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Michelle Couch-Friedman

Consumer reporter and ombudsman

Michelle Couch-Friedman is the founder and CEO of Consumer Rescue. She is a consumer advocate, reporter, travel writer, mediator, and licensed psychotherapist. Michelle is also the travel ombudsman columnist for The Points Guy, a contributing author at Fodor's Travel and is the former executive director of the nonprofit Elliott Advocacy. During her six years managing that organization, she resolved thousands of cases for troubled travelers and other consumers. You can read hundreds of 5-star reviews Michelle earned during her service to the nonprofit on Great Nonprofits. Michelle is a public speaker, and her expert guidance has been cited in MarketWatch, Consumer Reports, Travel & Leisure, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Popular Science, CNN, CNBC, Boston Globe, CBS News, National Geographic, Travel Weekly, Reader's Digest and more. You might even catch Michelle on TV reporting on a situation. :) Professionally, Michelle is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (asja). Today, she continues to spend as much time as possible fiercely defending consumers and traveling the world with her family. Contact her at Michelle Couch-Friedman or on Linkedin, Twitter or Facebook.
Why did the bank reverse this credit card dispute?

Help! My credit card company reversed my $16,544 dispute a year later

Your bank can’t reverse a successful credit card dispute nearly a year after confirming a positive resolution. So why did Nusenda backtrack and surprise this customer with a $16,544 recharge long after his dispute was finalized?

That’s what the Consumer Rescue team aimed to find out after this unusual request for help hit our inbox.

Norwegian Cruise Line will ban passengers for aggressive complaints about itinerary changes, NCL Bliss, Cruise ship on the sea

Did Norwegian Cruise Line really ban this guy over his itinerary changes complaint?

Would Norwegian Cruise Line ban a passenger just for complaining about itinerary changes? The answer likely depends on how the passenger delivers their grievance.

One former NCL customer recently discovered that his complaint about a port cancellation on an upcoming cruise wasn’t well received. And that’s an understatement.

Royal Caribbean canceled these cruise ship passengers trip. What went wrong?

Royal Caribbean canceled our cruise at the pier. Why did this happen?

Cruise passengers beware: Royal Caribbean will cancel your cruise if you have any unpaid balance after your contract’s due date. That’s true even if the balance you owe is small. One unaware couple learned this costly lesson at the pier when the cruise line blocked their attempt to board Navigator of the Seas.

Not only did the stunned couple miss their much-anticipated cruise to Mexico, but Royal Caribbean kept their $842 deposit, too.

A passport mistake caused this solo traveler's vacation to end abruptly in a Mexican jail, A solo female traveler ended up in a detention center in Mexico City.

How did my vacation dreams end with me in a Mexican jail nightmare?

If you arrive in a foreign country without a valid passport in your hand, you’re going back home. That’s guaranteed. But sometimes, that’s not all that happens, unfortunately. Here’s how a simple passport mistake landed one female solo traveler with vacation dreams in a Mexican jail nightmare.

Here’s her story.

A cruise ship anchored while passengers take a shore excursion, cruise passenger excursion booking mistake

This cruise ship passenger made a big mistake booking an excursion. Can we help?

Cruise ship passengers beware: It matters how you reserve and pay for your shore excursions. A group of disgruntled cruisers recently learned this expensive lesson after making the mistake of booking an iceberg tour through a fellow passenger. 

Here’s a warning about booking third-party cruise excursions and tours.