If Your Lower Buckeye Jail Loved One Uses ConnectNetwork: The Telmate 2020 Breach and the 180‑Day Inactivity Rule

This applies to you if your loved one at Lower Buckeye Jail calls through a ConnectNetwork/ViaPath (Telmate) account - or if you've used those services to add money, manage a prepaid calling balance (AdvancePay), or send messages. One caveat: this article doesn't confirm which communications vendor Lower Buckeye Jail uses. Not sure whether your account is with ConnectNetwork/ViaPath/Telmate? Check the name on your receipts, account emails, or the login page. If it matches, the steps below apply to you.

According to vendor notices, unknown attackers accessed and exposed personal information belonging to thousands of Telmate users in August 2020. The exposed data categories were broad: names and contact info, driver's license and passport numbers, Social Security numbers, payment card and financial account details, even personal messages and grievance forms. Not everyone had every type of data exposed. But the takeaway is the same - if you used Telmate/ConnectNetwork around that time, treat your account details and personal identifiers as potentially compromised and take a few protective steps.

Practical Identity Steps

• ✓ Review bank and card statements for charges you don’t recognize, especially if you ever stored a payment method in your account
• ✓ Change your ConnectNetwork/ViaPath/Telmate password (and update any other accounts where you reused that password)
• ✓ Watch for suspicious emails, texts, or calls that reference jail calls, payments, or “account verification” and ask for personal information
• ✓ Consider a credit freeze if you’re concerned about exposure of high-risk identifiers (like a Social Security number)
• ✓ Read and follow the specific protective steps listed in the vendor’s “Telmate Data Breach Information” PDF, since it’s tailored to what was exposed

Breach advice gets generic fast. I'd use the vendor's "Telmate Data Breach Information" PDF as your main checklist - it lays out the incident details and the actions ViaPath/ConnectNetwork recommends based on the kinds of data exposed.

If you keep money in an AdvancePay account, pay close attention to the inactivity rule. ConnectNetwork states that an AdvancePay account becomes inactive and subject to forfeiture after 180 consecutive days of non-use - unless a shorter or longer period applies under governing law or contract. In plain terms: if the account sits unused long enough, you may lose your remaining prepaid balance.

Here's how to protect yourself from that 180-day countdown: ConnectNetwork says any use during the inactivity period resets the clock. The goal is simple - don't let the account go untouched for months, especially during stretches when your loved one can't call as often.

• ✓ Log in and confirm you can access the account (and update your password if it’s been a while)
• ✓ If your loved one is actively calling through the account, keep an eye on activity so the account doesn’t sit unused for long stretches
• ✓ If you maintain a prepaid balance, consider making a small, intentional “use” of the account before long gaps (only if it fits your situation), since any use resets the 180‑day clock

ViaPath offers reminder alerts that can help you avoid surprises. If you provide your contact information and opt in to text and/or email reminders, they say you'll receive a notification about your account's scheduled expiration no later than 30 days before it expires. If you rely on AdvancePay and don't log in often, those reminders can be the difference between keeping your balance and missing the deadline.

Want your money back - or worried your account is close to the inactivity cutoff? ConnectNetwork/Telmate says you can request a refund by calling customer service at 877-650-4249. That same call is a good time to ask what counts as "use" on your specific account, whether reminders are turned on, and what your current account status is.

• ✓ The phone number and/or email address on your account
• ✓ Any account details you can easily pull up (like a username or recent confirmation emails)
• ✓ A note of what you’re asking for: refund, account status, or help enabling reminder alerts

For the most accurate, up-to-date details, go straight to the vendor's own materials: the "Telmate Data Breach Information" PDF (hosted by ViaPath/ConnectNetwork) covers the August 2020 breach and recommended protective steps, while ConnectNetwork's notices describe the AdvancePay 180-day inactivity/forfeiture rule and reminder-alert options. Reading those sources directly helps you match the guidance to your exact account.