Bedford's Lynda Baquero Celebrates Return Of $10M To Consumers

BEDFORD, NY — Watching Bedford resident Lynda Baquero doggedly pursue justice for consumers makes for engaging, and at times dramatic viewing, but for the people she has helped, her investigative reporting has meant millions of dollars in much needed relief.

In nearly a decade of resolving consumer cases large and small, NBC 4 New York has announced that the station’s popular consumer investigative franchise "Better Get Baquero" has recovered more than $10 million for tri-state consumers. Collectively, with their colleagues at Telemundo 47, the stations have recovered over $14 million for consumers across the greater New York City region.

As regular viewers already know, consumers who were incorrectly denied retirement funds, overcharged for student loan payments or not credited for making online tax payments, have been helped to recover losses by the consumer investigative teams at the stations who resolve local consumer concerns day in and day out.

"Ten million dollars in ten years — it’s an impressive amount of money returned to local viewers," NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47 Senior VP of News Amy Morris said. "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."

Led by Consumer Reporter Lynda Baquero, the consumer investigative franchise, "Better Get Baquero" achieved success through a well-known commitment to returning every phone call and responding to every online inquiry.

"Whether the concern is large or small, it matters a great deal to consumers — and that’s why they turn to Better Get Baquero," Baquero said. "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 is 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 purchased 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.

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 the website where they can complete a short form to begin the process.

All inquiries are answered by the "Better Get Baquero" team and quite frequently, those who call learn that the investigative segment isn't just good television — it's a good ally to have at a time of frustration.