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Am I in default?

Produced by Will Komos, Ryan Metz, Kelsea Schimmel with attorney assistance from Raven Moeslinger
Created February, 2021

If a bank or lender sends you a letter that says they are going to take your car, this probably means that they think you have missed a payment on your loan. Missing only one payment can be a “default.”

Get more information:

  • If you do not recognize the company on the letter, it could be a scam, or your old lender could have sold your loan to a new company.
  • Call the lender you normally pay to find out if you are in default.
  • If they say you missed a payment, ask for their record of the payments you missed.
  • Ask for a copy of your loan agreement if you do not have one. Look for a section on “repossession.” See if it says the lender can repossess your vehicle if you miss a loan payment.
  • Check with your bank to make sure that your payment cleared.

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