Question:  What is a Bail Enforcement Agent?

Answer: A BEA or Fugitive Recovery Agent is an individual who works for a bail bond company to capture a fugitive who has failed to appear in court.  The Bail Bond Company typically pays 10% of the total bond amount for capture.

Question:  What is a Bail Bond Company?

Answer:  A Bail Bond Company is an institution or firm who has put up the bail amount for an individual to be released from jail.  The bail bond company acts as a jailor, and the responsibility of bringing the fugitive back to court lies solely with them.  Bail Bond Companies make money by charging a fee of 10-20% of the posted bail amount.  If the defendant fails to show for court, a bounty hunter "Bail Enforcement Agent steps in to recapture the fugitive.

Question: Do I have to be a Bail Enforcement Agent to collect rewards offered by police stations & federal authorities when providing tips that lead to the capture or tracking down of a fugitive?

Answer: No, a bounty hunter can work independently to track down fugitives that are wanted by police departments and federal authorities.

Question: Do I have to physically apprehend subjects?

Answer: When working as a bail enforcement agent or bounty hunter, you may have others apprehend the subject for you.  You and your team will work together to secure the defendant.

Question: What other names are used to refer to Bounty Hunters?

Answer: BEA's, Bail Enforcement Agents, Fugitive Recovery Agents, Bail Agent, Bail Enforcement Agent, Bail Officer, Fugitive Recovery Agent, Fugitive Recovery Officer, or Bail Fugitive Recovery Specialist

Question: Is a Bail Enforcement Officer the same as a Bounty Hunter?

Answer:  It can be, depending on what context you use the word Bounty Hunter in...  On this web site, we refer to Bounty Hunters NOT JUST AS BAIL OFFICERS, but one who helps assist in the capture of fugitives wanted by local, state & federal authorities where BOUNTIES/REWARDS are given to those who provide tips leading to the capture of fugitives.

Question:  What would be the best way for me to begin working as a bounty hunter "BEA?

Answer: The best way to become a Bail Enforcement Agent is to find someone who is knowledgeable in the industry and offer your services to them for FREE "temporarily".  Preferably a firm who offers Bail Enforcement services.  Working for a bail bond company or a firm who offers fugitive recovery services allow you to gain the experience needed to successfully earn rewards in the industry.  You can then apply skip tracing techniques & use your newfound skills to track down fugitives that have large rewards on their heads which can be $50k USD  +.

Question: How many Bail Enforcement Agents are there in the U.S.?

Answer:  Currently, there are over 8,000 Bail Enforcement Agents across the U.S which account for up to 50,000 arrests each year.

Question: How does a Bail Enforcement Agent find work?

Answer: Typically, Bail Agents are self-employed and offer their services to Bail Bond Companies.  To gain experience and tap into this industry more quickly, we suggest that you offer to capture a fugitive for 5% of the bond amount.  They will choose you and you'll gain vital experience, then you will be able to provide referrals to other agencies to track down fugitives.

Question: What is the different between a Bail Enforcement Agent and a Police Officer?

Answer: In 1872 a U.S. Supreme Court Case "Taylor vs Taintor" gave bail agents nearly limitless authority in their duties while recovering a fugitive.  Unlike a police officer, a bail enforcement agent can enter private property without a permit, but limited to recovering fugitives who have "skipped bail".

Question:  How old do you have to be?

Answer: 18 or older

Question: What do I need to be successful in the Bail Enforcement Industry?

Answer: Skip Tracing, Surveillance, Negotiating, Interviewing and Deception Detection, Apprehension Techniques, Marketing, Networking, Pretexting, and Research skills will all play a very important role in your success in Fugitive Recovery.

Question: Why don't people like the phrase "Bounty Hunter"?

Answer: Bounty hunting refers back to a time where it meant the apprehension or killing of a person.  Today, the term bounty hunter is simply referred to some one who is rewarded for apprehending a bail jumper.

Question: What kind of earning potential is there as a bail agent?

Answer:  If a bail enforcement agent fails to apprehend a bail jumper, then they do not get paid.  A bail agent typically earns 10% of the total bond amount upon capture of a fugitive that has skipped their court appearance in the U.S.  So, take 10% of the total bonded amount that was forfeited.

Question: Is this a dangerous line of work?

Answer: Yes and no.  If you are not trained, inexperienced in general and are unfamiliar how fugitives react at the time of apprehension, yes, there is danger. But, if you work in groups, danger is minimized since most fugitives melt upon the sight of multiple people bearing down on them.

Question: What kind of laws or regulations effect the Bail Enforcement Industry?

Answer: Laws are constantly changing in this industry.  If you are interested in becoming a Bail Enforcement Agent, then we highly suggest researching the states that allow this.

Question: Are there licensing requirements?

Answer: You'll find that there are licensing requirements in some states, however, they are easy to apply & train for.  You cannot work without a license in a state that requires one, or you will be subject to prosecution.

Question: How do I begin soliciting bond assignments?

Answer: Within our eBook, you will find section dedicated to marketing & exposure in the industry.  Once understood, securing bond assignments will be easy.

Question: What are the duties of a bail bondsman?

Answer: A professional agent for an insurance company who specializes in providing bail bonds for people charged with crimes and awaiting trial in order to have them released. The offices of a bail bondsman (or woman) are usually found close to the local court house and jail, his/her advertising is found in the yellow pages, and some make "house calls" to the jail or hand out cards in court. Bail bondsmen usually charge the suspect a fee of 10 percent of the amount of the bond. If a bail bondsman has reason to believe a person he/she bailed out is about to flee, he may revoke the bond and surrender his client to jail.

Question: What is process serving?

Answer: The delivery of copies of legal documents such as summons, complaint, subpoena, order to show cause (order to appear and argue against a proposed order), writs, notice to quit the premises, and certain other documents, usually by personal delivery to the defendant or other person to whom the documents are directed. So-called "Substituted Service" can be accomplished by leaving the documents with an adult resident of a home, with an employee with management duties at a business office, or with a designated "agent for acceptance of service" (often with name and address filed with the state's Secretary of State), or, in some cases, by posting in a prominent place followed by mailing copies by certified mail to the opposing party. In certain cases of absent or unknown defendants, the court will allow service by publication in a newspaper. Once all parties have filed a complaint, answer, or any pleading in a lawsuit, further documents usually can be served by mail or even

Question: What is skip tracing?

Answer: Skip Tracing is the electronic means of tracking down a suspect.  Skip Tracing is a skill that can be learned not only by detectives, by anyone who must find someone who has gone missing.  With the advent of the Internet, skip tracing techniques have become highly sophisticated. There are many avenues and leads that can be checked using computers. As well as the previously mentioned routes, these include social security number checking, voter registration searches, neighborhood inquiry searches, traffic ticket and marriage record checking. As more personal information is held on databases, skip tracing has become less time consuming with a higher chance of success.