly hanging up the phone. Then the tablets for the inmates and the app for the loved ones at home messages disappear we’re paying for each message each phone call messages disappear and you can’t go back and look at them later. Sometimes they are there and sometimes they’re not. They are not letting pictures go through that has nothing wrong, or nothing against their guidelines, they are not refunding the money for the pictures that they do not send through. They just keep the money more than half of the time you can’t even message them because the apps not working and the inmate is not able to message people at times more often than not and the apps on their VP music and entertainment, and the Pluto apps that also require the inmates to purchase they pay for them and then they don’t work so then they’ve lost more money. This is the only communications that we are able to have with our inmate and it’s so unreliable. It’s ridiculous. This company is nothing but a rip off.
Business Response
Date: 09/12/2023
**. ********************************************************************* September 12, 2023
********************
Marion, OH *****
**************
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 their phone service for the inmates is horrible. We wait for our inmates to call us. When we pay for the calls and then when they finally get a chance to call us, the service cuts in and out, they will hang the phone up sometimes without warning sometimes it will say dialing additional digits is not allowed or a three-way call is not alone when none of that is happening just randomly hanging up the phone. Then the tablets for the inmates and the app for the loved ones at home messages disappear we’re paying for each message each phone call message disappear and you can’t go back and look at them later. Sometimes they are there and sometimes they’re not. They are not letting pictures go through that has nothing wrong, or nothing against their guidelines, they are not refunding the money for the pictures that they do not send through. They just keep the money more than half of the time you can’t even message them because the apps not working and the inmate is not able to message people at times more often than not and the apps on their VP music and entertainment, and the Pluto apps that also require the inmates to purchase they pay for them and then they don’t work so then they’ve lost more money. This is the only communication that we can have with our inmate and it’s so unreliable. It’s ridiculous. This company is nothing but a rip-off.

Upon reviewing the complaint and addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed the prepaid Advance Pay account ending in **** and confirmed the call quality of some calls were not without interruption. 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 $0.02 per minute and is regulated by the FCC.

Regarding the messaging application, please note that ViaPath does not partake in the approval or disapproval of messages sent or received as the decision to approve and or deny a message/picture is at the sole discretion of the facility. The same holds true for which applications are available within the facility. Messaging credits are non-refundable.

ViaPath offers subscriptions such as music and entertainment, and if they were unable to utilize the full subscription, ViaPath provides a form to request a refund for the service purchased and upon audit of the subscription, if submitted within 30 days of the error(s), the refund will be credited to the inmates’ account, where applicable. Please note that ViaPath has no control over media content and/or over which songs are available for streaming as this is provided by a 3rd party vendor and is subject to change daily. I.e., preferred content may not be available (at certain times).

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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Initial Complaint
Date:08/28/2023
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.
8/28/2023 at approximately 10:40am EST the phone cut short stating "no 3rd party calls allowed" when there was not any 3rd party involved. This has happened ALOT over the last few months. Also, the phone system is cutting in and out. For example, last night the phone went silent for about 30 seconds and it continued to do so. This has been an on going issue for about 4 months now. It doesnt happen every phone call but just about 2 phone calls out of the day it does this. My loved one cannot hear me and I cannot hear him. This will happen the entire phone call where we can talk for a few minutes and then the phone cuts out for 30 seconds. The price per phone call is outrageous especially for this type of service.
Business Response
Date: 09/06/2023
*** *********************************************************** April 4, 2023
*************************
Old Town, 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 on 8/28/2023 at approximately 10:40am EST the phone was cut short stating "no 3rd party calls allowed" when there was not any 3rd party involved. This has happened ALOT over the last few months. Also, the phone system is cutting in and out. For example, last night the phone went silent for about 30 seconds, and it continued to do so. This has been an ongoing issue for about 4 months now. It doesn't happen every phone call but just about 2 phone calls out of the day it does this. My loved one cannot hear me, and I cannot hear him. This will happen the entire phone call where we can talk for a few minutes and then the phone cuts out for 30 seconds. The price per phone call is outrageous, especially for this type of service.

Upon reviewing the complaint and addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed the prepaid Advance Pay 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. ViaPaths 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 *** 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. Please note that this approval is at the sole discretion of the facility. 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 that ************** 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Customer Answer
Date: 09/08/2023
[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:
One issue was not addressed which is the fact that the phone calls cut in and out and get very static where we can not hear each other.

