| Unfortunately, the Repossession business is booming. It | | | | Identification hardware and software systems have |
| is a billion dollar industry that is used by banks, car loan | | | | been introduced to quickly ID a vehicles history. The |
| companies, used car lots, new car dealerships, car | | | | ALPR (automatic license plate recognition) is |
| rental agencies and occasionally private citizens. How | | | | expensive and is difficult to deploy successfully unless |
| do these firms go about locating the people who have | | | | there is some clue as to where the vehicle is generally |
| defaulted on their loans? | | | | located. It is mostly used by law enforcement agencies |
| With a staggering 10% increase in both new and used | | | | who can afford the price and manpower needed to |
| car repossessions, there are now some 5000 firms in | | | | implement it. |
| the United States . A total of about 1.51 million vehicles | | | | The Repo Agent usually relies on "tricks of the |
| in 2007 were repossessed according to one consulting | | | | trade" and these are usually kept secret. One of |
| firm and the industry average is about 2.37% of all | | | | the the many ways that a hiding car owner can be |
| vehicle with payments due. | | | | located is by using the many different online |
| To retrieve a car, the bank or car dealer employs a | | | | government and public records databases on the |
| Repossession agency and can provide the Repo man | | | | Internet. Information kept in these databases includes |
| with information from the credit application such as | | | | last known address, business associates, relative and |
| SS#, address, phone numbers and other data. This is | | | | neighbors. Reverse cell phone and email lookups |
| very helpful as the Repo agent can easily find the | | | | sometimes also provide clues to the whereabouts of |
| location of the vehicle. | | | | missing people. |
| However, in many cases, when people get behind in | | | | Online databases can be of great help in determining |
| the payments, they move the car around and try to | | | | the proximity of the car ownerand give the Repo Man |
| hide it. This is where it becomes very interesting. The | | | | an valuable tool in performing their assigned task. |
| search begins and is called "skip tracing". | | | | Sometimes it just comes down to old time |
| Technology has somewhat come to the rescue for | | | | "sleuthing" to find the delinquent debtor. |
| those that can afford it. New License Plate | | | | |