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.
Did Tom Cunard just get snagged by a car rental scam? He reserved a car through Hertz via Expedia, but discovered the price had almost doubled at pick-up.

Did he just get snagged in a car rental scam?

Did Tom Cunard just get snagged by a car rental scam? He wants to know after he reserved an Audi A4 through Hertz via Expedia. When he picked up the car in Edinburgh, Scotland, he discovered that the price had almost doubled from the original quote.

Here's yet another WOW lost luggage case -- and by "WOW" I mean WOW Airlines, the discount Icelandic carrier. "Wow, I can't believe I'm reading this again!"

Help! WOW lost my luggage — and my claim

If I’ve seen Darcy Sansbury’s email once, I’ve seen it a thousand times. It’s a WOW lost luggage case — and by “WOW” I mean WOW Airlines, the discount Icelandic carrier. I also mean “Wow, I can’t believe I’m reading this again!”

Last year an enormous landslide closed part of the California Central Coast's main tourist attraction, an iconic stretch of U.S. Highway 1.

Highway 1 is reopened. Here’s how to see it

Michelle Carlen knows about road blocks. She started her job as president of Central Coast Tourism Council at about the same time an enormous landslide closed part of the California Central Coast’s main tourist attraction, the iconic stretch of U.S. Highway 1 that winds along the coastline from Ventura to Santa Cruz.

Thinking about family travel in 2019? Same here. I haven't had time to catch my breath from last year, but here I am, ready for more.

Family travel in 2019: Where to go and what to do

Thinking about family travel in 2019? Same here. I haven’t had time to catch my breath from last year, but here I am, ready for more.

My family and I traveled nonstop in 2018, and this year is shaping up to be even busier. We had some ups and downs last year. But my pain is your gain: I have travel tips for you if you’re thinking of taking your family somewhere — and a preview of what to expect from my family in 2019.

Want to learn a new language before your next international trip? There are some new apps to learn key words and phrases before your departure.

Want to learn a new language this year? These apps can help

My parents moved from New Jersey to Passau, Germany, when I was a toddler. After a few weeks of playing with the neighborhood kids, I spoke fluent, Bavarian-accented German. That’s probably not an option if you want to learn a new language before your next international trip, but there are some new ways to learn key words and phrases before your departure.