Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter.

Douglas Quara wants to know why we need consumer advocates -- and maybe you do, too." I love that you help people," he wrote in an email..

Why do we need consumer advocates?

January 22, 2024July 29, 2020 by Christopher Elliott

Douglas Quara wants to know why we need consumer advocates — and maybe you do, too.

“I love that you help people,” he wrote in an email.

An Optimum technician came to Ruth Bernstein's house and did not fix the problem she called about -- so why did she have to pay?

Optimum did not fix the problem so why do I have to pay?

January 22, 2024July 21, 2020 by Christopher Elliott

An Optimum technician came to Ruth Bernstein’s house and did not fix the problem she called about — so why did she have to pay? That’s the problem to solve today.

If a Vrbo host tells you to leave, then shouldn't you get a refund? Whitney Todd thinks so. A Vrbo host recently told her to get out, but kept her money.

If the host tells you to leave, shouldn’t you get a refund?

May 14, 2024July 10, 2020 by Christopher Elliott

When Whitney Todd tried to check in to a Vrbo vacation rental, a property manager told her to leave. (Actually, that’s the G-rated version; the host told her to “Get the [expletive] outta here!”). But if a Vrbo host tells you to, you know, leave, then shouldn’t you get a refund?