How to deposit funds, commissary, and payment options
Money sent to FCI McDowell goes into an inmate's commissary account, which they use to buy items not issued by the institution. The primary documented electronic option is MoneyGram. Enter the inmate's eight-digit register number immediately followed by their last name, and use receive code 7932. Don't mail money to the facility's street address. Funds are routed through a centralized processing center in Des Moines, Iowa. Posting times depend on when you send: transfers between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST typically post within 2 to 4 hours, while anything sent after 9:00 p.m. generally posts the next morning. Have the inmate's information ready before sending, and confirm you're on the approved sender list to avoid delays.
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Sending money to someone at FCI McDowell is straightforward once you know the right channel. The key thing: don't mail money to the facility itself. Inmate funds sent by mail need to go to a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa, not to FCI McDowell's address.
In the recipient field, enter the inmate’s eight-digit register number immediately followed by their last name. Use receive code 7932 when MoneyGram asks for it.
No. Don't send money to FCI McDowell's street address. It must go through the centralized processing center in Des Moines, Iowa, or the payment may be delayed or returned.
If sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST, MoneyGram deposits typically post within 2 to 4 hours. Transfers sent after 9:00 p.m. EST generally post at 7:00 a.m. the following morning.
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