Elliott Advocacy is a nonprofit organization that mediates cases between consumers and businesses. These are commentary articles that detail our efforts and provide educational information for consumers.
The warning signs were there: blurry photos, a long gap between reviews, and a request to wire money. But Elizabeth Long still found the Paris rental impossible to resist. She ended up drawing me into yet another Vrbo problem, this time involving a fake rental and a request for a refund that will be difficult to fulfill.
How safe is Airbnb? Before you answer, consider what happened to Krystal Scott, who rented what she thought was a charming three-bedroom home in Lafayette, La.– until she moved in and discovered some Airbnb safety problems.
Eric Hochstein found something unusual on his bill at the Gregory Hotel in New York City recently.No, it wasn’t the mandatory $35-per-day resort fee that covers local and domestic calls, a 24-hour fitness center and coffee and tea. And it wasn’t the $259-per-night room rate, which was below average for Manhattan.
Alan Mileski has a Freedom Mortgage problem that’s making him feel trapped in a maze of bureaucracy and scripted responses. The solution should be so simple, but weeks of trying have left him frustrated. Is there a way out?
Turn off your cellphone. Downsize your luggage. And remember that your standards aren’t necessarily their standards.Ask the most experienced travelers for their advice, and that’s what they’ll tell you. And who are the world’s most experienced travelers? They are hard-working business travelers, including expatriates and foreign service workers, who live outside the U.S. for weeks, months, even years at a time.
Sungwoo Park made a currency conversion mistake. A big currency conversion mistake. By the time the dust had settled on Park’s purchase of a flight from New York to Mexico City, he says he lost $1,437.
When Lufthansa lost Arpine Arabatlian’s luggage after a flight from Houston to Frankfurt, the airline promised her $399 in compensation. That was five months ago. So where’s the refund?
If you’re looking for a reason to toss your rewards cards, talk to Patricia Newman. She contacted me after signing up for a United MileagePlus credit card, paying an annual fee and spending money like a sailor in the hopes that she could earn a “free” trip to Italy.
Here’s a little mystery: Why was Scott Cady’s American Airlines refund request rejected? He booked a flight, changed his mind about the trip, and asked for his money back. All within 2 hours. Isn’t there a 24-hour rule that requires an airline to refund his ticket?
Thomas Ansberry bid on an upgrade for his recent Icelandair flight from Cleveland to Reykjavik, Iceland. But he paid a lot more than he expected and now wants us to help him get a refund.
