Sending money to someone at Alger: what’s real, what’s a scam, and timing expectations

For Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) prisons - including Alger Correctional Facility - money deposits go through GTL Financial Services. This gives you a simple way to verify any request: if the payment method isn't routed through GTL, it's not part of the official deposit process for MDOC prisoner funds.

MDOC caps deposits at $300.00 per transaction. Need to send more? Split it into separate deposits - one larger payment won't go through.

Even when your deposit posts correctly, the full amount might not be available for spending right away. Under MDOC policy (PD 04.02.105), deposited funds can be collected for court-ordered fees or other MDOC-approved obligations. Translation: if the person you're supporting owes money, part of your deposit may go toward those debts, leaving a lower available balance than what you sent.

Timing varies by method. For mail funding through AdvancePay/PCS, MDOC notes it can take up to five (5) business days from when PCS receives your payment for funds to hit the inmate Prepaid Account. Count business days - not weekends or holidays - starting after PCS has it in hand.

Practical Steps

• ✓ Only send money through GTL Financial Services channels for MDOC/Alger deposits.
• ✓ Treat requests for Cash App, Apple Pay, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, or “anything else” as a red flag - those won’t post to a prisoner account and may be a scam.
• ✓ Before you submit a payment, double-check you’re using the legitimate GTL flow and that the prisoner details you entered are correct.

• ✓ Save your confirmation/receipt (screenshot, email, or reference number).
• ✓ Write down the date you sent it and the method you used so you can track the “up to five business days after receipt” window for mail funding to AdvancePay/PCS.

1. Check your transaction confirmation - Look for the GTL confirmation/receipt details so you can verify the date and what account the payment was meant to fund.
2. Ask the person at Alger to confirm posting - Have them check whether the funds hit the relevant account (and whether any portion was taken for obligations).
3. Follow up through the official channel - If you’re past the expected window (for mail funding to AdvancePay/PCS, up to five business days after receipt), contact GTL Financial Services or the facility’s finance/business office using their published process and provide your confirmation details.