Michelle Couch-Friedman

Consumer reporter and ombudsman columnist

Michelle Couch-Friedman is the founder and CEO of Consumer Rescue. She is a journalist, consumer advocate, travel writer, mediator, and former psychotherapist. Michelle is also the travel ombudsman columnist for The Points Guy, contributing author at Fodor's Travel and previously served as the 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 the Washington Post, 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), the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), and the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). Today, she continues to spend as much time as possible fiercely defending consumers and traveling the world. Contact her at Michelle Couch-Friedman or on Linkedin, Twitter or Facebook. You can also check out Consumer Rescue's "What's your Problem?" Facebook group to get quick answers to your consumer questions.

Will United Airlines ever let these dogs fly home?

Will United Airlines ever let these two little dogs fly home?

October 11, 2022September 9, 2022

United Airlines had no problem allowing Patrick Corley to fly with his two little dogs to Honduras. But now, the missionary and his wife want to come back to the United States with their pups. Unfortunately, United has made this “mission” nearly impossible.

Corley hopes that we can convince United Airlines to allow both Max and Howard to fly home.

But wait a minute. Is there something more to this story that’s preventing United Airlines from transporting the two little dogs?

Let’s find out.

This hotel theft charge is outrageous... No one wants a 2 star hotel pillow

Here is the most ridiculous hotel theft charge I’ve ever seen

October 13, 2023September 8, 2022

Now it’s time to reveal the most ridiculous hotel theft charge ever: pillow thievery at a two-star hotel.

During his stay at a Quality Inn, it never crossed Tim Kendall’s mind to steal the mediocre pillows in his room. But that didn’t stop the hotel manager of this franchised property from branding the elderly man a pillow thief — and applying a theft charge to his final bill. And you won’t believe the outrageous value that the manager placed on two standard pillows.

Now Kendall wants our advocacy team to help clear his name. He’s not a pillow thief, and he wants the world to know!

Could a hotel charge you a smoking fee even if you don't smoke? This hotel seems to think so.

How to get a surprise hotel smoking fee reversed? Like this

October 21, 2024September 7, 2022

Getting a surprise hotel smoking fee reversed isn’t easy — even if you’re a non-smoker like Kelsey Russell. Or a determined consumer advocate. But it can be done. Here’s how.

Kelsey’s case is yet another story that illustrates a disturbing trend that seems to be developing in the franchise hotel industry. Increasingly, we’re receiving complaints from guests who say these branded properties have hit them with an array of surprising post-stay charges — no proof included. But, as you’ll see in this case, even when the hotel provides “evidence,” it might just lead to more questions than answers.

Could you get hit with a false car rental cleaning fee during your next trip? Our files suggest that it's a possibility. Here's what to do if it happens to you.

How to get a $400 cleaning fee on your car rental removed? Like this

March 16, 2025September 7, 2022

Hertz gave Vincent Iannacci a most unpleasant surprise at the end of his recent car rental: a $400 cleaning fee.

Knowing that he’d returned the vehicle in pristine condition, Vincent assumed Hertz had billed him in error. But when he tried to get the cleaning fee removed, the car rental giant told him there was no mistake. In fact, a company representative explained, employees had snapped photos of cigarette butts smashed into the vehicle’s carpet. As a result, the $400 cleaning fee would stand.

Now outraged, Vincent, a life-long nonsmoker, intends to fully defend himself against this false accusation. He says no one smoked in his rental car, and he refuses to let the cleaning fee stand.

Vincent is hoping our advocacy team can help him fight this battle. But will photos of the offending cigarette make his case impossible to successfully mediate?

Norwegian Cruise Line denied boarding to this child. Mom says it was the cruise line's mistake. Can we find out what went wrong?

My child was denied boarding our cruise! Can NCL refuse my refund request?

July 9, 2023September 6, 2022

Anakarina Alvarez has a highly unusual story to tell — one that includes lots of confusing twists and turns. She says her family had been eagerly looking forward to a tropical vacation aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Gem. Unfortunately, those plans ended abruptly at embarkation when the cruise line denied boarding to her 11-year-old child. To add insult to injury, NCL refused the family’s $4,000 refund request, too.

