Milestone achievement boosts total regional consumer funds recovered to over $14 million, achieved through collaboration between NBC 4 New York / WNBC and Telemundo 47/ WNJU
NEW YORK, NY – (October 30, 2023) – Resolving consumer cases large and small, NBC 4 New York / WNBC today announced the station’s popular consumer investigative franchise Better Get Baquero has recovered more than $10 million for Tri-State consumers since the franchise’s launch in 2013. Collectively with Telemundo 47 / WNJU, both stations have recovered over $14 million for consumers across the region. Consumers who were incorrectly denied retirement funds, overcharged for student loan payments and not credited for making online tax payments are recent examples of how the consumer investigative teams in each station have resolved local consumer concerns.
“Ten million dollars in ten years. It’s an impressive amount of money returned to local viewers,” said Amy Morris, Senior Vice President of News for NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47. “Lynda Baquero, Liz Gonzalez along with our News 4 NY and Telemundo consumer teams are problem solvers. They respond to every email and phone call they receive. I’m proud of the work they have done to advocate for so many people across the Tri-State area.”
Better Get Baquero
Led by Consumer Reporter Lynda Baquero, the consumer investigative franchise achieved success through a public commitment to returning every phone call and responding to every online inquiry. Consumers seeking answers to their questions can reach out to the Better Get Baquero team by calling 1-866-NEWS-244 and pressing “2” for consumer inquiries, or visiting NBCNewYork.com/GetHelp where they can complete a short form to begin the process. All inquiries are answered by the Better Get Baquero team.
“Whether the concern is large or small, it matters a great deal to consumers – and that’s why they turn to Better Get Baquero,” said Lynda Baquero. “Our team works hard to track down the answers and get the problem solved. This is a very meaningful milestone for all of us at Better Get Baquero. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our viewers and earn their trust.”
Better Get Baquero segments regularly air weekdays on “Today in New York” and “News 4 New York,” as well as on “Weekend Today in New York” episodes airing on Saturdays and Sundays. Recent success stories include:
- Student Loan Payments: A Long Island viewer has been working to pay off student loans taken out more than two decades ago, but the amount owed continued to increase during the pandemic. According to loan statements, the viewer owed more than what she originally took out in 1996. The viewer contacted Better Get Baquero for help, who was able to help get the balance down to zero.
- Paying Taxes with a Credit Card: A New Jersey viewer paid her 2022 federal taxes using a credit card, but the funds were never applied to her account. This led to time-consuming and unsuccessful efforts to resolve the situation. The viewer contacted Better Get Baquero, who was able to help. The payment has been applied and the situation now resolved.
- COVID Cruise Refund: Two Hudson Valley viewers scheduled an Alaskan cruise to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, the couple contracted COVID-19 while on board and were confined to their rooms during the trip. They had bought travel insurance for the trip but for seven months, the insurance provider refused to approve the claim. After contacting Better Get Baquero, the insurance company changed course, compensating the couple for the costs of the cruise and travel back to New York.
- Car Accident Payout: A Bronx viewer contacted Better Get Baquero after a more than two decade-long struggle to obtain $16,000 in funds, owed to her following a 1995 automobile accident. After Better Get Baquero got involved, the funds were delivered to the viewer with interest, resulting in a $28,640 final payout.
Telemundo T47 Responde
Telemundo 47’s consumer investigative unit, Telemundo T47 Responde helps consumers who have been wronged, regardless of language spoken. The unit is led by consumer reporter Liz Gonzalez, who reports weeknights on WNJU. Customers can reach Liz and the Telemundo T47 Responde team by calling 1-877-478-3536 or visiting Telemundo47.com/responde.
Telemundo T47 Responde segments air on weekday and weekend editions of “Noticiero 47 Telemundo”. Recent success stories include:
- Challenging Utility Charges: A bodega owner in Queens claimed that he was charged incorrectly and did not owe power charges that totaled more than $186,000. He contacted Telemundo 47 Responde, who positively resolved the situation.
- Unfrozen Bank Funds: A New Jersey viewer spent three years working to “unfreeze” thousands of dollars that he deposited into his own banking account but were unavailable for withdrawal. The bank even closed his account. After contacting Telemundo 47 Responde, the situation was resolved, and the viewer was sent a check for more than $24,000.
- Refund for a Cancelled Trip: A Long Island viewer reported that her child had inadvertently booked a trip using her cell phone. She cancelled it but was unable to secure a full refund and contacted Telemundo 47 Responde for help. The case was later resolved, and the viewer received her refund.
About NBC 4 New York / WNBC
NBC 4 New York / WNBC is the flagship station of the NBCUniversal Local division of NBCUniversal, serving the New York Tri-State area for more than 75 years and featuring Alfred I. duPont-Columbia, Edward R. Murrow and Emmy® Award-winning journalists who are among the most accomplished in their field. The station includes the NBC 4 I-Team, New York’s largest televised investigative reporting unit, Better Get Baquero which has recovered more than $10 million for Tri-State consumers and Storm Team 4, certified by WeatheRate for delivering the Tri-State’s most accurate local weather forecast using cutting-edge technology such as Storm Tracker 4, a high-frequency S-Band dual polarization fixed Doppler weather radar.
NBC 4 New York’s digital platforms are also among the most read and watched in the New York market and include the NBC 4 App, dedicated Peacock channel, The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus and Xumo Play channels along with unique, out-of-home viewing in local taxis. For more information, visit nbcnewyork.com
About Telemundo 47 New York / WNJU
Telemundo 47 / WNJU is NBCUniversal Local’s Telemundo station with more than 50 years of service to the Spanish-speaking communities of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Featuring Emmy® Award-winning journalists and offering more than 27 hours of locally produced programming each week, Telemundo 47 is the Tri-State’s only Spanish language television station with a team of four certified broadcast meteorologists, La Autoridad en El Tiempo who are certified by WeatheRate for delivering the Tri-State’s most accurate Spanish-language television forecast. Their Telemundo Responde investigative unit has recovered more than $4 million to date, with Telemundo 47’s public affairs program Enfoque Nueva York shining a weekly spotlight on the policy issues and local concerns most important to viewers.
Telemundo 47 offers news and information across all platforms, including the Telemundo 47 App, dedicated Peacock, Roku and Amazon FireTV channels, and through social media. The Tri-State’s Spanish-language broadcast home for FIFA™, Telemundo 47 will offer exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the 2026 FIFA™ Men’s World Cup 2026 tournament. For more information, visit telemundo47.com.
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