Pay phones are still ripping you off
As far as rip-offs go, Sean Brady’s story of getting fleeced by technology might not resonate in the rich pasture of American scams. The fraudsters only took a few dollars instead of the 99 cents advertised.
Christopher Elliott
Help! A Sears layaway delay means I’m getting married without a ring
After Nora Heuton places her wedding ring set on Sears layaway, the company runs out of stock and cancels her order. There’s just one detail: The $586 she paid hasn’t been refunded. Can this wedding be saved?
Help! T-Mobile overbilled me after I canceled my phone
After Kelly King cancels her T-Mobile account, the phone company charges her for an extra month anyway. Can she get a refund?
After a multinational travel nightmare, who has my money?
I think Samuel Anderson-McCoy is trying to set some kind of record with his multinational travel nightmare. The paper trail runs 83 pages, which has got to be some kind of record.
And in the end, my advocacy team had to give him one more piece of paper — his walking papers.
Flu stops my trip to Cancún. Why won’t Expedia give me a refund?
Sometimes, nonrefundable really means nonrefundable. Even if you’re Sibel Isik, a customer stricken by the flu just before her vacation to Cancún, Mexico.
And even if you’re me.
Home Depot messed up my kitchen. Can you help me fix it?
Why can’t Home Depot fix the mess it made after installing the appliances in Angela Jenkins’ kitchen? It’s time for answers.
Stuck in Munich, but I need to be in Barcelona
You probably don’t need another reminder that loyalty programs often hurt more customers than they help. You probably don’t need to take another trip into a crazy world of code-sharing and airline funny money.
This is what happens when you insure a trip in pieces
Charles Mills’ trip to Peru fell to pieces. Why? Because he insured only a piece.
His case is a necessary reminder that travel insurance only covers what it covers, despite any appearance to the contrary. It also exposes our limits as consumer advocates. If the contract doesn’t allow it, we usually can’t advocate for it.
Got a travel problem? Here’s how to make the impossible, possible
Connie Matlin wants to do the impossible: buy travel insurance for what she thinks is an uninsurable trip. “My family and I would like to travel to Europe this summer,” explains Matlin, a financial planner from Cleveland. “I want to purchase airfare as soon as possible to secure a good price, but I’m also nervous.”
What to do if you miss your flight
If you miss your flight, don’t stress out. There’s more than one way to save your vacation or business trip.