Image courtesy of diaper

Have you seen this show? It's a "reality" show on Tru TV about a company that repossesses vehicles in California's San Fernando Valley. I watched the marathon one Friday night and it seems like each repossession started and ended the same way.

When the repo team pulls up to the vehicle, three things usually happen:
  1. The debtor usually says that it's a mistake and the account is current. To the repo companies credit, they usually ask for some sort of receipt to verify the person made the payment before they take the vehicle. Strangely, the customer is not usually able to produce any verification of payment.
  2. The customer gets angry and/or wants to fight the repo team. How can you get angry when you know you haven't made your car payment? What some people fail to realize is that you do not own the car until you have paid the finance company in full. As long as the finance company holds the title or has a lien on your vehicle, they are the rightful owner.
  3. The repo company usually gets the vehicle. The repo company is paid by the lienholder to bring the vehicle back to them and they are usually successful.
I've never had a vehicle repossessed but if I have not paid for a vehicle and someone came to get it, I'd give it to them without a fight. I guess people like me don't make shows like this possible.

It's sad to say that the show is almost like a comedy. There is nothing funny about someone losing their vehicle but the setup of the show is just hilarious. It almost makes you wonder whether or not the show is real.


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20 comments

  1. Anonymous // January 7, 2009 at 8:55 AM  

    I've seen that show too. I'm always amazed at how emotional people become over AN OBJECT. It's just a car. If it was that important, then make the payments.

  2. Anonymous // January 7, 2009 at 9:50 AM  

    I have never seen this particular show but I remember something like it being on a few years ago. The repo man on that show had been shot several times during his career (he must not have been in CA). Now that is a job I would NOT want!

  3. Unknown // January 7, 2009 at 10:36 AM  

    I haven't seen this show - but there must have been similar I have seen on in the past. I have worked in a bank's repo area - the phone calls are unbelievable. and no, these people are serious when they think they deserve the car, just not the car payments.

  4. Anonymous // January 8, 2009 at 7:21 AM  

    Oh goodness, we don't have anything like that show in the UK - but it sounds horrible! It's bad enough that people can't (or won't) meet their car payments and have to lose their cards; but to have a bunch of TV types rubbing their hands and coining it in on debtors' failure and humiliation is even worse. Or am I missing something here?

  5. Anonymous // January 8, 2009 at 8:04 PM  

    The show is actually pretty interesting to watch, sort of like a train wreck....you just can't look away. If you like reality shows, this one gives a very interesting look into a segment of life that many of us may not know a lot about.

  6. foamfan // January 16, 2009 at 3:24 PM  

    I could not 'repo' for a living, or hobby, or anything else. In my neck of the woods, it is quite common for the debtor to come out shooting. Which did, indeed, lead to a fatal shooting, just a few months ago.

  7. Anonymous // March 16, 2009 at 9:42 PM  

    I've seen the show. The first week was great, real people, real events. "Actuality not reality."
    Since then, it sucks. Everything is reenacted. So much for "actuality".

  8. Anonymous // March 24, 2009 at 9:10 AM  

    I watched this show for the first time tonight. I can't believe how stupid it is. Admittedly, I've had several cars repo'd but I have NEVER seen anything like this bunch. They're ridiculous. Ironically, when my first car was repo'd I lived in the San Fernando Valley where this "reality" show is deemed to take place. First, repos are usually done at night to lower the risk of confrontation. Also, the local police department is notified first that there is a repo order. I heard the guys at my car and went out to talk to them. They were nothing like this band of hoodlums. Both were very polite and professional. I think the antics on this show are done just for tv because if they really assaulted some of the car owners like that, not only can the recovery company be sued but the finance company can also. And what's up with that loud blond one always yelling about calling the police. Shut your yap and just do it!That's why the police are notified first...in case there is a confrontation. For the debtors...what the hell? Why get mad? C'mon, we know when we haven't made our car payments so why is it a surprise when they come get it? You're going to be inconvenienced for a few days (if you decide to get the car back) but you know it's coming. You can't not make payments for 4 or 5 months and not expect the company to come for it.