Also, multiple complaints have already been made over the last 6 months by others regarding the 3rd party calling and this still is not being resolved after months of this issue across the state of Florida. It just happened to me again last night 9/7/2023 at 9:07pm EST. Again, the prices for the phone calls are way to much to be getting poor services. When a phone call is cut off, it causes us to lose time with our loved ones as they have to wait 30 minutes to call back AND there is obviously a phone line that has to be followed. This issue is taking away our time with our loved ones, causing emotional distress. A credit to my account is being requested to rectify this situation as well as actually fixing the system to provide acceptable services that we pay for.

Regards,

*****************************
Business Response
Date: 09/13/2023
**. ***************************************************************** September 13, 2023
**********************
Old Town, 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 to reject our initial response citing that I am rejecting this response because:
One issue was not addressed, which is the fact that the phone calls cut in and out and get very static where we cannot hear each other. Also, multiple complaints have already been made over the last 6 months by others regarding the 3rd party call and this still is not being resolved after months of this issue across the state of Florida. It just happened to me again last night 9/7/2023 at 9:07pm EST. Again, the prices for the phone calls are way too much to be getting poor services. When a phone call is cut off, it causes us to lose time with our loved ones as they have to wait 30 minutes to call back AND there is obviously a phone line that has to be followed. This issue is taking away our time with our loved ones, causing emotional distress. A credit to my account is being requested to rectify this situation as well as actually fixing the system to provide acceptable services that we pay for.

Upon reviewing the complaint and addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed the call referenced on 09/07/2023 and found that the call was disconnected due to outside energy, a 3rd party call. As stated in our initial response, we confirmed that ViaPaths 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 regarding the high frequency of 3rd party call disconnections, ViaPath took the initiative to submit a change request to the facility for approval to lower the sensitivity features in the phone system, referenced above. Please note that this approval is at the sole discretion of the facility.

In regard to the quality of the call, please continue to report specific dates and times where the calls are cutting in and out as not only will it allow us to review the calls for credits where applicable but it 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. As a one-time courtesy, ViaPath issued a credit on 09/13/2023 to the prepaid Advance Pay account for $10.00.

We regret that ************** 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Initial Complaint
Date:08/26/2023
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.
I have been using their messaging and voicemail service for four weeks. Over the time period I have had over 20 messages not be approved for no apparent reason. There was no foul language half of them were prayers yet they weren’t approved and I’m still paying for them. I left two voicemails one which was a blank and I was supposed to get a refund for, but I didn’t. The second one went through but the inmate told me since he was on the federal side he couldn’t receive it. I spoke to a customer service representative who said they listen to my voicemail saw that it was blank and put in Help ticket. He said if I didn’t have the refund within 24 hours to call back. When I called back, I got transferred five times spoke to five people two of them which were very rude and got no resolution. The last being a supervisor ended up hanging up on me instead of helping. Overall a total bad experience with the company.
Business Response
Date: 09/11/2023
*** ******* ****** September 11, 2023
**** ******* **
Lorain, OH *****
******,** *****
**************
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 their messaging and voicemail service for four weeks. Over the time period I have had over 20 messages that are not approved for no apparent reason. There was no foul language, half of them were prayers yet they weren’t approved and I’m still paying for them. I left two voicemails, one which was a blank and I was supposed to get a refund for, but I didn’t. The second one went through, but the inmate told me since he was on the federal side, he couldn’t receive it. I spoke to a customer service representative who said they listened to my voicemail, saw that it was blank and put in the Help ticket. He said if I didn’t have the refund within 24 hours to call back. When I called back, I got transferred five times and spoke to five people, two of them which were very rude and got no resolution. The last being a supervisor ended up hanging up on me instead of helping. Overall, a totally bad experience with the company.

Upon review of the complaint to address and resolve the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed and confirmed that the voicemail that was confirmed to be blank was credited back to the account for use as requested on 08/26/2023. Voicemails are non-refundable for cash value but can be credited back to the account for lateruse.

Regarding the approval/non approval of messages sent, please note that such action(s) are at the sole discretion of the facility staff and are also non-refundable.

We regret the delay in processing the initial request, 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Initial Complaint
Date:08/25/2023
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 is committing fraud. Someone made a deposit on my son's account and then disputed it. Viapath placed a hold on his account and no further deposits can be made. After contacting their CS and speaking also to a supervisor, I was told I'd have to pay the disputed amount to unblock the account. I have nothing to do with the disputed transaction. They are holding the account hostage. They should block the persons account who made the transaction, not his account. And then ask others who have nothing to do with it to pay the amount. This is illegal. I am unable to reach anyone in a major position to discuss this absurdity.
Business Response
Date: 09/06/2023
*******************************; September 6, 2023
*****************
Phoenix,A *****
*************
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 This company is committing fraud. Someone made a deposit on my son's account and then disputed it. ViaPath placed a hold on his account and no further deposits can be made. After contacting their CS and speaking also to a supervisor, I was told I'd have to pay the disputed amount to unblock the account. I have nothing to do with the disputed transaction. They are holding the account hostage. They should block the person’s account who made the transaction, not his account. And then ask others who have nothing to do with it to pay the amount. This is illegal. I am unable to reach anyone in a major position to discuss this absurdity.

