Just like with any industry, Louisiana’s bail bond industry is made up primarily of legit businesses and a few scam artists. The trick is recognizing the red flags that indicate you’re dealing with a bail bond agent that wants to take your money but won’t provide a legit bail bond in return.
They Won’t Provide You With a Contract
No legit bail bonds agency will agree to write a bail bond for you until you’ve signed a contract. In fact, you shouldn’t give the bail bond agent any money before you’ve read through and signed the contract. A lack of contract is a massive red flag that indicates this particular bail bond agent wants to cash your check and run. Don’t use them.
They Say They Work for the Government
We don’t know why some bail bond agents like to tell clients that they work for the government, but we do know that this is usually a classic sign that you’re dealing with a con artist. Bail bond agencies and agents are separate entities from the government. We’re not affiliated with any branch of government, nor are we connected to the court or jail. Stop dealing with any bail bond agent that tells you differently.
They’re Charging a Really Low Fee
There’s an old saying that if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. That’s certainly the case with bail bond agencies. The standard fee for a bail bonds agency is 12% though some, like Covington Bail Bonds, will sometimes offer a discount. Anything less than that indicates that you’re dealing with a scam. Don’t give them any money.
They Offer to Pay all the Fees
When you’re dealing with a legit bail bond agency, you will be expected to pay the fee before they write a bail bond or at least make payment beforehand. If the agency says that you don’t have to worry about paying anything upfront and that they will get the money from you at another time, don’t utilize their services. These types of situations are incredibly rare, but they do occasionally happen. If you take this deal, you’ll likely find yourself dealing with a loan shark that charges you so much interest you’ll never get them paid off.
Covington Bail Bonds is a legit bail bonds agency that has been serving all of Louisiana for over two decades. Contact us today to learn who we can help you get out of jail.