American Credit Acceptance Repossession & Active-Duty Military (SCRA)

Are you on active duty and American Credit Acceptance repossessed your car — or is threatening to? Servicemembers have a protection most people have never heard of: under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), a lender generally cannot repossess your vehicle without a court order in many situations. If they took it anyway, that can be a serious violation.

What the SCRA can do for you

• Court order required to repossess — for loans entered before active duty, self-help repossession is generally barred during service.
• 6% interest cap — on debts incurred before service, you can cap the interest rate at 6% during active duty by sending written notice and a copy of your orders.
• Protection from default judgments — special rules apply if you’re sued while serving and can’t appear.
• Penalties for violations — a wrongful repossession under the SCRA can expose the lender to actual damages, and courts can order more.

How to invoke your SCRA rights

If they repossessed without a court order

If American Credit Acceptance repossessed your protected vehicle without the required court order, that may be an SCRA violation on top of any ordinary wrongful-repossession problems — and it can mean the deficiency is gone and damages are on the table. Don’t pay a deficiency before this is checked. See wrongful-repossession remedies →

Active-duty servicemembers should use their free base Legal Assistance office for SCRA matters — it’s one of the best free resources available to you.