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.

Expedia made a mistake on their baby's ticket.

Please fix the name on my baby’s airline ticket, Expedia

January 30, 2024June 1, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

When Expedia truncates her daughter’s name on an airline ticket, Melissa Cassill’s Greece vacation is in jeopardy. Will she be able to fly with her baby?

Want to avoid vacation rental surprises? Read this

December 15, 2023May 31, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

When it comes to vacation rentals, there are surprises — and there are surprises.

LabCorp lost her blood sample and then sent her to collections.

LabCorp lost her blood. Why didn’t it lose the bill?

January 30, 2024May 31, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Fei Yu’s blood work should have cost just $5. So why is she dealing with a collections notice for $500?

Hey NordicTrack, where’s the treadmill I ordered?

January 30, 2024May 31, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Where’s Juliana Lenny’s NordicTrack treadmill? Did she cancel her order or is it just lost somewhere? Let’s find out.

Why is his UPS refund request so complicated?

Here’s how to make a simple UPS refund problem complicated

July 8, 2024May 30, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Ronald Fore’s problem with a UPS refund looks complicated, but it’s actually simple. Maybe that’s why the company has ignored his request for help. Then again, maybe it’s because he “went ballistic” when he tried to fix it himself.

What does the Trump Administration have against a consumer advocate?

Trump administration: Remove fee restrictions, consumer advocate, from airline bill!

February 6, 2024May 29, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

The Trump administration may be committed to lifting “regulatory burdens” from airlines, but there are one or two other things from which it also wants to free the industry: proposed restrictions on excessive fees — and a new consumer advocate.

I’ve never told anyone these advocacy secrets

February 11, 2025May 28, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

The near-death experiences. The lawsuits we should have lost. The cases we won, even though we had no case.

I have stories to tell, and as our spring fundraiser gets under way, I’m going to tell them. The reason? I hope you’ll understand how fragile this site is — and how dependent it is on the support of readers like you. Simply put, I can’t do this without you.

Minimalist packing: Expert tips from the creator of SCOTTeVEST

January 30, 2024May 28, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Scott Jordan didn’t mean to change the way people pack — or more specifically, don’t pack. When he started SCOTTeVEST 18 years ago, he thought his multi-pocketed clothes would catch on with gadget users.

Should you book your vacation rental online through a third-party site?

January 30, 2024May 28, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

If you’re like most travelers, you book your vacation rental online through a third-party website. Of the top 100 vacation-rental sites, 76 percent are third-party sites — Booking.com, TripAdvisor.com and Airbnb.com are the top three — according to a study by Semrush.com, an online marketing service.

Do you have the right to call center recordings?

Do you have a right to call center recordings?

January 30, 2024May 27, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

When a company records your phone conversation for “quality assurance purposes,” should you have access to the call center recordings?

Simple question. Complicated answer.

Christopher Elliott

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