Consumer Alert: Here are the latest eBay gift card scams to avoid.

eBay gift card scams are running wild. This is how to avoid them

July 14, 2025September 6, 2022

Here come the eBay gift card scammers — and just in time to steal your cash before the holidays. But the Consumer Rescue team is here too, warning you about these swindlers so you can avoid their trap.

We’ve received many pleas for help from distraught victims of various eBay gift card scams during the past year. They’ve lost hundreds and even thousands of dollars to this scheme. These consumers all want the same thing: to retrieve their stolen money from the anonymous predators who tricked them.

But is there any possible way to do that?

After reading this story, you might agree that we've found the worst travel agent ever -- one that doesn't even know the difference between the west and east coast of Mexico.

Is this the worst travel agent ever?

July 14, 2025September 5, 2022

Christopher Anderson believes he has discovered the worst travel agent ever — one who lacks even basic geography skills.

Just how bad were those skills? Well, Christopher and his wife asked this travel “professional” to plan a vacation to Cabo San Lucas. But she booked them a trip to Cancun, on the opposite side of Mexico. Then to make matters worse, this geographically challenged agent expected the couple to pay for her mistake.

What is going on here, and can our advocacy team help?

If you find mice in your next vacation rental, should you get a refund? This Airbnb guest believes so.

My vacation rental has mice! Shouldn’t Airbnb refund me?

March 25, 2024September 5, 2022

If you book a vacation rental and it has mice, are you responsible for catching and disposing of the rodents? And if so, does the Airbnb host owe you a refund or other compensation for your troubles?

That’s what Gabriella Costanza wants to know after her recent unpleasant experience. She and her significant other had planned to celebrate the holidays in a clean, cozy Airbnb property. Unfortunately, soon after the couple arrived, it became clear they weren’t alone in the vacation rental. And although Airbnb allows shared-space rentals, these additional “residents” were of the most unwelcome and unapproved kind – mice.

But maybe even worse than the reality that mice were living at this Airbnb was the host’s response. This vacation rental owner expected Gabby to put down glue traps and spend her holiday dealing with the inevitable outcome, which the young traveler did.

Now Gabby is asking Airbnb for a refund for this vacation rental experience. But will the fact that the couple completed their entire stay make that an impossible outcome?

Azamara made a pricing mistake with this traveler's cruise-- a big one. Does it have to honor it? This passenger thinks so.

If a cruise line makes a big pricing mistake, should you book it?

July 28, 2025September 4, 2022

If a cruise line makes a huge pricing mistake, is it required to honor it?

Patrick Gendron thinks so. He recently found an incredible deal for a suite on a 10-night cruise through the Mediterranean on Azamara’s Pursuit. So he quickly booked and paid for not one, but two suites. But the cruise line soon slammed him back into reality — the deal was a $30,000 pricing mistake. And the erroneous rate would not be honored for this cruise.

Now Patrick wants to know if we can force Azamara to give him the two suites for what he paid. But is his request reasonable?

This case brings up the controversial topic of “fat-finger fares” or “gotcha rates.” Those are too-good-to-be-true offers erroneously displayed on companies’ websites. Some consumers believe they should be entitled to these bargains regardless of the value of the pricing mistake.

But no matter which side of this debate you support, you’ll likely have an opinion about Patrick’s experience.

This passenger made a big mistake bidding on a business class upgrade.

This business class upgrade was a big mistake. I want a refund!

May 31, 2023September 4, 2022

What if you snagged an international business class upgrade for just $400, but later found out that figure was a mistake? Steven Schmidt says that’s exactly what happened to him and his wife. She won a bid for a comfy business class upgrade on a flight from Chicago to Vienna. But once they returned from their trip, the couple suffered a severe case of sticker shock. The actual cost of the upgrade: $3,400.

Steven says the mistake over the cost of the business class upgrade originated with the airline. And he wants our advocacy team to join him in a crusade to obtain a refund. But is that something we can do?

Michelle Couch-Friedman

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