FAQ
Questions families ask
Who is YardTalk for?
Families and friends of people in U.S. federal custody, and the people inside who want a safe way to get questions answered and stay in touch.
Is YardTalk part of the Bureau of Prisons?
No. YardTalk is an independent service. It works with the prison email system (TRULINCS) that people in federal custody already use.
Can prison staff read the messages?
Yes. Messages through TRULINCS are monitored and kept by staff. They are not private and not legally privileged, so don't send anything you wouldn't want staff to read.
Is the AI assistant a lawyer?
No. It explains rules, programs and processes in general terms and points people to their facility's law library, a lawyer or a legal-aid clinic for advice about their own case.
How does my loved one start?
They add contact@yardtalk.ai to their TRULINCS email contacts. Once YardTalk accepts, they put AI, HELP, STOP or a phone number in the subject line.
Will I get texts I didn't agree to?
You'll get at most one request to opt in, naming who it's from. Nothing else is sent unless you reply YES.
How do I stop texts?
Reply STOP to stop one person or BLOCKALL to stop everyone. To block your number in advance, use our block page.
How much does it cost?
YardTalk is prepaid and pay as you go, with no subscription. You choose how much to add; each AI answer and each text uses a small amount of credit.
What happens if the balance runs out?
Nothing is sent. The person inside is told the account is out of credits, so they can ask family to add more.
Is my payment secure?
Yes. Payments are processed by Stripe. YardTalk never sees your card number.
Does it work in Spanish?
Yes. The assistant answers in Spanish when someone writes in Spanish.
I'm a victim or witness. How do I make sure I'm never contacted?
Block your number on our block page. It takes effect immediately for everyone using YardTalk.
Still have a question? Email support@yardtalk.ai.
Help them stay connected
Set up an account in a few minutes. You decide how much to add, and nothing reaches your phone until you say yes.