How to Accept Collect Calls From Inmates on a Cell Phone
Many people who find themselves in jail face the problem of how to make a collect call to a cell phone. With more and more people giving up their land lines in favor of exclusive use of cell phones, the issue of how to place or accept a collect call from prison has become priority for inmates and their families. Many cell phone companies do not allow you to accept collect calls because the billing process is simply too complicated. However, third party providers have stepped in to make the process not only possible, but fairly easy.
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Instructions
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Obtain a credit card or bank card. When an inmate calls you through a third party operator you will have to provide a credit card or bank card number to be billed before the call will be connected.
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Find a third party provider to place the call for the inmate. These third party providers, such as 1-800-Call-4-Less, provide an 800 number for the inmate to dial from prison. The call is free for the inmate to place. As of 2010, your credit card will be charged rates of around $0.25 a minute for the call.
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Provide the inmate with your cell phone number and the third party operator 800 number. The inmate will need to provide your cell number to the third party operator. The operator will then call your cell phone and complete the payment information before connecting you to the inmate.
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Tips & Warnings
Refer to prison guidelines to see if the inmate can have a prepaid phone card. If prepaid phone cards are allowed they can serve as an alternative to using a third party operator for collect calls. You can add minutes to the prepaid phone card and the inmate can call your cell phone directly without having to place a collect call.
Though you will pay for the collect call charges on your credit card or bank card, you will also be charged by your cell phone provider for minutes used on the call.
References
- Photo Credit cell phone image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
