Brigette Honaker  |  February 15, 2019

Category: Jail / Prison

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

jail pay phone operated by Global Tel*LinkA class action lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania federal court claims that Global Tel*Link Corporation (GTL) overcharges prison inmates for phone calls.

GTL and its subsidiary DSI-ITI LLC reportedly use their monopoly on the correctional facilities in Pennsylvania to charge “unnecessary and unconscionable” rates to inmates and their friends and family.

“The market rate for competitively priced prepaid calling cards is approximately 1¢ to 2¢ per minute for calls within the United States,” the GTL class action lawsuit claims. “Depending upon the country [sic] being called, Defendants’ rates are in excess of 20-30¢ per minute in Pennsylvania.”

In addition to unfair rates, GTL allegedly charges their customers unfair and undisclosed fees.

The GTL class action states that the company forces the contacts for inmates to open an account with payment information in order to use their services.

These accounts are allegedly charged for “administrative costs” which may be as much as 20 percent of the initial deposit amount. Contacts are reportedly not informed of these charges.

When individuals close their accounts, GTL reportedly charges them a $5 fee and forfeits their remaining balance after 90 days without use. Similarly to the administrative costs, customers are not informed of these terms and do not consent or approve these charges, the GTL class action lawsuit claims.

Lead plaintiff Linda Godfrey says opened a GTL account in 2018 and placed funds in the account so she could receive calls through the telemarketing company.

On one occasion, Godfrey was reportedly charged $10 on her credit card. However, this amount was allegedly subject to a $3.33 fee, leaving only $6.67 as a deposit amount.

On another occasion, Godfrey allegedly was charged $20 on her credit card but the amount was subject to a fee of $3.65 – leaving only $16.35 as a net deposit amount.

Despite allegedly using unfair techniques to force money from consumers, GTL reportedly maintains its monopoly on the market. According to the class action lawsuit, GTL maintains its position by suppressing other companies through exclusive kickback contracts with correctional facilities.

The GTL class action states that these contracts secure GTL the position as sole telecommunications provider while promising kickbacks under the guise of “site commissions,” free maintenance, and additional support for software programs.

“These incentives -the free maintenance and support services- result in huge annual savings to the Pennsylvania correctional facilities that participate in the scheme with the Defendants,” the GTL class action lawsuit claims. “As a result of the absence of competition, inmates and their families pay significantly more to receive and/or make a call from prison than for their basic monthly phone service.”

Godfrey seeks to represent a Class of Pennsylvania individuals who were incarcerated in a state prison who used a GTL phone system provided by the company.

Also included in the Class are individuals who opened an account with GTL to receive calls from a Pennsylvania prison inmate.

The GTL class action seeks compensatory damages, disgorgement, restitution, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Godfrey and the proposed Class are represented by Marc. H. Edelson of Edelson & Associates LLC.

The GTL Jail Phone Rates Class Action Lawsuit is Godfrey v. Global Tel*Link, et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-00533-NIQA, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.


151 thoughts onGlobal Tel*Link Class Action Says Inmates Overcharged for Phone Calls

  1. Vicki L Beaky says:

    If I deposit 7 dollars for phone calls, I get charged an additional 4 dollars for “costs”.

  2. Jessica rivera says:

    I’ve been fighting with them because they have no problem taking my money but then the tablets have been down for the past week now every time is a different story and they refuse to act on customer complaints they say the complaint has to come from the prison please help

  3. Kannon says:

    Add me

    1. Deshay Johnson says:

      I’ve been overcharged for gtl2 and it’s not right

      1. Jamie Kass says:

        I’ve lost thousands of dollars between Securus and Global Tel Link. Talk about a scam! I thought monopolies were illegal, yet that’s what these companies have n the prisons they service. Price gouging is also illegal, but apparently, if you have enough money you can get away with it. Well, at 15-20$ for a 15 minute phone call, these scam artists definitely have the money!

        1. Mona says:

          They just took 54$ from 5 minutes call + 4 minutes call they tooking my information

  4. Michael Johnson says:

    I was in lawrence co correctional facility and beaver county jail,and also clarion county jail,,between 2005-2019 appt,

  5. Morgan says:

    I would like to be included in this lawsuit, as many of my friends would also like to be. Allegheny County Jail.

  6. Kristina Ruzhinsky says:

    This is absolutely ridiculous! I started writing down every single call and how many minutes it lasts because we realize that they are just stealing our money! A lot of times it says “you can’t make a call at this time” and still charges us for it, the other day they took off 27$ and never returned it. I want to do something about all this

1 12 13 14

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Required fields are marked *

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.