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.

Think you can't fall for a PayPal scam? I almost did, and I cover scams for a living. Here's what happened -- and how you can avoid it.

This PayPal invoice scam almost got me. Here’s how to spot it

January 27, 2025August 4, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

When Theodore Schmiechen canceled his Delta flight, he received credits for future travel. But the credits don't work.

Delta’s e-credits don’t work. How do I fix them?

January 21, 2024August 1, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

When Theodore Schmiechen cancels his Delta flight, he receives credits for future travel. But the credits don’t work, and the airline is making it difficult to book a new flight. What should he do?

After canceling her much-anticipated beach vacation to Kauai, Melissa Smithers thought she had $2,034 in American Airlines flight credits. But she thought wrong.

The complete guide to using your airline flight credit in 2025

December 15, 2024August 1, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

How do you use your airline flight credit without losing it? Even though the U.S. government is trying to regulate the use of airline ticket credit, chances are this will be a common question in 2025.

Cruise lines forced customers to accept vouchers for their canceled cruises during the pandemic. Here's how to get a cruise credit refund.

They canceled my cruise. How do I get a cruise credit refund?

October 14, 2025July 27, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

During the pandemic, many cruise lines forced customers to accept vouchers for their canceled cruises. That didn’t sit well with some customers. Here’s how to get a cruise credit refund.

When JetBlue cancels Amy Ohman's flight to Boston, it agrees to pay for her Uber ride to the airport. Then the airline cancels her flight again.

JetBlue owes me $71 for my Uber ride to the airport. Why won’t it pay?

January 21, 2024July 25, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

Credit card disputes can be a powerful weapon for consumers. But if wielded incorrectly, a credit card chargeback can fail spectacularly.

The ultimate guide to chargebacks and winning a credit card dispute in 2025

December 16, 2024July 25, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

Filing a credit card chargeback was the last thing on Amanda Dunlop’s mind when she booked a vacation rental on Airbnb. Nor could she imagine the trouble her credit card dispute would cause.

Curtis Rahman's Airbnb host cancels his reservation a day before his arrival, he tries to find a substitute apartment. But it doesn't work.

Help! My Airbnb host canceled my reservation, and now I have to pay $1,300 more

January 21, 2024July 25, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

A 10-year-old toll charge led to Marcus Hall being banned by Hertz. Here's how you can prevent this from happening to you.

Banned by Hertz because of a 10-year-old toll charge

September 7, 2025July 21, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

Hertz confiscated Marcus Hall’s loyalty points and banned him for life — all because of a 10-year-old toll charge he didn’t know about. Here’s how to avoid getting banned by Hertz.

Sheila Mackay is trying to get a refund from Expedia after canceling a hotel reservation. But so far, she's only received half her money.

I want a refund from Expedia but it just wants me to leave a bad review for the hotel

September 25, 2024July 18, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

Cynthia Donahue and her husband had tickets on Amtrak's Auto Train. Then Amtrak cancels and offers them a ticket credit that expires within two years.

Amtrak offered an $834 voucher after a “service disruption.” Can it do that?

January 21, 2024July 18, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

Cynthia Donahue and her husband had tickets on Amtrak’s Auto Train. Then the rail carrier cancels and offers them a ticket credit that expires within two years. Is that how it’s supposed to work? And can this couple ever get their money back?