Sending Money to Someone at FCI McDowell: Why You Can't Mail It to the Facility

Don't send money to FCI McDowell's facility address. For federal inmates there, any funds you mail must go to a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa. Mail it directly to the facility and you'll slow things down, keeping your loved one from getting the money when they need it.

MoneyGram ExpressPayment is a more reliable option. The tricky part? The account number format. You need the inmate's eight-digit register number with no spaces or dashes, followed immediately by their last name. So if the register number is 12345678 and the last name is DOE, you'd enter 12345678DOE. Double-check this before submitting. Incorrect information can lead to a rejected transaction or money landing in the wrong account.

• ✓ Company Name: Federal Bureau of Prisons
• ✓ City & State: Washington, DC
• ✓ Receive Code: 7932

Timing matters if your loved one needs to shop commissary. MoneyGram funds sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST typically post within 2 to 4 hours. Send after 9:00 p.m. EST, and the funds won't post until 7:00 a.m. the next morning. So if you send late at night, don't worry when the balance doesn't update right away.

Common Mistakes

• ✓ Entering the account number with spaces or dashes, or leaving off the last name (it must be the eight-digit register number followed immediately by the last name, like 12345678DOE)
• ✓ Misspelling the inmate’s last name in the account number
• ✓ Mailing money to the FCI McDowell facility address instead of using the correct process for sending funds (mailed funds go to the Des Moines, Iowa processing center)

1. Check your MoneyGram details - Confirm the account number is the eight-digit register number (no spaces or dashes) plus the last name, and verify you used Receive Code 7932.
2. Give it the right amount of time - If you sent it between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST, allow 2 to 4 hours. If you sent it after 9:00 p.m. EST, expect posting at 7:00 a.m. EST the next morning.
3. Hold onto your receipt - Keep your transaction record until the funds show up on the inmate’s account.
4. Contact MoneyGram if the timing does not line up - If the posting window has passed and everything you entered looks correct, reach out to MoneyGram support with your transaction information.