Upon review of the complaint to address and resolve the concerns outlined, ViaPath confirmed a transaction in the amount of $24.95 was applied to ********************************* Trust/Commissary account on 08/17/23 and was formally disputed by the payees financial institution. ViaPaths policy states that if a transaction of any kind is formally disputed, the Friends and Family/payee account is automatically blocked in addition to the recipient, as ViaPath acts as the payment vendor for Maricopa County and cannot remove the funds from the account to satisfy the chargeback/disputed transaction, causing ViaPath to be responsible for refunding the transaction, therefore a block is added until the transaction has been repaid in full. Please note that you are not required to repay the transaction to release the block from ************************ account, however, to resume processing deposits to his account, the debt must be repaid in full. Attached is the form required to do so, should you choose to clear the balance owed.

We regret the delay in processing the initial request, 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Customer Answer
Date: 09/08/2023
[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:

Even though it is their policy it does not make it correct or illegal. The policy must be changed for the following reasons:
1. The inmate has absolutely no control who and when deposits are made to their account. Anybody can make a deposit to any inmate account at any time.
2. A dispute of an amount can happen for many reasons with theft being a very small percentage. Therefore disputes will be happening and should not impact the inmates account. ******************** must follow the correct process to recoup that amount with the person who made the deposit or with the bank.
3. Viapaths procedure of asking others to pay the disputed amount is a scam. Why would someone pay that amount who had absolutely nothing to do with the transaction?
Regards,

*******************************
Initial Complaint
Date:08/24/2023
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.
This website is not used to communicate with ************ County Sheriff office. The organization took money from my account and did not provide any services.
Business Response
Date: 08/30/2023
*************************; August 30, 2023
**************
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 website is not used to communicate with ************ County Sheriff office. The organization took money from my account and did not provide any services.

Upon review of the specific complaint outlined, ViaPath was unsuccessful in our attempt to locate a transaction processed using the account number ending in **** or the email address listed above. ViaPath offers prepaid Advance Pay accounts for calls. Video visitation is available via *********************. ViaPath was unsuccessful in our attempt to contact ************** for specific details on the transaction referenced for which he was not provided the service. ViaPath encourages ************** to provide details on the transaction referenced in response to this resolution letter or by way of the email address below, as we are more than happy to review and resolve this matter as soon as possible.

We regret ************** has not had a great experience in 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. 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Initial Complaint
Date:08/23/2023
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.
Tablet purchased from this company. Hundreds of songs purchased, subscriptions purchased. Tablet quit and my loved one went through all the proper steps to resolve the issue. His attempts did nothing so I stepped in and contacted the facility who told me that viapath/ gtl has suspended sales and they will not do pay for repair services. Viapath/GTL says its facility responsibility and refused to put me in touch with ******************** who is customer relations manager. I have spent multiple hours on this issue and everyone in customer support acts clueless and says its not their issue. Someone needs to accept responsibility and fix the issue, I have spent entirely too much money to have a tablet loaded with songs, games, email credits and subscriptions not work. It is no longer a matter of disregarding an inmate, this is MY MONEY!
Business Response
Date: 09/13/2023
**. ********************** September 13, 2023
*************************
Fayetteville, 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 Tablet purchased from this company. Hundreds of songs purchased, subscriptions purchased. Tablet quit and my loved one went through all the proper steps to resolve the issue. His attempts did nothing so I stepped in and contacted the facility who told me that ViaPath/GTL has suspended sales and they will not do pay for repair services. ViaPath/GTL says its facility responsibility and refused to put me in touch with ******************** who is customer relations manager. I have spent multiple hours on this issue and everyone in customer support acts clueless and says its not their issue. Someone needs to accept responsibility and fix the issue, I have spent entirely too much money to have a tablet loaded with songs, games, email credits and subscriptions do not work. It is no longer a matter of disregarding an inmate,this is MY MONEY!

