A Letter from a Forwarder Who “Gets It”

GUEST EDITORIAL

In this industry, it’s easy to dismiss the forwarding industry as being loaded with self-serving clock punchers and people who just don’t “get it.” Fortunately, there are many who are better than this and it is always validating when we do find the ones who do “get it.” The following is a post from LinkedIn made by a forwarder who definitely does “get it.”

Auto Repossession in the U.S., is it worth the risk?

Tonight I spoke to a Repossession Owner whom I have known for many years. Our call was an hour long, and we talked about a recent incident involving the shooting of one of his Employees. I was thankful that he is recovering and still with us. However, my frustration over the ongoing lack of support has overcome my emotions.

I love and respect the Men and Women of this Industry. I have always done my best to support and assist them in any way I could over the years. Even today, I am always available in the event of anyone wanting to call/text me even if it’s just to say ‘Hi’.

Owning a Repossession Company is EXPENSIVE, requiring significant upfront capital for tow trucks (used: $30-$80k+, new: $90-$120K+), specialized equipment, insurance (Large annual premiums with few options), licensing/bonding, office space with a lot, and working capital for 6 months+ of expenses. The total startup costs can easily reach a potential $1 million for a full operation. Major costs include specialized tow vehicles, spotter cars, robust insurance (on-hook, wrongful repossession), Software, Safety Gear, Camera’s, and regulatory compliance.

Repo Work is not the single most dangerous job in the US. Logging workers have the highest fatal injury rate, followed by fishing and hunting workers. While there is no official federal database that tracks repossession-related shootings as a specific category, industry data and historical reports indicate that such violence is a recurring issue in the United States.

Recent Statistics and Industry Trends

2023 Deadliest Year: The repossession industry reported 2023 as one of its deadliest years, with seven agents killed in the line of duty.

Underreporting: Industry experts estimate that as few as 10% of violent incidents occurring during repossessions are reported in the news.

Violent Incidents (2019-2024): One Industry Tracker reported over 195 violent incidents – including shootings, physical assaults, and vehicular attacks – across more than 80 cities over a five-year period ending in 2024.

Recent Shooting Cases (2024-2025)

December, 2025 Milwaukee, WI: A Repossession Agent was shot multiple times while securing a unit. Police and Emergency Responders were called and able to rush the man to the hospital where Doctors performed emergency surgery. The agent is recovering. No Arrests made yet.

September, 2025 Brockton, MA: A Repossession Agent was shot in the leg after a vehicle owner fired 9-10 rounds at the repossession crew.

June, 2025 Horn Lake, MS: A Tow Truck Driver was shot during a verbal altercation while attempting to lift a vehicle.

January, 2024 Port St. Lucie, FL: An Agent was shot 6 times at point-blank range while attempting a tow; he survived the encounter.

Historical Context

GMAC Massacre (1990): One of the most significant historical incidents occurred in Jacksonville, Florida, where a man whose car was repossessed killed 9 people and wounded several others at a GMAC finance office.

Personal Reflection of the Industry

I’ve known many of the Men and Women of the Industry. Everything I’ve learned and know today is based on the combined knowledge of the Industry and the people that run it. My feelings about the Industry today are that the perception of the margins and safety of the job are misunderstood.

Many Clients and Forwarders employees fail to understand the complexity and dangers of the industry. This can be easily resolved, in my opinion, through educating those employees in what is involved and what the dangers can be.

I’m not saying that Clients and Forwarders are unsympathetic; I do believe there is a level of concern when an incident occurs. However, after a short period of time, it’s business as usual. Too often I feel that sympathy for the Repossession Agent can be turned in favor of a Customer when they give the all too familiar story of hardship. While I understand, as do the Repossession Agents, I feel that it’s always the Repossession Agent who is made out to be the “fall guy” or “bad actor” for the Client to save face.

These hard-working men and women were hired to do the job, and they did it with professionalism, tenacity, and honesty. Treat them as such and give them the respect and partnership you sell them over and over.

The repercussions for a Customer doing harm are simply not strong enough. Besides Repossession Agents being shot at, Customers damaging trucks, Lots, and making more threats than you can imagine. But the Repossession Company has to be so careful not to produce bad press, or “Breach of Peace” because the lender will black list them.

At what point does a Client come to the understanding that the Customer isn’t always right? Their own failures have resulted in the Repossession Agents doing their jobs that the Clients ask them to do in the first place.

I recall an instance one night as I was driving home years ago. An Executive called me asking me to contact a repossession company and tell them that a Customer had to get into their repossessed vehicle that night to get their Children’s necessary medication. I contacted the Owner of the company, who was sympathetic and told me they were on the way to pick up their two small children, but would be kind enough to meet them at their lot to allow them in and get what they needed.

45 Minutes later the Owner called and told me that two men had met her there, and her two children were with her, her staff was out working, and they were alone. Luckily, the people that came were not dangerous because they had lied to the Client to get into their car to retrieve two loaded handguns.

Yep, I was floored with anger. I called the Executive who had called and told them to never ask me to do that again and let the Client know that this could have ended badly. Now, this is a story that I fall back to every time someone pushes me to call a company to allow someone to come after hours. Redemption hours are for safety above all else.

Everyone in the Repossession Industry has Multiple Stories like this, and most are far more serious. There was an Owner who told me once he was shot at weekly on the job. I asked him why he would do a job that is so dangerous. He said, “I don’t know what else to do”. Is it worth it?

How can it be improved?

This perspective will be viewed differently by many, and that is expected. However, I firmly believe the repossession industry can and must be improved through intentional technology adoption (data analytics, integrated systems, LPRs), higher data standards and transparency (unified platforms, clear performance metrics, and agent data ownership), stronger collaboration between lenders and agents (meaningful scorecards, fair pricing, and clear contractual expectations), and true professionalization through training and standardized practices.

At the same time, we must focus on confronting the most pressing reality facing this sector: compensation has not kept pace with the true cost of doing business. Insurance premiums, compliance burdens, labor, and overhead continue to rise, while recovery fees remain largely stagnant. The margins in this industry are far thinner than many realize. In fact, countless repossession companies have been forced to diversify simply to survive.

Most critically, any agent harmed, or worse, killed while securing collateral in this country, is a tragedy that should shake this entire industry to its core. Continuing to offer prayers without meaningful action is no longer enough. If we fail to confront the systemic risks, inequities, and misaligned incentives that place agents in harm’s way, we become nothing more than clanging cymbals, making noise without effect.

It is past time for this sector to come together, speak with clarity, and implement real solutions that protect agents, sustain businesses, and preserve the integrity of the recovery ecosystem.

If we truly value the people who secure collateral, then protecting them, compensating them fairly, and reforming this system is no longer optional; it’s our obligation, and the question is whether this industry will finally choose courage over complacency.

One of my most important memories from my childhood is the day my Dad took the family and me to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington DC. I remember my Dad was helping a woman find the name of her Husband on the wall, it was her first time visiting it.

While she had a general idea where to find it, she was struggling. My Dad took the time and looked with her and found the name. And when he did, I’ll never forget, the Woman and my Dad held each other in a crying embrace.

At the time, I never understood the importance of that moment. Now it’s a lasting memory of how we are all in this together and work so hard to make this a better place for everyone. That should be our goal. Leave this world in a better place than when we found it. Let’s all make that happen. Together…..