  9. kennysntv // March 24, 2009 at 10:20 AM  

    I just saw the show last week for the first time. It's edited reality and sure perhaps the production company may have added an element to make some reposessions more entertaining. But still it's interesting and of course they wont show the mondane repo's. Just the hot sizzeling onces. But dang that fat chick UGLY!!

  10. Anonymous // March 31, 2009 at 9:16 PM  

    yeah this is a fake show like someone wrote a few days ago, the repo man will try to repo your car at night or the will stalk you for a few days before they would attemp to take the car while its daylight. why these people are trying to put up a fight it doesn't matter. now doing a repo in oakland or los angeles inner city area you would see this repo team out of bussiness or doing very few repos.

  11. Anonymous // April 9, 2009 at 8:05 PM  

    i have been in the security business for a very long time and it is in your right to ask for some kind of id to make sure that the people that are trying to repo your vehicle are liget. in Ca. you have to be licensed by the state to even work as a repossessor. i have confronted a person trying to repo a vehicle from a dealership and this person had no licence that was valid at the time and i had him arrested on felonly grand theft auto. this show is nothing but a lot of bad acting and it needs to be taken off the air before real repo men and women start getting killed because of what this show is in the production of letting people think they can get away with. as for shooting gungs at the repoer's. hell i would have the police there in a minute for attempted murder with a deadly weapon. and as for ther web site it is nice but dont say anything wrong or you will be kicked off or like they say banned for ever because of saying things like the bald steriod using brainless person. that hasen't got the balls left because of the steriod use. now that will get you banned great show!!! it sucks and as for matt burch on his other web site fit tv where he says if i come to your door in the middle of the night you better be in great carido vascular shape because if you run i will catch you. well for his information there is no reason to chase a person except to do physical harm to that person. i take offence to what he says. it is almost a threat to me. if he is to repo my car at night then take it don't come knocking at my door looking for me to tell me that you are going to take it just take it. and i will promise you report it in the morning as it being stolen.

  12. Anonymous // April 13, 2009 at 6:32 PM  

    Just seen a short preview of the new show where they went into a business behind closed doors and repoed a car come on get real that is aginst the law tresspassing is not what they can do and grand theft auto included this show is so fake.

  13. Anonymous // April 14, 2009 at 7:47 PM  

    How disgusting-The people on this show need to loose some serious weight- It is so gross seeing a bunch of over indulging of lard -asses trying to even move-I hope they show up in our community -flying around on their ATV's so we can "CAN" their fat butts- maybe a night in our lockup and some big sticks will work the lard off of them. Does the big fat lady come with a bag of flour?

  14. Anonymous // April 16, 2009 at 3:05 AM  

    QUESTION: Who'd want a car back after one of those stanky asses piled up in it? NOT I!!! I heard that the big 'ole gal with the blonde hair has all the tatts and piercings because she gets into kinky stuff --- like begging to have her ass spanked during sex...The time or two that she got a guy drunk enough to do it, I heard the guy saying that he had a hard time trying to figure out which ass she wanted spanked...the one in the back, or the one in the front... OH, and what's up with the bald dude and mustache? a guy told me one time that doing steriods caused tiny "toys"...but I for one, who enjoys arguments about the chicken and the egg, say that I think he does steriods because he HAS tiny toys, therefore attempting to distract attention to other areas of the body! Trust me, a guy who goes around like this steriod ape trying to prove his manhood by being -in your face- and screaming "You think this is a freakin' game?", "You don't want none of this" or "Back off before I kick your ass" usually means he's not a man "down there", and would never win the 'ole "Urinal glance" contest!

    ULTIMATELY, THIS IS DEFINATELY THE WORST ACTING I'VE EVER SEEN, therefore the show is definately a fake! THERE'S NO WAY THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH SOME OF THESE ACTIONS (AND REACTIONS) IN THE REAL WORLD!

