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-WJLA SCRIPT-

Anchor:

FIRST "SEVEN ON YOUR SIDE" EXPOSED THE DECEPTION. NOW CONSUMERS ARE GETTING BACK MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. TONIGHT ROSS MCLAUGHLIN HAS THE NEWEST DEVELOPMENTS ON A BALTIMORE AREA COMPUTER FINANCING COMPANY CALLED "BLUE HIPPO." - ROSS?

Ross:

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THEIR ADS BUT IT'S UNLIKELY YOU SAW THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY JOE RENSIN UNTIL WE CONFRONTED HIM ABOUT WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO US, BUT HE HAD TO DEAL WITH MARYLAND'S ATTORNEY GENERAL.

Story:

Ross: "Why do you charge so much for your computers?"

Joe Rensin/BlueHippo: "This is gotcha journalism. And it's yellow and you know it."

Ross: "And why are you taking advantage of your customers?"

Joe Rensin/BlueHippo: "Nah that's silly come on."

THIS WAS BLUE HIPPO'S OWNER JOE RENSIN LAST YEAR CLAIMING HE'D DONE NOTHING WRONG.

Risa Hucks/Consumer: "I'm stuck."

RISA HUCKS GOT A COMPUTER THAT DIDN'T WORK AND PAID TOO MUCH FOR IT..JUST LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WHO FELT RIPPED OFF BY BLUE HIPPO AFTER GETTING HOOKED BY THIS COMMERCIAL.

Commercial: "This is your chance to get a brand new brand name computer from BlueHippo regardless of your credit."

YEAH RIGHT. OUR INVESTIGATION REVEALED THINGS LIKE THIS - PAYING $2,100 FOR A COMPUTER THAT REALLY COSTS ABOUT $600. AND COMPANY DATA WE GOT OUR HANDS ON REVEALED ONLY 34 PERCENT OF THE COMPUTERS WERE EVER DELIVERED. WHICH IS WHY MARYLAND'S ATTORNEY GENERAL STEPPED IN.

Doug Gansler/Maryland Attorney General: "There were so many consumers throughout the state of Maryland that lost so much money."

SO DOUG GANSLER WENT AFTER JOE RENSIN AND HIS COMPANY.

Doug Gansler/Maryland Attorney General: "Clearly there was fraud going on here."

Joe Rensin/BlueHippo: "Just turn it off and I'll be happy to speak with you."

RENSIN ADMITTED NO WRONG DOING, BUT AGREED TO PAY BACK MILLIONS TO CONSUMERS. MARYLAND IS HANDLING THE REFUNDS AND CHECKS HAVE BEEN SENT OUT TO MORE THAN 1,800 CONSUMERS AND ANOTHER 2,5000 CHECKS WILL BE GOING OUT SOON. THIS HAS COST BLUEHIPPO ALMOST $3 MILLLION SO FAR.

Ross: "You got a big ole smile on your face don't you? Want brings that smile today?"

THIS. A CHECK FOR 907 DOLLARS

Risa Hucks/Consumer: "Oh wow!"

SHE'S GOT SOME MONEY BACK AND HAS ADVICE FOR ANYONE CONSIDERING A COMPUTER LAYAWAY PROGRAM LIKE BLUEHIPPO'S.

Risa Hucks/Consumer: "Leave it alone don't bother with it. Go into the store and purchase it right then and there. Don't believe it. Don't believe the hype."
Ross:

BLUEHIPPO HAS SUPPOSEDLY CHANGED IT'S BUSINESS PRACTICES, BUT THE COMPANY IS STILL FACING LAWSUITS IN SEVERAL OTHER STATES. WE CALLED TODAY FOR A COMMENT BUT NEVER GOT A CALL BACK. COMPUTER LAYAWAY PROGRAMS LIKE BLUEHIPPO GO AFTER CONSUMERS WITH BAD CREDIT. BEST ADVICE - AVOID THEM. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND BUY A COMPUTER ON YOUR OWN.

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