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The phone company Global Tel*Link Corp. (GTL), which provides service to 1.1 million inmates in jails across the United States, was hit with a proposed class action lawsuit June 12. Lead plaintiffs Jacqueline Mills Jacobs, Gregory William Jacobs and Arron Jacobs allege GTL has participated in unlawful conduct for years, including unfair rates for phone services and providing correctional facilities with kickbacks for contracting through them. They are seeking more than $5 million in damages on behalf of themselves and all potential Class Members.
The plaintiffs claim that without a competitive market to constrain prices, “[i]nmates are literally a captive market for GTL.” The Jacobs Family claims GTL charged up to 100 times the normal market rate for inmates to make intrastate telephone calls. The GTL lawsuit states that “families of incarcerated individuals often pay significantly more to receive a single 15 minute call from prison than for their basic monthly phone service.”
GTL is currently the phone system provided in 2,200 correctional facilities across 48 states. The lead plaintiffs allege that GTL is in violation of the Federal Communications Act by exploiting their position to charge unreasonably high prices. They also claim that the prison phone provider gives 45 percent kickbacks to contracting facilities in the form of “site commissions.” The plaintiffs estimate that the kickbacks exceed $124 million per year.
In addition to the unlawful conduct charges, the proposed GTL class action lawsuit seeks to represent a subclass that alleges GTL was also in violation of Arkansas deceptive trade practices. According to the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Act, it prohibits taking advantage of consumers who are unable to protect his/her interests for various reasons including: Physical infirmity, ignorance, illiteracy, and the inability to understand the language of the agreement.
The Arkansas subclass portion of the class action lawsuit alleges that due to the deceptive trade practice violations of GTL, potential Class Members have “suffered as a result of unwittingly being charged to fund the secret kickback payments and pay for exploitive fees and charges.” The lead plaintiffs seek to recover financial compensation for damages due to the amount of the unjust and unreasonable charges imposed as a result of kickbacks.
If approved, the GTL prison phone provider class action lawsuit would be open to all Class Members who paid to use the telephone systems provided by GTL or its subsidiaries in order to make or receive an intrastate telephone call involving an incarcerated person in all U.S. states, except for the state of New Jersey, anytime between Feb. 16, 2000 to the current day. The Jacobs family expects thousands to join once the class action lawsuit is approved.
The Jacobs family is represented by Amy C. Martin of Everett Wales & Comstock and Peter A. Muhic, Edward W. Ciolko, Donna Siegel Moffa and Monique Galloway of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check LLP.
The GTL Prison Phone Provider Class Action Lawsuit is Jacobs, et al v. Global Tel*Link Corporation, Case No. 15-cv-05136, in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.
UPDATE: The GTL Prison Phone Provider Class Action Lawsuit was dismissed on August 27, 2018. Top Class Actions will let our viewers know if a similar case is filed.
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82 thoughts onGlobal Tel*Link Class Action Alleges Unfair Rates for Inmates
Please include me for 18 month I paid outrageous rates so my kids could talk to their daddy and the phone would cut off half way through the calls before the time was even up
I put 31 dollars in my account and got 2 phone calls and My phone number is local. Other inmates get 2 or 3 calls from 20 dollars. Please include me .
I was incarcerated from June 2014 until November 2015 and paid for alot of calls. I also paid for calls once I was released as well so I would like to be included as well please and thank you.
If like to b included in lawsuit I’m in Los Angeles .ca. my son is doing life and the phone bill I spend on calls from him is outrageous tnxs
Paid alot in phone calls please include me
Include me too
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i have my loved one in calif cdcr since jan 2017 with a prepaid account from gtl…please include me in lawsuit
I received a letter by mail about this class action and it said if I wanted to be taken off to write back or call. I never did decline to be apart of the lawsuit. How do I know if I’m approved?
I would like to be informed that there’s a class action lawsuit against GTL in Washington state and I would like to be a part of it I will submit my information and hopefully you will get in touch with me thank you
I received a letter bein part of this claim, I am also furious of money being taken out my account without using the whole 15 minute call..being disconnected having to add money when money was just put in…i need my share in this.who can I contact because I am still going through it with them.Before they switch companies for inmate calls.
Include me too
Yes my son was incacerated for years include me please
Include me in the global tel class act. I spent abundance amount of money for four years. NSP..Newark NJ was the prison location
I’ve spent at minimum 150,00 on global tel over 15 year period. Michael Daniel Cito new jersey 5702289677