  15. Anonymous // April 20, 2009 at 7:51 PM  

    yes the show where they went into the business is tresspassing the vehicle was not seen from the road in plain sight. the reason to enter the building was that the tv. was left on? and this gives them the right to enter? NO. the light were off and why check the door and then enter the wherehouse to boot behind closed doors. this is called B and E. if you cant see it you can't take it. and the fat want to be a man chick that pulled the woman from the car this is calle assult can't touch no matter what. if the people are in the car truck or what ever the repo company has to leave and come back another time. and for the other times when they say give me the keys and they take the keys from the persons hand what about your other keys on the ring like your house keys and other car keys does this not make is stealing from you as a person you so have rights. if you refuse to give up the car it then becomes a civil matter and the repoers have to leave if it becomes a 415 verbal or a 415 physical then thay have to leave any type of disturbance thay have to leave and come back another time can't just bully you into doing something that you don't whant to.

  16. Anonymous // May 5, 2009 at 8:57 PM  

    This show is and always has been 100% scripted and all the things you see are "re-enactments" based on someone's imagination

    They are NEVER IN DANGER.

    I mean they go out of their way to hide it (blur faces fake pepperspray, showing them get "in trouble" with the police, say "the cameras are here to prevent misunderstandings etc..) but the acting alone on the part of the repo crew and the other people is a dead giveaway. Worse than any B-list soap opera, these people are barely smart enough to fog a mirror let alone act,..

    The things these "Repo" people do aren't legal, no business could survive the lawsuits that would ensue.

    Repo agents don't have half the rights that this show makes out despite what you hear in kindergarten, someone shoving you does not mean "all bets are off legally". Also If someone hooks your car up BEFORE they show you papers proving that they are reposession agents, and you mess them up for tresspass and attempted robbery, a lot of courts will throw it out. (Repo companies are HATED by the police and the court system because they constantly break the law to get their repos)

    You could probably even get away with killing them in a lot of cases.

    I mean in my neighborhood more than 50% of the people here are conceal and carry,..guys looking like that rolling up and getting in my face,..man they would all be face down crying before they could even get the front wheels off the ground.

    REAL repo agents would have backed off in well over 85% of the situations depected in this show. Real repo agents are also a LOT more patient with people and most peoeple (unlike EVERYONE on the show) don't leap to assult as soon as they get the story that you're reposessing their stuff.

    The fact that people actually buy into this is sad, and that the writers are too lame to come up with something that they don't have to hide is even worse.

  17. Anonymous // May 12, 2009 at 7:49 PM  

    that show is a fake. I believe all cases are re-enacted with actors for drama and entertainment value.

    Sonia is a most disgusting female on TV or anywhere. Not only is she rude, but she paints her face like a clown and has a metal thing in her bottom lip. HORRIBLE! I cannot believe Frey used to be married to that........

    Matt is a Michael Chiklis ("the Shield") wanna-be.

    There was a show on Discovery or History channel with a real repo guy from New Jersey. His last name was Castleluccio. Now that was a good, TRUE show.

  18. Anonymous // May 18, 2009 at 8:44 AM  

    Actually this show is not fake, the only thing I dont get is when they confront the person. I know that when you have to reposes a car you have to make a stake out actually you dont have to talk to the person and ask for the keys most of the time if you see the car you normally take it when no one is around. Thats how repos are done and thats how the driver makes his/her money is it dangerous bet your ass it is. The only thing you have to do is say your from the reposes company and I am here to take your car how you the statement and there good to go, wanna call the cops just awaste of the drivers time is all. And what they do is fine, the only thing I suggest they do is first get the car then the keys they dont wanna give up the keys they have the right to tow the car away.

  19. Anonymous // May 18, 2009 at 8:44 AM  

    Actually this show is not fake, the only thing I dont get is when they confront the person. I know that when you have to reposes a car you have to make a stake out actually you dont have to talk to the person and ask for the keys most of the time if you see the car you normally take it when no one is around. Thats how repos are done and thats how the driver makes his/her money is it dangerous bet your ass it is. The only thing you have to do is say your from the reposes company and I am here to take your car how you the statement and there good to go, wanna call the cops just awaste of the drivers time is all. And what they do is fine, the only thing I suggest they do is first get the car then the keys they dont wanna give up the keys they have the right to tow the car away.

  20. Anonymous // June 1, 2009 at 11:42 PM  

    If you watch the credits at the end of the show, it reads "Show Ideas By Lou P." or what ever or however you spell the owners name of the ficticous (sp?) Repo company. Also, at the beginning of the show they post 2 statements about the show The could indicate that the show is probably not reality kd