Sending Money to an Inmate at FCI Mendota: The Complete MoneyGram Guide
Sending commissary money to someone at FCI Mendota? MoneyGram is one of the fastest options — the Bureau of Prisons processes electronic deposits seven days a week, holidays included.
The Bureau of Prisons processes MoneyGram deposits every day of the week, including holidays. That's the good news. The catch? A small typo on your form can keep funds from posting where they need to go.
Since the BOP processes MoneyGram deposits daily - even on holidays - you don't need to wait for a weekday. What matters is getting the details right: the inmate's correctly formatted account number and their full committed name. If your loved one is still in intake or being transferred, confirm their current information before sending. That way, the deposit posts cleanly once it's processed.
MoneyGram requires a specific format for federal inmate account numbers. Enter the eight-digit Register Number with no spaces or dashes, then add the inmate's last name immediately after. So if the Register Number is 12345678 and the last name is DOE, you'd enter 12345678DOE - all one string, no punctuation.
Common mistake: If the account number isn’t entered exactly as required (eight digits + last name, with no spaces or dashes), the deposit may not post to the right place.
When sending money through MoneyGram to a BOP inmate, use Receive Code 7932. For the beneficiary name, enter the inmate's full committed name - the name the BOP has on file, not a nickname or shortened version.
Deposits sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time typically post within 2–4 hours. If you're sending from a different time zone - say, California - remember to adjust for that Eastern cutoff before heading to an agent or submitting online.
- ✓ Re-check the account number format: eight-digit Register Number + last name, with no spaces or dashes (example: 12345678DOE)
- ✓ Confirm the beneficiary is the inmate’s full committed name (no nicknames)
- ✓ Look at the time you sent it and compare it to the 7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Eastern Time posting window (deposits sent in that window usually post within about 2–4 hours)
- ✓ If everything matches and it still hasn’t posted, have your MoneyGram receipt/confirmation handy when you reach out for help
Want to pay in person? Find a MoneyGram agent by calling 1-800-926-9400. MoneyGram also offers bill-pay options that include the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a corrections biller - that's why you'll see BOP listed when choosing your payment recipient.
- Find a place to pay - Locate a MoneyGram agent by calling 1-800-926-9400, or use MoneyGram’s bill-pay options where the Federal Bureau of Prisons is listed as a corrections biller.
- Fill in the BOP details carefully - Use Receive Code 7932, enter the beneficiary as the inmate’s full committed name, and format the account number as eight digits plus last name with no spaces or dashes.
- Save your receipt - Keep your confirmation information so you can troubleshoot quickly if the deposit doesn’t post when expected.
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