How do repo guys find their vehicles?

[alyarb]

My dad has something of a gambling problem that has left him in total ruin. He's 9 months late on his mortgage, 3 months late on his car payment, has alienated his friends and family by borrowing too much (and not turning his life around), and today his $1 checking account took a $24,000 debit from old amex payments he had been avoiding. This descent has taken about a year, so it's not just about how bad today was, but basically he is prepared to kill himself, but he has my car and I have his, and he won't do it until we swap cars.

For that reason I am postponing the swap as long as possible, until I can force him to take a full-time, entry level job and negotiate with his creditors and/or file bankruptcy for the rest. My questions are related to how repo guys find cars that are in another city. The repo guy goes by his house periodically and finds nothing. How long before they realize the car is in another town? I'm totally off the grid as far as my name and address go, so how much time do you think I have with the car? He only owes a few grand on it so I'm sure at some point the bank will weigh the necessary resources to find a car against its value to them. Will the bank report the car stolen? Will this ever escalate into a criminal matter? My ability to get him back on his feet really is determined by how much time he has in the house before it is foreclosed, and how much time I have this car before they pry me out of it.

I have no technical details on this process so any insights from you guys would be a huge help.

I am also a little curious why a bank would authorize such a large debit given the condition of the account.

 

[guyver01]

They monitor the internet, contact forums you post on, get your IP and contact your ISP for your address.

They'll be at your house within the day.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Wow, that's a terrible situation to be in - addiction is a serious matter. I don't know anything about repo-men, but I doubt that they'll try to track the car down. The bank, however, may report the car stolen/involve law enforcement if it technically counts as their property.

Well, hope it turns out well mate!

 

[CRXican]

skip tracing but it sounds like you'll make it difficult

that's all I'm gonna say, deadbeat

 

[QueBert]

they call neighbors, they'll check Facebook, put out skip tracers. Look up family and call them. And if they find the person but not the car, depending on how much is owed and how much it's worth they might have one of their drivers follow the dude around.

 

[OrByte]

they call neighbors, they'll check Facebook, put out skip tracers. Look up family and call them. And if they find the person but not the car, depending on how much is owed and how much it's worth they might have one of their drivers follow the dude around.

Good round up

Also, whatever addresses are on his credit report and any relatives that used the same addresses might get phone calls.

His credit report might show open accounts with retailers or creditors that might accidently leak info to a skip tracer. Make sure he puts unique passwords on all memberships or credit cards or things of that nature

Back in 2006 I believe the industry got the hammer by federal collection regulation, so collectors are mainly relegated to harassment over the phone. But I've seen skip tracers do some crazy stuff to track people down, highly unethical and even illegal.

 

[Perknose]

No answer you will get can accurately reflect how ALL repo guys work, but . .

Most are local. They pick the low hanging fruit, which is 90% plus of their cases, simply by doing as you said this one was, cruising the delinquent owner's home and work places.

Like process servers, some work straight commission and some work on a per attempt basis, although a far higher percentage work straight commission (they either recover the car and get paid or they don't and get nothing) than is the case with process servers.

Things may be changing, but historically these guys have not used a lot of esoteric or high tech finding tools to do their jobs because, like I said, they haven't had to for 90% of their cases. They get what info they get from the bank and they just work with that.

If the bank hires a PI after the repo guy fails, though, he'll quickly find you through the license plate on your car that's in your Dad's possession. Even if you're living at a different address from the one on the registration, once they have your name any PI worth his salt will find you.

But the bank just may not authorize the expenditure. They can be stupidly parsimonious like that, not spending a few hundred proactively while the couple thousand ends up as a bureaucratic write-off.

However, don't count on this just because I, some anonymous bozo on the internet, told they might not.

Since you're putting yourself through all this stress, it might be simpler for you to pay off his car, perhaps getting other family members to (reluctantly) pitch in (again). Being legal simplifies things mightily.

 

[lupi]

No answer you will get can accurately reflect how ALL repo guys work, but . .

Most are local. They pick the low hanging fruit, which is 90% plus of their cases, simply by doing as you said this one was, cruising the delinquent owner's home and work places.

Like process servers, some work straight commission and some work on a per attempt basis, although a far higher percentage work straight commission (they either recover the car and get paid or they don't and get nothing) than is the case with process servers.

Things may be changing, but historically these guys have not used a lot of esoteric or high tech finding tools to do their jobs because, like I said, they haven't had to for 90% of their cases. They get what info they get from the bank and they just work with that.

If the bank hires a PI after the repo guy fails, though, he'll quickly find you through the license plate on your car that's in your Dad's possession. Even if you're living at a different address from the one on the registration, once they have your name any PI worth his salt will find you.

But the bank just may not authorize the expenditure. They can be stupidly parsimonious like that, not spending a few hundred proactively while the couple thousand ends up as a bureaucratic write-off.

However, don't count on this just because I, some anonymous bozo on the internet, told they might not.

Since you're putting yourself through all this stress, it might be simpler for you to pay off his car, perhaps getting other family members to (reluctantly) pitch in (again). Being legal simplifies things mightily.

having family in the PI biz, you can pretty much go by this.

 

[Mike Gayner]

Give the car back to the bank. Tell your father to either honour his debts or declare bankruptcy. Tell him to stop disrupting other people's lives/business for his own selfish reasons. Remind him that deadbeats drive up the cost of credit for the rest of us.

 

[apac]

My ability to get him back on his feet

You can't help him if he's not prepared to stand on those two feet himself. Get him some professional help.

