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.

Using the sharing economy for rentals can lead to problems.

Are travelers cooling to the sharing economy?

January 30, 2024August 2, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Angela Diaz suffers from travel sharing fatigue. She recently rented a two-bedroom home in Dania Beach, Florida, but wishes she’d stayed in a hotel, instead.

The whole, “Now, we request your full attention as the flight attendants demonstrate the safety features of this aircraft,” goes in one ear and out the other.

Passengers are tuning out preflight safety announcements. They may regret it.

June 20, 2024July 30, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Admit it, you don’t pay attention to those preflight safety announcements anymore. The whole, “Now, we request your full attention as the flight attendants demonstrate the safety features of this aircraft,” goes in one ear and out the other.

What can he take for this prescription drug headache?

January 30, 2024July 30, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

When Shan Adaikalam changed jobs, his insurance coverage changed as well. And when he tried to fill some prescriptions, the price increase left him in shock — and reaching for his phone to dial the 9-1-1 of consumer advocacy.

How to take a vacation in your hometown

June 5, 2024July 28, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

If you want to know how to take a vacation in your hometown, I have a few secrets to share with you. They involve taking a few detours, adopting a loosey-goosey definition of “vacation” and above all, being curious.

Here’s how to untangle an airfare and trip insurance mess

January 30, 2024July 28, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Marilyn Weaver books Jet2.com tickets to fly from Manchester, England, to Rhodes, Greece. Then the surprise charges from the airline begin. Can our advocates help her sort this out?

Void your auto warranty? It might be easier than you think.

Here’s how to easily void your auto warranty

January 30, 2024July 23, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

There’s no help for Thad Campbell’s rusty VW Eos and the faulty auto warranty that came with it.

Volkswagen won’t cover the damage, and our advocates are powerless to help him — and it’s all because of a technicality.

Best time of year to take a vacation? Christopher Elliott, author

What’s the best time of year to take a vacation?

December 2, 2024July 21, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

When’s the best time of the year to take a vacation? If you choose the right place, you can go at any time. But beware of any destination that bills itself as a “year-round” resort. There are always qualifiers.

A storm ruined their vacation. Is a refund on the horizon?

January 30, 2024July 21, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

When a tropical storm ruined their vacation, Randie and Michael Wolfe turned to their hotel for a refund. But this problem didn’t end as you would expect.

Small claims court might be in your future if you can't resolve your consumer problem through other methods.

What happens when you need small claims help?

January 30, 2024July 20, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Sometimes, you have no choice. You need small claims help, and you need it now. It’s time to head to small claims court.

Consider what happened to Meghan Robinson, who recently bought a mini-pig named Peaches from a business called — I’m not making this up — Mini Pig World.

This is how to master the art of travel

January 30, 2024July 20, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Travel is an art, not a science.

Read enough columns, and you might think being the world’s smartest traveler is a paint-by-number proposition, an easy formula you can follow.

Christopher Elliott

Don't Miss a Story!