Bond Agent withholding information from Recovery Team

I agree with the others' comments. We have also worked for bondsmen that don't give the full story. The favorite is to only give you the smallest out of multiple bonds. That way they don't have to pay you as much. Always confirm any warrants with the court before making an apprehension.

We have also fired bondsmen for allowing multiple BEA's to work a case at the same time. Their thinking is that whoever gets the person gets paid, and they don't care who it is. What they don't know is that too many hands screw it up, and after having a couple of our apprehensions botched when somebody else showed up, we told the bondsmen to take a hike.

If a bondsman isn't being totally up front with you then you don't need them!!

_________________
Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

It is just strange because I been working with this company now for almost a year and never had problems like this. I have made the decision NOT to work with this agency anymore, after all there is allot more "honest" work out there and I don't feel that my agents need to be putting them selves in unnecessary risks to do there job. I think you all for your incite and advice. Thank you all again and lets be safe out there.

_________________
Agent Paul Matchett
Detroit Area Recovery Team
Lic. # 747636

Information and trust is a two way street. Got to go in both directions, especially in this business.

It is so true that most bonding companies with more than a years experience tend to latch on to and do business with a very small number of BEA people... often just one.... one that they have found is totally trustworthy and that will accomplish the task at hand without a lot of uproar causing actions that make for a bad rap for everyone.

I have had very few times when I needed outside help on a case. Most I handle myself but there are occasions when I need a more professional service and on those times I tend to go with guys I have used in the past that have always produced for me.

I can see where it would be really difficult to open doors for someone in the BEA business. But once you prove yourself to someone and that agency also proves itself to you....... the relationship needs to remain open from both ends and each needs to provide ALL info on every case that is worked. Once you establish that trust and rapport with someone, you tend to stick and so do they.


added later........... just my thoughts...........

the BEA.... "Bounty Hunter" business is so filled with unlicensed, unqualified, unorthodox persons that want to get into and play the game of the cowboy, shoot em up, bad boy bounty hunter image.... that a legal organization, be it bondsman, PI or whatever, that is inclined to use the services of this type of person is extremely wary of hiring someone that approaches or solicits business out of the blue... we all get calls almost daily from persons wanting to run cases for us....

I am just a little guy and can't provide much of anything to the true BEA person but to a large agency, as is represented by a number of members on this site, I can imagine that they are peppered with calls and approaches and I would think they probably get rather tired at having to field these calls. That is very likely why most stick with a small number of trusted BEA's they work with and another reason why this site... FRN can be valuable to the members through networking and reputations that are known by each of us and can be recommended in good faith.

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Bill,
Does that mean I can't come down there and walk into your office wearing my urban camo BDU's, flex a little, and tell you how badly YOU need ME?

You wouldn't get to first base with me but some of my pool girls might like the 'flexin' part..........


Here's a short story for ya guys.... tonight 20 minutes ago..........
Just got back from a small bond.... while I'm there, in walks a state trooper and I sit and listen to the whole story.... the kid is charged with a DUI, out of state fella, with 2 FTA in VA.... he is from CT... his mother is from NC and is moving to CA... his friend is from CT... walks in wearing a motorcycle jacket and a bunch of buttons and stuff... he says to his buddy......... "we get you out, were long gone"... the magistrate sees the trooper first (normal procedure) and he puts a 10K on the kid.... I'm sittin' there waiting to see the magistrate to bond my guy.... the biker turns to me and says....... "you a bondsman"........ I look him straight in the eye and say....... "no, I'm driving that cab... just here to pickup someone"... I reach over to the counter and give him one of my competitors cards (the one that writes anything... and he is in Mississippi right now chasing someone) and say.... "call him, he'll get your buddy out".... he says thanks and walks out... I go bond my guy and go home.... on the way I stop, get a Yahoo and a KitKat.... life is good.........

I suppose I'll never get rich, but I ain't in Mississippi chasin' money..... and I'll be fishin' tomorrow while my buddy sits in his car somewhere in Mississippi, drinkin' that hot Dr. Pepper.......

