Help Me Hank: Dialing up Dollars

You might not instantly peg John Sweeny as a hero, but to Mary Ricci, her neighbor is up there with Galahad and Superman! Not only because he helps in her East Boston garden, but because one afternoon when John noticed Mary's heirloom photos, and noticed her vintage Admiral TV, he also noticed this: her heavy black rotary dial telephone.

John Sweeny
"I didn’t understand why she still had it."

Turns out Mary had leased this phone since about 1950.

Through hula-hoops, through the moon landing, through Woodstock, though eleven presidential, inaugurations, Mary had been paying rent on the phone!

Hank
"Did that seem strange to you?"

Hank
"Because?"

Mary Ricci
"When the bill came in I paid it."

John calculated Mary may have paid out almost $3,000 in lease payments, so John bought her this new phone for $20 and called the leasing company.

John Sweeny
"And said I want to cancel the service."

But when the next phone bill arrived, Mary was charged again!

John Sweeny
"I was just outraged."

John called again to complain -- still Mary got a bill.

John Sweeny
"I felt as though I were at a brick wall and there was nobody to turn to. And the only person who came to mind was you actually, the only person I could think of was you."

We dialed up the leasing company and they quickly agreed to adjust and cancel her bill.

But there’s more! We found this class action lawsuit with a multi million-dollar award that some people who leased phones can share! So now that vintage phone, which at one point served to bring back memories, now also may bring Mary back some money!

Mary Ricci
"Um, very nice."

If you've leased a phone in the past, check it out! You may also be eligible for a refund from the class action lawsuit. For more information visit www.phoneleases.com.