Securus Tech Services Monopoly that continually takes advantage of familes that want to talk to loved ones in prison by overcharging extra fees and stealing time Dallas, Texas

To whom it may concern;

I am writting about my dissatisfaction with the lack of service and the continued bad faith and bad business practices that encounter with Securus Tech Services.

Here are just some of the complaints that I have:

1)  That I have to keep a balance in my account (even though my son mainly pays for his calls through his account) or his calls will be blocked.

 (I do try to keep a balance on my own jus in case he is not able to make commissary in time to get more time).

2)  That I have not received a bill or receipt in ages. Do not know when I need to pay more. Nor do I know what I am paying for

3)  That I am being charged additional fees to pay on line as opposed to paying by check. 

4)  That the company takes 7-10 days to process a ayment by check (even though they have taken the money out of my account).

I had to pay an additional $25 payment on credit card along with processing fees so that my son could talk to his grandfather  before he had another heart surgery (has congestive heart failure and has had 2 heart surgeries and been in & out of hospital since Aug).

Even though it had been 5 days since I had made the payment and the payment had cleared my account.  I did not appreciate the uncaring  rude attitude from the staff (especially supervisor) that I spoke to.

5)  That our calls are constantly being disconnected and we are losing time (charged 45 seconds when we have not even talked) due to 3rd party calling.

 I have called repeatedly about this becasue we do not even have the ability to make a 3rd party call but I am told that nothing can be done and that  we are only being charged for time we have used.

Things are hard enough (finacially and emotionally) on families that have loved ones in prison.  We do not need companies that are supposed to be helping us but instead take advantage of us knowing that we have no other choice (monopoly) than to use their services.    Verizon tried to charge their customers a fee for paying and were quickly shut down by their customers (via the internet). 

While we appreciate being able to talk to our loved ones (and so do they), but we do not appreciate being taken advantage of.  There has to be other choices or better yet give several companies access to phone system and families a choice of services to choose from.  If not then have strict guidelines of what they can and can not do to help protect our rights.  After all we are not in prison and for the most part we (the families) are law abiding, tax paying citizens.

Sincerely

Tricia Axxxxx

A Concerned Mother

cc: FCC, Ombudsman Office, Texas Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, Internet Websites for Complaints and Families of Prisoners