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Good call, Bill. Ironically, I got a call last Saturday from a wife whose husband had just gotten arrested for driving with a revoked license. They were in a neighboring county, so since she didn't know the bond amount and called me, I first asked why she hadn't used a local agent. Seems she had tried and hadn't gotten an answer, so I told her to wait until he was booked, try the locals again, and if she couldn't get them, call me back. She called me a few hours later and the bondsman they had used before was out of town, and the other that I work with still wasn't answering. Too bad for them, since it was a nice size bond, and they had and expected to pay the full state allowed premium. Sometimes things work out when most needed.

I know bondsmen that write stupid bonds because they need the money, but I refuse to do so. I would rather be late on a payment than put myself in a position to owe a bond that I wasn't comfortable with for the immediate premium. I can charge up to 15% on a bond, but that means nothing if I have to end up paying the bond. Instant cash is good, but a good bondsman considers the risk of having to pay the full bond. GOOD bondsmen consider the risk, and seldom have to pay BEA's or bonds out of their pockets. I am a good bondsman and BEA, but a bad employer, because I seldom have to pay a bond, or anybody to do an apprehension for me.

_________________
Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

Don't worry Bill. The only flexing I do is when I wake up every morning. Gotta make sure I'm still alive and everything still works!


On a serious note. Being as though I only do BE work and no bonding, it takes time when you first start doing work with a new company. Trust is something you have to earn. I take my job very seriously and always conduct business in a professional manor. The bonding companies expect that of me, and at the same time, I expect the same from them. For me to do my job expediently, I need as much information as I can get from the bond company. There are many times that I spend alot of time locating someone on a small bond. I know from the start that I might wind up in the hole on the case. Oh well. I have the attitude that I'll do my best to locate every skip they give me. The companies know this and would never keep any pertinent information from me. If they ever did, they could go back to looking for a new BEA and dealing with the urban camo clad types that heard about the job opening!

Todd, based on my gut feelings on you... I think you will do just fine in this business. I don't know how it is up in WI but I think your attitude will carry you far, just stay at it.

Kathy, I have several rules that I try and mention on here often.

1. Never write the premium, always write the bond.
2. If Momma or Daddy are in the picture, get their input on the bond first, if Momma says no, walk away... Daddy is a different story IMHO, you have to evaluate his input from a slightly different perspective, but Momma is usually right on the money.
3. Once you have been doing this for a while you obtain a 'gut feeling' about the business, if your gut tingles... walk away.
4. Always, always get as much information as possible, ask many questions and double check and run the defendants name from your office before you do the bond... check his history as closely as possible.
5. Boyfriend/girlfriend is not usually a good cosigner. I will reluctantly do it but not if I have another choice and only after I have a talk with the indemnitor about the possibilities and the liabilities.

... and related to this thread, if and when I hire a BEA, I give them full reign, a signed bilateral (that means both of us) contract, quote price up front, provide every bit of info I have and stay in close touch with them from day one... but I let them do the job without me doing any instructing... and don't call them late at night or early in the morning........ they may be sitting on a house and have forgotten to turn off their cell phone...

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Thanks Bill. Things could change, but as of right now I'm up to my eyeballs with files to work. I'm confident in knowing I can get the job done, it's just the lulls in this business that puts a crimp in things. The main company we do work for has all the confidence in the world in us. It will just take time to build a good rep that hopefully spreads to others. Luckily it's the biggest company up here and they have alot of bondsman writing loose bonds. We've sort of moved from a commodity to a necessity.

I always try to get additional signers as well and give them a separate application. I don't need one lieing and the other corroborating the lies. Gut instinct is always dead nuts on. I don't apologize for not writing a bond either. It is my risk and I choose what I will accept and what I won't. Isn't it funny how many defendants have both of their parents deceased and the girl friend is the only "Relative" they have? Around here, the main Girl Friend is called the "Bottom Bitch" and the defendant will never let this girl post his bond, because she always knows where the defendant is. They will have other Girl Friends post the bonds, they are not the Bottom Bitch and usually believe they are. The stuff we learn in this business!

Scott

_________________
R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

Chesapeake Group Investigations, Inc.
Chesapeake Bail Bonds
877-574-0500
301-392-1100 (fax)
301-392-1900 (Office)