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AG James Delivers $500,000 in Credits to Incarcerated Individuals Who Were Denied Services

NEW YORK: New York Attorney General Letitia James reached an agreement with JPay LLC (JPay), a technology and financial services provider for corrections facilities, for failing to provide adequate media and communication services to incarcerated individuals at facilities owned and operated by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). JPay provides tablets to incarcerated individuals that are used to watch videos, listen to music, and communicate with approved family and friends using a secure messaging system. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) received numerous complaints from incarcerated New Yorkers that JPay’s tablets were defective, arrived late, or never arrived. The OAG also found that JPay failed to refund consumers or provide technical support when a service they paid for was not delivered. As a result of today’s agreement, JPay will provide $500,000 in credits to incarcerated individuals that can be used to communicate with people outside DOCCS facilities. “Denying New Yorkers a service or product they paid for is illegal and unjust,” said Attorney General James. “JPay failed to deliver services to incarcerated individuals and did little to fix issues with their devices. As a result of today’s agreement, JPay must improve its services and provide better customer support to incarcerated individuals. Every New Yorker has rights, and my office will continue to defend and protect those rights.” DOCCS operates 44 correctional and/or treatment facilities that house approximately 30,500 individuals throughout New York. JPay provides tablets to incarcerated individuals — including those at DOCCS facilities — that can be used to buy music, movies, and communications services. The communications services allow individuals to pay to communicate with approved family and friends using a secure messaging system. Family members of incarcerated individuals can add funds or digital stamps into an account to connect with their loved ones. The OAG received hundreds of complaints from New Yorkers about JPay’s poor services and products. The OAG found that JPay repeatedly failed to deliver services and often failed to refund individuals when purchased music and videos did not download. A significant number of JPay’s tablets were not functional, leaving individuals unable to fully utilize the items they purchased and/or view their saved messages and pictures. JPay also failed to quickly address technical issues and left consumers without functioning devices or refunds for extended periods. As a result of today’s agreement, JPay will provide 100 digital stamps to every individual presently at a DOCCS facility, a value of approximately $500,000. Stamps allow incarcerated individuals to send digital messages to approved family and friends. In addition, JPay must hire at least 11 customer service representatives to exclusively handle DOCCS complaints and hire at least 10 site reps to handle Level 2 complaints. JPay must also resolve complaints, or “trouble tickets,” about their devices and services within 14 days of receiving a complaint and accurately inform individuals when they can expect their product or service to be delivered. JPay must also ensure that all their kiosks at DOCCS facilities are properly maintained and that technical support is available and pay the state $50,000 in penalties.l

4 Mistakes That Plague FirstTime Home Sellers and How to Avoid Making Them

Are you thinking about selling your home? If this is your first time going through the selling process, you may be wondering just how well things are going to go. Selling a home is usually a smooth process – there are thousands sold each day – but issues can arise if you're not careful. Let's explore four mistakes that are commonly made by first-time home sellers and how you can avoid them.

Trying to Sell Without Experienced Representation The first and most significant mistake that some first-time sellers make is to try to go it alone. Selling a house is a major financial and legal transaction and one where experience is crucial in getting things right. Invest in an agent who has a track record for quick, efficient sales and you're going to have an advantage.

Choosing Emotion Over Reason Next, you'll want to avoid letting your emotions control how you react or respond during the selling process. Many homeowners become emotionally attached to their homes, which is fine while you're living there but can be a problem when you're selling. It's important to let logic and reason guide the sale. Don't let yourself get caught up emotionally or you may make a critical mistake.

Pricing Outside of a Realistic Range Asking too much – or too little! – for their home is another common mistake made by first-time home sellers. It's critical to understand that the local real estate market has a lot of influence on the correct asking price for your home. Current list-

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ings and recent sales of similar homes in the area tend to set a price range in the minds of buyers, so these will need to be observed. Your real estate agent will be a big help in choosing the right sale price.

Selling at the Wrong Time The final mistake we'll cover today is listing your home for sale in the wrong environment. The local real estate market is in constant state of change due to a variety of factors. The seasons, other local home listings, interest rates, new home construction, local municipal zoning changes and all sorts of other factors can influence your sale. Unless you are under a time constraint, it's best to let your agent advise you when it's a good time to list your home.

Selling your first home can be a daunting experience, but with the right frame of mind and professional representation, it will go smoothly. To learn more about the home selling process or to list your home for sale, contact us today. Our real estate team is happy to assist. Call Equity Smart Realty Inc at 888-670-6791. We would be happy to share our guidance.l

Call Equity Smart Realty at 888-670-6791 for a consultation.