Help Me Hank: Help Me Hank! Fake Hank

This isn’t the real Leaning Tower of Pisa. You weren't fooled.

Sideburns aside, this isn’t the real Elvis.

But sometimes recognizing the real thing isn't instantly easy. Listen to this tape of a phone call to a local car dealer.

Phone Recording
"Could I speak with one of the, uh, sales managers please?"

Here's what else they said.

Phone Recording
"I’m with Channel 7 investigative reporting, uh, with the office of Hank Phillippi Ryan."

The caller went on to say "we'd" received many pricing complaints from their customers and there was more.

Phone Recording
"We’re gonna be coming out with a camera crew in about a half hour."

Channel 7? Camera crew?

The sales manager went right to his boss who knew exactly what to do.

Car Dealer
"One of my people called your office."

Of course our office had made no such call and out at the dealership, the boss told us his spidey sense had sensed it was fake.

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"So he said we were coming with a camera. What did you think about that?"

Car Dealer
"Well, I was very suspicious with it."

Obviously when we get a call or complaint, we first check out both sides of the story.

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"So this person called literally threatening."

Car Dealer
"Correct."

But here’s the rest of the story. The car dealer has caller ID.

Car Dealer
"It was a customer."

And, fraudulent phone guy, the dealership knows who you are.

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"Does he know that you know?"

Car Dealer
"No."

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"That we know?"

Car Dealer
"No."

The dealer says people have also called pretending to be the Attorney General’s office. That never works, either.

But in this case phone guy, he'd rather sell you a car than sell you out.

Car Dealer
"We're just gonna embarrass him and if he is too embarrassed, he probably wouldn't do business with us."

Problem with a car purchase? There are lots of legitimate ways to deal with it. But hey, pretending you're me? That is just not going to work. Check out the links below for more information on car help.

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