Don't Mail Money to Rivers CI's Street Address — What Families Need to Know About Sending Funds

Here's where families get tripped up: Rivers CI's street address is for letters and packages, not money. Mail funds to that address and your deposit will be delayed or rejected outright. The Bureau of Prisons routes all mailed deposits through a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa - that's where your money needs to go.

Once your deposit reaches the right place, it's processed through TRUFACS - the Bureau of Prisons' system for tracking inmate finances. Think of it as the ledger that records every deposit and withdrawal, updating the account so funds can actually be used.

TRUFACS handles all the everyday money movement: deposits, withdrawals, commissary purchases, payments toward court-ordered fines or restitution, medical co-pays, and phone transactions. Send money through the wrong channel and it won't enter the system correctly - which means it won't show up in the account.

Here's something that can complicate things later: scanned TRUFACS files (including BP Form‑199s) are temporary records, destroyed 90 days after verification. If you need to track down paperwork for a deposit or withdrawal authorization, you may have a limited window before those records disappear from the system.

Concrete Steps

• ✓ Do not mail money to Rivers CI’s street address; mailed funds must go to the processing center in Des Moines, Iowa.

• ✓ Confirm you’re using an approved Bureau of Prisons method for sending funds so the deposit is processed through the same real-time system that manages inmate financial and commissary transactions (TRUFACS).

1. Call Rivers CI before you send anything - ask where mailed funds must be addressed (the Des Moines processing center, not the facility street address).
2. Confirm how the deposit will be processed - verify the method you plan to use will be handled through TRUFACS, the BOP’s real-time system for inmate financial/commissary transactions.
3. Ask about timelines and record questions up front - if you ever need to dispute or research a transaction, remember scanned TRUFACS files are temporary and may be destroyed 90 days after verification.

Keep your call simple and specific:

• ✓ Are scanned deposit/authorization forms kept in TRUFACS, and for how long?
• ✓ Who should you contact if a deposit doesn’t post as expected?
• ✓ What do you need to provide as proof if you’re following up (given scanned TRUFACS files may be destroyed 90 days after verification)?