Tag: THEFT

This search engine for fare errors could be the worst idea ever

By Christopher Elliott |  | Updated November 27th, 2017

Burying the news is a time-honored tradition in American journalism. Just wait until the day before a major holiday to share information someone is reluctant to publicize, like a CEO resignation or a company “restructuring,” and hopefully no one will notice.

So when I saw the press release about an airline “error fare search engine” launching just a few hours before the American Thanksgiving holiday, I suspected someone was trying to deep-six the news. Read more “This search engine for fare errors could be the worst idea ever”

Hackers stole my identity and Cruise Planners won’t help me

By Christopher Elliott |  | Updated August 7th, 2018

Edward Picarella needs your help now.

But he’d like more than the name of an executive in charge. He wants his identity back.

See, someone stole it. Here are the details on this new case, which just landed in our forums. As a reminder, these are totally unvetted consumer problems that are unfolding in real time.
Read more “Hackers stole my identity and Cruise Planners won’t help me”

What TSA’s iPad theft problem means for your next flight

By Christopher Elliott |

Note: I’m featuring a video at the top of each post in which I’ll offer advice or commentary related to the story. Please let me know what you think, and sign up for my channel. You’ll get a preview of the next post.

TSA agents seem to have a thing for iPads.

Apple’s tablet computers are easy to swipe from unwitting airline passengers and can be sold quickly online, as I noted earlier this year.
Read more “What TSA’s iPad theft problem means for your next flight”

Is the TSA coming for your iPad?

By Christopher Elliott |

Well, at least they have good taste in tablets. / Photo by the D34N - Flickr
It happened again last week: A TSA agent was formally charged with swiping yet another iPad from a passenger.

Or iPads, in Clayton Keith Dovel’s case.
Read more “Is the TSA coming for your iPad?”

TSA Watch: Who’s more dangerous — terrorists or the TSA?

By Christopher Elliott |  | Updated February 19th, 2012

For an agency that claims to have “zero tolerance” for criminal behavior, TSA agents sure spend a lot of time declaring their guilt.
Read more “TSA Watch: Who’s more dangerous — terrorists or the TSA?”

Hotel luggage theft: “He looked like a professional”

By Christopher Elliott |

Athena Foley and her husband wish they’d never stayed at the Hotel Ändra. When they checked into the Seattle boutique hotel this summer, one of their bags was stolen after they surrendered it to the bellhop.

Foley lost $1,000 worth of items, including clothes, eyeglasses and medicine. She wants the property to compensate her for the loss. But today’s “Is this enough compensation?” case is not an open-and-shut case, as you’ll see in a second.
Read more “Hotel luggage theft: “He looked like a professional””