Best of luck to you both. Shitty situation.

 

[Mike Gayner]

Get him some professional help.

Professionals like to be paid.

 

[alyarb]

Give the car back to the bank. Tell your father to either honour his debts or declare bankruptcy.

Sounds like a great first step. So now he has no car, house, or cash flow. What next?

 

[apac]

Professionals like to be paid.

That's how the OP helps, if he wants to (and has the funds).

 

[Mike Gayner]

Sounds like a great first step. So now he has no car, house, or cash flow. What next?

Do what other deadbeats do - move in with family. Get a job. Start over.

BTW without a house or cashflow I don't know what the point of a car is anyway - where's he gonna park it and what's he gonna fill it with?

 

[BoomerD]

No answer you will get can accurately reflect how ALL repo guys work, but . .

Most are local. They pick the low hanging fruit, which is 90% plus of their cases, simply by doing as you said this one was, cruising the delinquent owner's home and work places.

Like process servers, some work straight commission and some work on a per attempt basis, although a far higher percentage work straight commission (they either recover the car and get paid or they don't and get nothing) than is the case with process servers.

Things may be changing, but historically these guys have not used a lot of esoteric or high tech finding tools to do their jobs because, like I said, they haven't had to for 90% of their cases. They get what info they get from the bank and they just work with that.

If the bank hires a PI after the repo guy fails, though, he'll quickly find you through the license plate on your car that's in your Dad's possession. Even if you're living at a different address from the one on the registration, once they have your name any PI worth his salt will find you.

But the bank just may not authorize the expenditure. They can be stupidly parsimonious like that, not spending a few hundred proactively while the couple thousand ends up as a bureaucratic write-off.

However, don't count on this just because I, some anonymous bozo on the internet, told they might not.

Since you're putting yourself through all this stress, it might be simpler for you to pay off his car, perhaps getting other family members to (reluctantly) pitch in (again). Being legal simplifies things mightily.

Hell yes. If he has the title to the car, he can use it as collateral for gambling...Nothing like the warm, fuzzy feeling of paying of the car for his dad...and having the dad lose it on a bet...

 

[alyarb]

Do what other deadbeats do - move in with family. Get a job. Start over.

BTW without a house or cashflow I don't know what the point of a car is anyway - where's he gonna park it and what's he gonna fill it with?

Judging by other houses in my neighborhood foreclosure proceedings take almost 2 years, and yet you want him to give everything back right now and live under a bridge when he has at least a year of free rent ahead of him? He has no family and I can't support him. Seems to me like he should get a job, save his money and stay in the house until he's kicked out. Occupying the house does not affect its value while the bank takes its time turning it over. I appreciate your financial ethics in the way I can appreciate a person's teeth that are whiter than mine, but I am asking for pragmatic advice. The foreclosure pipeline is measured in years and the house is a fine place for him to hit bottom and turn around.

 

[guyver01]

He has no family and I can't support him.

My dad

he has family.

You.

 

[alyarb]

I meant no family besides me. If you're too dumb to understand the thread and too disrespectful to contribute, try P&N.


sorry if that appears rude, but look at your crap responses.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Sounds like a great first step. So now he has no car, house, or cash flow. What next?

You obviously don't understand how bankruptcy works. Spend $100 and consult with an atty with your dad. They should be able to assess your situation and tell your dad how he'll come out on the other side.

 

[BoomerD]

If your dad was a drug addict and supporting his habit by stealing, would you continue to support him and help him steal?

While he's not robbing people at the point of a gun, he IS stealing...and you're helping him do it.

 

[alyarb]

You obviously don't understand how bankruptcy works. Spend $100 and consult with an atty with your dad. They should be able to assess your situation and tell your dad how he'll come out on the other side.

Thanks. Of course I intend on a consult when he is ready to file, but I'm not doing that until he's got a real job. The subject of getting off your ass with one's own father is not easily broached and needs to be done right. I don't see why he should file prior to getting a job.

 

[guyver01]

I don't see why he should file prior to getting a job.

because the minute he gets a job, the collection agencies can garnish every bit of money he makes. Bankruptcy can at least protect him from collections and stop the accrual of penalties.

 

[SandEagle]

I meant no family besides me. If you're too dumb to understand the thread and too disrespectful to contribute, try P&N.


sorry if that appears rude, but look at your crap responses.

ignore guyvver01, he's the resident troll on ATOT. good luck dude, this is a tough situation to be in.

 

[EagleKeeper]

because the minute he gets a job, the collection agencies can garnish every bit of money he makes. Bankruptcy can at least protect him from collections and stop the accrual of penalties.

Agencies will at the max be able to get %30 of the wages.

These rest of the post is correct.

As as a previous poster stated; the repo will look for the local information first. Unless it is a large job; they will not look out of state.

Having your plates on a a vehicle at his house can allow them to then get your name and start checking you out. A vehicle one time at the house may not cause interest. If there for a few days, or they see a person who matches the description of your dad driving, it will raise suspicions. You may not be off the grid unless you have no mail or bills coming to where you live and your employer does not know where you live.

My daughter used to be a snatch/grab & tracer. They have access to databases and such to look into utility, DMV and other local/state government records. Apparently they do not have access the Federal records.

Initially the finance people farm the account out to their favorite company; after 6-8 months with no result; then they contact multiple companies in the geographic area to expand the hunt. The client expects at least weekly reports on the search; # attempts, leads, contacts with family members, employer info checks, etc.