Skip to content
Elliott Report

Elliott Report

  • Home
  • Features
    • Advocacy
    • Destinations
    • Problem Solved
    • On Travel
    • Safe Travels
    • The Travel Troubleshooter
    • Red List/Green List
    • Ultimate Consumer Guides
  • Company Contacts
  • Sites
    • Elliott Advocacy
    • Christopher Elliott’s books
    • Elliott Confidential
    • EA Facebook Group
  • Newsletters
    • Elliott Advocacy Today (Daily)
    • Elliott Confidential (Premium)
    • Elliott’s E-Mail (Weekly)
    • Media Leads (Weekly)
  • Advocacy
  • About
  • Contact Us
Get Help
Elliott Report

Elliott Report

  • Home
  • Features
    • Advocacy
    • Destinations
    • Problem Solved
    • On Travel
    • Safe Travels
    • The Travel Troubleshooter
    • Red List/Green List
    • Ultimate Consumer Guides
  • Company Contacts
  • Sites
    • Elliott Advocacy
    • Christopher Elliott’s books
    • Elliott Confidential
    • EA Facebook Group
  • Newsletters
    • Elliott Advocacy Today (Daily)
    • Elliott Confidential (Premium)
    • Elliott’s E-Mail (Weekly)
    • Media Leads (Weekly)
  • Advocacy
  • About
  • Contact Us

FRAUD

Renter receives $2,212 bill from Thrifty for damage already noted on rental form. Claims company insists on payment despite evidence. Learn how to document rental car condition and dispute false damage charges. PurCo

Thrifty is billing me $2,212 for damaging my rental — but I didn’t do it!

June 14, 2025June 11, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

When Natasha Bird rents a car from Thrifty, she notes damage to the front bumper. So why is she getting a bill for $2,212 for the same damage?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
Hockey fan buys "glass seats" on StubHub, receives tickets for a nonexistent row. Despite video proof, StubHub initially refuses refund. Learn how to escalate and resolve misleading ticket purchases.

Ticket trouble: Did StubHub score an “own goal” on this purchase?

June 9, 2025June 6, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Eli Klein snags the perfect seats to watch his favorite hockey team, the Washington Capitals, take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. But his excitement turns to frustration when he discovers the seats do not exist.

Categories Problem Solved
Renter faces $1,800 bill for a "small scratch" on an Enterprise rental car in Germany. Dispute leads to threats. Learn how to document rental car condition and fight false damage claims.

A “small scratch” on my Enterprise rental — and now a $1,800 bill. Do I have to pay?

June 7, 2025June 4, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Eric Weiman rents a car from Enterprise in Germany. He is later accused of damaging the car. When he disputes the charges, Enterprise threatens legal action. Can he get them to drop the claim?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
A SIM swapping nightmare leads to a $3,809 bill from Best Buy. Can Chase help?

A SIM swapping nightmare leads to a $3,809 bill from Best Buy. Can Chase help?

June 16, 2025January 20, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

What is SIM swapping and how do you prevent it? Here’s how to protect yourself from identity theft and reclaim your money.

Categories Advocacy
Travel fakes like this are on the uptick in 2025. Criminals are using artificial intelligence to create fake websites, listings and social media profiles designed to separate you from your money. 

How to protect yourself from travel fakes

February 27, 2025January 12, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Travel fakes like this are on the uptick in 2025. Criminals are using artificial intelligence to create fake websites, listings and social media profiles designed to separate you from your money. 

Categories On Travel
Scarlett Kelly’s Paris vacation rental turned into a nightmare when a $300 damage deposit and a missed check-in window led to her being marked a no-show. Booking.com sided with the rental owner, who kept her money despite Kelly’s claims she was there on time. Now, Kelly is fighting back, alleging fraud, breach of contract, and even obstruction of justice. Should Booking.com refund Kelly, or is this a lesson in reading the fine print? With a $100 refund offer on the table, Kelly refuses to back down.

She lost her Paris vacation rental on a technicality — should I take this case? 

February 7, 2025October 14, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

Scarlett Kelly paid for a vacation rental in Paris through Booking.com, but she never got to stay in it. Booking.com wants to keep her money on what appears to be a technicality.

Categories Advocacy
Deirdre Stewart ordered six bras online and paid with PayPal, but received only two bras in the wrong size and a hideous shower curtain. Despite providing all required documentation, she has been waiting six weeks for a refund through PayPal’s Purchase Protection plan. After numerous frustrating interactions with PayPal’s customer service, including a disturbing call with a supposed supervisor, Deirdre reached out for help. With assistance, PayPal finally resolved her case, refunding her purchase. This bizarre experience highlights potential flaws in PayPal’s protection plan and the importance of documented communication.

I ordered bras, but they sent me a hideous shower curtain

August 20, 2024August 16, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

Deirdre Stewart orders six bras online but receives only two — plus a “hideous” shower curtain. Will PayPal’s protection plan help her?

Categories Problem Solved
When Patricia Peticolas received an urgent call from Chase Bank warning her that someone had stolen her identity on Zelle, she wanted to do everything she could to help. 

Chase said her identity had been stolen, but it was a Zelle callback scam

January 21, 2025August 10, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

When Patricia Peticolas received an urgent call from Chase Bank warning her that someone had stolen her identity on Zelle, she wanted to do everything she could to help. 

Categories Advocacy, Featured
Will Wells Fargo intervene and aid Nicholas Butler in the aftermath of $7,853 Istanbul bar charges? Find out now.

Charged $7,853 by Wells Fargo after visiting a bar in Istanbul– is this fraud?

January 19, 2024June 8, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

Nicholas Butler gets charged $7,853 at a bar in Istanbul under shady circumstances. Will his bank step up and help him undo the charges?

Categories Featured, Problem Solved
Svetlana Milina receives a surprise $80 cleaning bill from Lyft after a seven-minute ride. But Lyft won't tell her what she did to deserve it. 

Can you help me with this $80 cleaning charge from Lyft?

November 24, 2024December 5, 2022 by Christopher Elliott

… Read more

Categories Problem Solved
Older posts
Page1 Page2 Next →

What’s Your Problem?

If you have a consumer problem, please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. We’re always here to help. Our help is free.

Get Help

Our Newsletter

Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. Did we mention it's free?

Sign Up

What's This Site?

The Elliott Report is a consumer news site supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers.

Join Us

Follow Us

© 2025 Elliott Report | Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Features
    • Advocacy
    • Problem Solved
    • On Travel
    • The Travel Troubleshooter
    • Ultimate Consumer Guides
  • Company Contacts
  • Sites
    • Elliott Advocacy
    • Elliott Confidential
    • EA Facebook Group
  • Newsletters
    • Elliott Advocacy Today (Daily)
    • Elliott Confidential (Premium)
    • Elliott’s E-Mail (Weekly)
    • Media Leads (Weekly)
  • Advocacy
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Get Help

Don't Miss a Story!

Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. Plus, we have insightful letters, insider tips, and more. 

Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing!