How the Repo Man Works

Anyone who has ever had to dodge a repossession agent – also known as an RA for short, or simply “repo man” in the colloquial sense – will know that they are rather unethical people that will lie and scheme to get access to your property.

Tales abound of repo men that, through deception, have tricked owners into letting them onto their private property and handing over their cars, televisions or other items. All this is accomplished purely through ignorance of what repo men are and are not allowed to do. Although it may seem like they operate on a free-wheeling basis, the truth is that repossession agents are strictly bound by the law and a clearly-defined industry code that very definitively outlines what they can and cannot do. The best way to protect yourself from the repo man is to arm yourself with knowledge. Read on for a description of the rules repo men are bound by, and how to deal with them.

Let us deal with vehicles, as they are the favorite targets of repossession agents. They are only allowed to remove a vehicle if it is not secured by a chain; they are also not allowed to break through a locked garage door to gain access to the vehicle. They are, however, allowed to enter an unlocked garage door, and if the garage door is open, they are allowed to seize the vehicle (in most states). They are also allowed to come to your place of work and seize the car from the public parking lot – this is a commonly employed tactic that most people do not know about.

Furthermore, if they do not know the location of the vehicle, they are allowed to trick you into revealing it, or even moving the vehicle to somewhere that they can access it – for example, by calling you on the phone and pretending to be someone else in order to arrange a meeting at a public place, where they will attempt to seize the car. The main operational tactics of the repo man are speed and surprise. Ideally, they will want to have full control of your vehicle before you even fully realize what is happening, by which point it will be too late to stop it. They are also allowed to follow your vehicle as you drive, and then seize possession of it once you have left.

Finally, remember that repo cars agents are allowed to lie and say anything in order to get you to willingly surrender your property. They may tell you that surrendering your vehicle will increase your chances of getting leniency from the bank; they may tell you that your credit score will not be as negatively affected if you provide the bank with collateral property as well as the note; they may tell you any number of things, but remember that the repossession agent’s only interest is to get you to surrender your property. Anything beyond that, such as your relationship with the bank, is not their concern. Knowing your rights can save you some heart ache and sleepless nights, for more information head over to the repo cars guide. Good luck and keep your wits about you when dealing with these agents.

Tags | cars, colloquial sense, dodge, garage door, operational tactics, parking lot, private property, ra, repo man, repo men, repossession agents, surprise, tactic, targets, televisions, truth