How Phone Calls Work from FCI McDowell: TRUFONE, Monitoring, and Third‑Party Rules
Phone calls from FCI McDowell go through the Bureau of Prisons' TRUFONE system. Here's what you need to know about monitoring, payment, and why third-party call setups aren't allowed.
Phone access helps people stay connected with family and friends while incarcerated. That said, assume your calls are being monitored - the BOP posts a notice next to each inmate telephone saying exactly that. Keep this in mind when deciding what to discuss. These aren't private conversations.
Attorney calls are different: Unmonitored telephone calls to attorneys are permitted in certain circumstances, but that’s an exception - not the standard for regular family and friend calls.
TRUFONE is the BOP's centralized inmate calling system, and it handles all calls from FCI McDowell. Here's what matters for families: each inmate has an approved telephone list, and the system tracks their calling balance. It also has built-in security features, including live and remote monitoring of approved calls. Whether a call goes through depends on two things - is your number on the approved list, and is there money in the account?
Tip: If calls aren’t coming through, start with the basics - make sure your number is on the inmate’s approved calling list and that the calling balance/funding side is in good shape.
Payment is usually simple: the inmate pays for calls. Sometimes the receiving party pays instead. Since TRUFONE ties the inmate's funds balance directly to calling access, money and permissions go hand in hand.
The BOP doesn't allow third-party or alternative call arrangements. The concern is security - these workarounds can open the door to misuse. If someone suggests a setup where a different person or service connects the call, that's against BOP rules.
Practical Tips
- ✓ Assume calls are monitored; there’s a posted notice next to inmate phones advising monitoring
- ✓ Remember TRUFONE has the capability for live and remote monitoring of approved calls
- ✓ Keep sensitive personal details off the phone since regular calls aren’t private by default
- ✓ Make sure your phone number is on the inmate’s approved calling list in TRUFONE
- ✓ If payment issues come up, focus on whether the inmate’s calling funds balance is sufficient and set up correctly
- ✓ If you’re seeing unexpected charges on your end, check directly with your phone provider
Privacy and payment workarounds aren’t the answer: Unmonitored attorney calls may be allowed in certain circumstances, but third‑party call arrangements still aren’t permitted as a workaround for privacy or cost.
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