If you need money fast and are starting to run out of options, one solution that might work for you is to take out a title loan. Title loans exchange the title of your car for cash in hand, which can be incredibly helpful in certain situations.

However, there are scam artists out there that will look to take advantage of your current situation and this can end up putting you in an even more difficult financial position rather than benefiting you.

Here are four quality tips that can help you find great title loans from companies that you’ll be able to trust rather than getting yourself into a bad situation:

1. Easy Explanations

Whenever you decide to borrow money from a lender, making sure that you understand exactly what you’re getting yourself into will be critical. This means that you want to work with a lender that’s able to answer all your questions and concerns with a simple, straightforward explanation.

If you find yourself feeling as if your lender is running you around in circles, the best thing you can do is get out of the office and find yourself another option.

Car title loans can be tricky and ultimately result in you losing your car if things should go badly. Make sure that you work with a team that’s open about their agreements and how they work so that you can feel confident when you hand over that title.

2. Ask to See a License

Any entity that lends out money needs to have a state-registered license in order to do so. Most quality lenders will display this license right in their offices.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking to see this license when you visit to take out a loan. In fact, it will show your lender that you’re serious about working with a valid and respectable lender, which will instill a sense of confidence in you on their end.

3. Ask About Pre-Payment Penalties

Most borrowers understand that if they are unable to repay their loans on time, they could face repercussions. However, few people understand that they could also face penalties for paying their loans off ahead of time.

Lenders make the bulk of their money from interest and so there are companies out there that will actually charge you more if you try and pay back your loan ahead of schedule.

Make sure that you find out what their pre-payment penalties might be so that you can avoid having to pay any more than necessary.

4. Look at Reviews

At the end of the day, title loan lenders are running a business. Just as with any business, taking a look at the reviews and testimonials left by past clients can be the best way to get a handle on their reputation and understand exactly what kind of service you’ll be able to expect from them.

You can rest assured that anyone who’s been scammed by a lender will want as many people as possible to know about it, so you’ll be sure to find an array of negative remarks when a team is treating their customers poorly.