For anyone whose family member or friend is currently sitting in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice or TDCJ facility, you may want to use the eCommDirect. eCommDirect is known as the online program provided by the TDCJ Commissary and Trust Fund Department that makes it possible for you to transfer funds/make deposits or to purchase commissary items for your loved one or to do both.
In this post, we will take a closer look at the eCommDirect Commissary deposit, including how it works, how to use it, and a few tips to make the most of this service.
How Does the eCommDirect Commissary Deposit Work?
The program called eCommDirect Commissary deposit is the online service that allows the family members or friends of inmates to send funds or money to the commissary account of their loved one. If you are a family member or a friend of an inmate and want to use this service, make sure to prepare several things, such as:
- The TDCJ number of the inmate
- The full name of the inmate
- The facility location of the inmate
Once you have all the information above in hand, just go to the eCommDirect website to be able to make a deposit. When you are there, you will have to create an account. To create an account, you will be asked to provide some personal information, such as your name, address, and phone number. Besides, you will also have to provide a valid credit or debit card to use for the deposit.
After creating an account and entering your payment information, now you can choose the inmate that you want to send the money to. Aside from that, you can also choose the amount of money that you want to send to them. According to the official website of eCommDirect, they only accept deposits in increments of $10, $20, $30, $40, $50, $75, $100, $150, $200, and $300. Bear in mind that there is a limit of $300 per calendar month per sender ID.
The next thing that you have to do once you have entered the information about the inmate and the amount of money that you want to send is to confirm your transaction. After confirming it, your payment will be processed and the money will be deposited to the commissary account of your loved one.
What are the Benefits of Using the eCommDirect Commissary Deposit Service?
Using the eCommDirect Commissary deposit service has a lot of benefits. Some of the benefits include:
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It is flexible
It has been stated that the eCommDirect service allows family members or friends of the inmates to send money in increments of $10, $20, $30, $40, $50, $75, $100, $150, $200, and $300. It means if you are a family member or friend of an inmate you are flexible to send the amount of money that you can afford and that you think is needed by your loved one.
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It is convenience
By using eCommDirect, you will be able to send money to your loved one who is currently incarcerated without having to go to the facility in person or send a money order through the mail. It is such a good thing, especially if your place is far from the facility where your loved one is placed. In addition, it is also useful for those who have limited transportation options.
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It is safe
It is guaranteed that your payment information is secure when using eCommDirect. Your personal and financial information are protected by the SSL encryption used by the website.
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It is fast
By using eCommDirect, your loved one who is behind the bar does not have to wait for too long as your payment will be processed right away. It is said that the money will be deposited into their account within one to two business days. As the process is pretty fast, the inmate can use the money to purchase items from the commissary quickly.
What are the Tips for Making the Most of the eCommDirect Commissary Deposit Service?
For anyone who wants to use the eCommDirect Commissary deposit service to send money to the commissary account of your loved one, feel free to check some tips below:
- Before sending money to your loved one, check the rules of the facility regarding the deposits. In fact, there are some facilities that have restrictions on several things, such as the amount of money that can be deposited, the frequency of deposits, and so on.
- It is important for you to consider the needs of your loved one when sending money to their commissary account.
- There may be fees associated with your deposit when using eCommDirect. Before making your deposit, make sure to be aware of them.
- You are recommended to monitor your account regularly to ensure that your deposits have been processed correctly. Contact the customer service right away if something happens.
- Make sure to contact the inmate when making a deposit so that you can monitor their account and ensure that the money is available for use.
Bottom Line
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice wants the best for the inmates and their family members and friends. One of the things that they do is to offer eCommDirect, the program where the family members and friends of the inmates can purchase commissary items for their loved ones, make a deposit to their loved ones, or both. Making a deposit is one of the most favorite things done by family and friends of the inmates. It is one of the ways to support their loved one who is incarcerated. It is safe, easy, and flexible. With the money sent by their family or friends, the inmates will be able to purchase the commissary items they need.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