Upon review of the complaint to address the concerns outlined, ViaPath was unsuccessful on our attempt to contact **************** via phone and email to acknowledge her complaint and to request additional information that would aid in allowing us to investigate the issues outlined. We are requesting the following information which can be provided in response to this request via the BBB or sent directly to the email address below. Once these details have been received, we can work to resolve the matters outlined in a timely manner.
Inmate name
ID/Booking #
DOB (date of birth)
Facility

We regret ****************** has not had a great experience in 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Customer Answer
Date: 09/21/2023
**************************;
******
DOB **********
******** Department of Corrections
****** Correctional Facility
Business Response
Date: 10/05/2023
**. *********************************************************** October 5, 2023
**************************************************************************
**************
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 a tablet purchased from this company. Hundreds of songs purchased, subscriptions purchased. Tablet quit and my loved one went through all the proper steps to resolve the issue. His attempts did nothing so I stepped in and contacted the facility who told me that ViaPath/GTL has suspended sales and they will not do pay for repair services. ViaPath/GTL says its facility responsibility and refused to put me in touch with ******************** who is customer relations manager. I have spent multiple hours on this issue and everyone in customer support acts clueless and says its not their issue. Someone needs to accept responsibility and fix the issue, I have spent entirely too much money to have a tablet loaded with songs, games, email credits and subscriptions do not work. It is no longer a matter of disregarding an inmate, this is MY MONEY!

Upon review of the complaint addressing the concerns outlined, ViaPath reviewed the complaint and confirmed that ViaPath addressed the issues outlined via a Support Link ticket ref: ****** on 08/18/2023 upon notification that the tablet was inoperable. ViaPath advised ******************** that his tablets warranty had expired and therefore, software issues only *** be covered outside of the warranty as the damage to the tablet was considered a hardware issue. Additionally,tablet sales were suspended as of 05/30/23 due to manufacturer supply disruption. We do not offer any services that would repair anything outside of that criterion. ViaPath does not offer pay-for-repair services. If you wish to purchase a new device, refer to the facility for purchase options.

We regret that **************** and ******************** have not had a great experience using our services; however, we remain willing to continue improving our services and address issues that may arise promptly and 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
Initial Complaint
Date:08/23/2023
Type:Product 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 am trying to get my daughter's (********************************* #******) money back she had left in her account when she was transfered on May 26th from **** County Jail, Utah to **************** ****** Detention Center Pioche, NV.. She said she had around $90 dollars left in her account.. I have her Power Of Attorney so I didn't anticipate the amount of problems I have had with their customer service. They kept asking for different ways to verify her account. I had placed at least 6 phone calls and sent 2 emails. I have also spoken with 2 supervisors. The last thing they have asked for was the last deposit amount and date. She had cash with her and I am the only one to deposit money on her account. I deposited $100 on 11/25 and another $100 plus $25 on 10/28. Then they told me that they still show her in **** County Jail. I called the jail, and they told me they were current with their updates; they had already showed her as transferred to ******** Co. I called Viapath back and they pretty much told me there was nothing they could do. Yes, there was. They could have made a quick phone call to the Jail to confirm. I have done all I can and spent a lot of time for nothing. They make a ton of money off of prisoners and their families. It is frustrating that they want to keep money that is not theirs. Talk about kicking a person when they are down. It is shameful. All while acting like they are doing us a favor. This is big business.
Business Response
Date: 08/30/2023
Ms. ****** ************; August 30, 2023
*** *** ******* **
Lees Summit, MO *****
**************
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 am trying to get my daughter's (********************************* #******) money back she had left in her account when she was transferred on May 26th from **** County Jail, Utah to ******* ****** Detention Center Pioche, NV. She said she had around $90 dollars left in her account. I have her Power of Attorney, so I didn't anticipate the number of problems I have had with their customer service. They kept asking for different ways to verify her account. I had placed at least 6 phone calls and sent 2 emails. I have also spoken with 2 supervisors. The last thing they asked for was the last deposit amount and date. She had cash with her, and I was the only one to deposit money in her account. I deposited $100 on 11/25 and another $100 plus $25 on 10/28. Then they told me that they still show her in **** County Jail. I called the jail, and they told me they were current with their updates; they had already showed her as transferred to ******* Co. I called Viapath back and they pretty much told me there was nothing they could do. Yes, there was. They could have made a quick phone call to the Jail to confirm. I have done all I can and spent a lot of time on nothing. They make a ton of money off prisoners and their families. It is frustrating that they want to keep money that is not theirs. Talk about kicking a person when they are down. It is shameful. All while acting like they are doing us a favor. This is big business.
Upon review of the complaint, ViaPath successfully processed the refund in the amount of $90.45 back to the original method of payment ending in ****. Please allow 3-7 business days for the credit/refund to appear.

We regret the delay in processing the initial request, 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
********************************************************
www.viapath.com
Customer Answer
Date: 09/11/2023
i AM SORRY FOR THE DELAYED RESPONSE. THEY DID PAY ME BACK.
THANK YOU
****** *******
Customer Answer
Date: 09/18/2023
[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,

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

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