At Beehive Bail Bonds, we’re proud to serve as a reputable, trustworthy bail bond service for clients across Utah. Our 24/7 bail bond services are always available, with experienced agents who will walk you through the entire process and help you understand the ins and outs.

Unfortunately, we’re well aware that not all of our competitors in this space have the same kind of good intentions. The nature of this business leads to a number of dishonest parties attempting to scam or otherwise take advantage of those who have been incarcerated, often leaving them in worse shape than they were before their arrest. Here are some signs that you’re dealing with a dishonest bail bondsman – indicators that you should consider a more reputable service like ours.

Shockingly Low Rates

In many cases, the first sign of a bail bondsman who isn’t completely honest is rates that appear too good to be true. In most cases, know why they seem this way? Well, because they are.

In some cases, you’ll find bondsman who are willing to post the bond for much lower than the standard legal premiums. In return, they’ll charge you interest for the remaining percentage required by law – in the end, you’ll end up paying far more than with a standard setup. But by presenting this to you in a tricky way, one that often downplays the interest being charged or relegates it to the fine print of a contract, these scammers are looking to take advantage of your desire to pay as little as possible up-front.

Solicitation

There are specific laws that strictly prohibit bail bondsmen from soliciting their services, both at the jailhouse itself and in general. Clients must contact bail bond agents, rather than the other way around – bail bondsmen can advertise and market themselves, of course, but direct approaches to any potential client are expressly illegal and frowned upon.

However, some scammers will still attempt it to try and drum up business. If any bondsman approaches you without cause, whether at the jailhouse or elsewhere, not only should you say no, you should consider reporting them to the authorities.

Illegal Activity

There are other ways bondsman may try to skirt the law to get your business. One involves offering rates that are below the legal threshold – these bondsmen often will simply keep your collateral rather than returning it, or allow you or your loved one to be returned to court without proper cause. If a bondsman is willing to skirt the law in one area, why wouldn’t they be in others as well?

Bond Financing

Finally, some bondsman may offer financed bonds with interest if you’re unable to pay the initial amount. This is technically legal – where the scam comes in, though, is when bondsmen charge less than the legal rate to allow this to happen. This entire practice is generally risky and should be avoided if possible.

For more on avoiding scams or exploitation during the bail bond process, or to learn about any of our bail services, speak to the staff at Beehive Bail Bonds today.