CONSUMER ADVOCACY Archives

John Schwager canceled his cruise for health reasons and filed a claim with Travel Insured International. What happened next will surprise you.

Travel Insured International owes me $12,780. Where’s the money?

September 10, 2024August 27, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

John Schwager has been waiting months for his travel insurance payment from Travel Insured International. What’s the holdup?

Elly Kinsella was charged $740 by Quest Diagnostics for miscoded tests. Learn how advocacy resolved this billing issue and secured a refund.

Quest has sent my bill to collections — but I don’t owe anything!

January 19, 2024August 17, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

After getting strong-armed into paying a medical bill she doesn’t owe, Elly Kinsella tries to get a refund from her physician’s office. Can she get her $740 back?

Here's a lost Pixel puzzle: UPS misplaced our reader's Amazon return. Can he get his $518 back from Amazon? Or will he lose his money?

Help! Amazon lost my Pixel phone and now it won’t refund me

August 26, 2024August 16, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

When Jack Price tries to return his Google Pixel 6 phone to Amazon through UPS, the phone gets lost. Will he ever get his $518 back?

Engine failure after Jiffy Lube's oil change led Ian Culhane to a complex claim battle. Thorough documentation won the day.

Why won’t Jiffy Lube pay for my engine repair? Isn’t it responsible?

April 13, 2024August 9, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

After getting an oil change at Jiffy Lube, the engine on Ian Culhane’s Subaru stops working. The likely culprit is a botched oil change, he says. Why won’t Jiffy repair his car?

Canceled flight, unreturned funds. Julie Schumer battled Princess Cruises over a $983 refund and triumphed with consumer advocacy help.

Why won’t Princess Cruises refund our canceled flight? They have my money.

December 7, 2023August 7, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

Julie Schumer’s return flight gets canceled during the Southwest Airlines meltdown in December. Southwest sends the money to her cruise line, but her cruise line won’t refund her. What’s going on?

The only way to escape hidden hotel fees is to get creative about fighting them. Here's how to do it.

How to avoid hidden hotel fees on your next trip

May 26, 2024August 6, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

The only way to escape hidden hotel fees is to get creative about fighting them. Here’s how to do it.

If you've ever seen the words "for your convenience" on a hotel bill, you probably suspect it's not really for your convenience.

Hotel fee warning: What “for your convenience” really means

January 25, 2026July 28, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

If you’ve ever seen the words “for your convenience” on a hotel bill, you probably suspect it’s not really for your convenience. It’s for their convenience.