Western Union Send2Corrections: Send Money to an Inmate (2026 Guide)

What Send2Corrections Is

Send2Corrections is Western Union's dedicated product for depositing money into inmate accounts. It plugs the global Western Union money-transfer network into the correctional system, so families can send funds online, by app, by phone, or in person at any of Western Union's retail agent locations. The money lands in the incarcerated person's trust or commissary account, which they can use for commissary, phone, and other approved needs.

Send2Corrections is accepted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and many state and county facilities. It's especially handy if you don't have a bank card, since you can pay cash at an agent location, or if you're already comfortable using Western Union.

How to Send Money

1. Confirm the facility accepts Western Union. Check the facility's inmate-services or "send money" page. The BOP publishes Western Union as an option.
2. Open Send2Corrections. Go to Send2Corrections.com, the Western Union app, or an agent location. Create or log in to your account.
3. Select the correctional facility. Choose the state/agency or the BOP.
4. Enter the receiver and account number. Provide the inmate's full name and the required account/ID (see the BOP format below).
5. Pay and save the MTCN. Pay by debit/credit card or cash, then record the MTCN tracking number from your confirmation.

The BOP Register-Number Format

The single most common mistake with federal deposits is formatting the account number wrong. For a Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate, the account number is:

• Use the full eight digits of the register number (add leading zeros if needed).
• No spaces, no dashes between the number and the name.
• Use the inmate's legal last name as it appears in the BOP system.
• Double-check with the BOP Inmate Locator if you're unsure of the number.

For state and county facilities, use that facility's required inmate ID and commissary number instead — the "send money" page will tell you which.

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Posting Times & Tracking

For BOP facilities, funds sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Eastern are generally posted within 2 to 4 hours. Funds sent after 9:00 p.m. Eastern post at 7:00 a.m. Eastern the following morning. State and county posting times vary by facility.

To track a transfer, log in to your Western Union or Send2Corrections account and enter the MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number) from your confirmation email.

Fees & Safety

Western Union charges a service fee that varies with the amount, payment method, and whether you send online or at an agent. The fee is shown before you confirm. To stay safe:

• Only send through official Western Union / Send2Corrections channels.
• Verify the inmate's number and current facility before sending.
• Never send money to a stranger who claims to be "processing" an inmate's release — that's a scam.
• Keep your MTCN and receipt until the funds have posted.

When to Use Western Union vs. Other Options

Western Union is one of several accepted ways to fund an inmate account, and it shines in specific situations. If you prefer paying cash, want to use a company you already trust, or need to send from a retail agent because you don't have a bank card, Send2Corrections is a natural fit — there are agent locations almost everywhere. It's also well established with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with predictable daytime posting windows, which makes it dependable for federal deposits.

That said, most facilities also accept a designated deposit vendor such as JPay, Access Corrections, or ViaPath/TouchPay, and for recurring support one of those may carry lower fees than a per-transfer Western Union charge. Western Union's fee varies with the amount, the payment method, and whether you send online or in person, and it's shown before you confirm — so it's worth a quick comparison rather than defaulting to habit. For a one-time, urgent, or cash deposit, Western Union is hard to beat; for steady monthly support, compare the totals.

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Whatever you choose, precision matters most with a fast money-movement service. For federal inmates, get the account format exactly right — the eight-digit register number immediately followed by the last name, with no spaces or dashes — and for state or county facilities, use that institution's required inmate and commissary numbers. Keep your MTCN until the funds post, and never wire money to a stranger who claims they can speed a release or clear a "fine" for a fee.

• Use Western Union for cash, retail, or urgent one-time BOP deposits.
• Compare its fee against the facility's designated vendor for recurring support.
• Get the BOP register-number + last-name format exactly right.
• Keep your MTCN until the money posts.
• Never wire money to a stranger promising a faster release.

Frequently Asked Questions