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.

Why does this Airbnb host have so many problems with his shared space rental in London?

I didn’t want a shared space Airbnb rental! How did I get one?

August 21, 2024July 15, 2022

It’s easy to find a shared space Airbnb rental if that’s what you’re looking for. Each one is clearly labeled and it’s difficult to book a shared space property by mistake. So that’s what makes Maxim Belyayev’s recent Airbnb experience so unusual.

He used the listing giant to book a private condo in London for his upcoming vacation. But when the Airbnb host sent the house rules, it sounded more like a youth hostel than a $3,668 luxury apartment. A follow-up message made it clear that Maxim would be sharing the common space in the Airbnb rental with strangers.

Maxim immediately canceled the unwanted shared space rental, and the Airbnb host just as quickly rejected his refund request.

Now Maxim hopes that we can get his money back. He believes this Airbnb host is a scammer. And if you’re a regular reader of my column, I suspect you’ll soon agree with him.

How to avoid a pet scam? Don't use Zelle to pay for a nonexistent puppy.

A Zelle pet scam cost this victim $4,000. Could you fall for it?

August 19, 2024July 10, 2022

Maria Witbrod wanted to add a new puppy to her family during the pandemic. But instead, a well-organized criminal operation led her into a costly and increasingly common pet scam.

$4,000 later, and with no dog to show for it, she’s asking if our advocacy team can help her.

But how?

Many passengers think they're owed a free hotel during a flight delay. The truth is they aren't and here is why.

You are not guaranteed a free hotel when your flight is delayed. This is why

March 31, 2025July 9, 2022

Despite the popular belief to the contrary, in the U.S., you are not owed a free hotel if your flight is delayed and you get stranded overnight on your journey. And that is true no matter what the reason for the delay.

But if a friendly gate agent offers a hotel reimbursement to a passenger in distress, shouldn’t the airline pay the bill?

This is what American Airlines owes you if it cancels your flight.

What does American Airlines really owe you if it cancels your flight?

June 25, 2025July 7, 2022

If American Airlines delays or cancels your flight home from vacation, what does it really owe you?

That’s what Mikayla Shade wants to know after finding herself in this unfortunate situation. She says an American Airlines agent told her that when the airline cancels a flight, the passenger will receive a full refund. Mikayla used that guidance to determine her budget for a new flight home. It wasn’t until American Airlines processed her “full refund” that she discovered she’d relied on incorrect guidance from the agent.

Now Mikayla wants our team to ask American Airlines to provide what its representative promised her.

MSC Divina left several passengers behind in Cozumel. Can they get a refund?

My MSC cruise ship left me behind in Mexico! Will I get a refund?

December 31, 2023July 6, 2022

During her recent cruise, Natalie Durflinger got a terrible shock when the ship left her behind in Mexico. She says the MSC Divina weighed anchor nearly 5 hours ahead of schedule, stranding her in only a bathing suit and flip-flops. Now she’s asking the cruise line to explain how this happened and to refund the vacation she missed when the ship sailed away without her.

But did MSC allow its cruise ship to sail away without warning leaving its passengers abandoned in a foreign country? That’s the question of the day.

7 Simple ways to get excellent customer service and fix your consumer problem.

7 simple ways to fix any consumer problem

March 30, 2025July 6, 2022

It isn’t just wishful thinking to say that every consumer can get excellent customer service. But it does take some effort and strategy.

During my many years as a consumer advocate, I’ve tackled some of the most shocking customer service failures imaginable. I’ve retrieved hundreds of thousands of dollars from companies for consumers who were on the verge of giving up.

Did Royal Caribbean really let this passenger's enemy cancel her cruise?

Could Royal Caribbean really let your enemy cancel your cruise?

July 10, 2025July 6, 2022

What if you had a newly minted enemy and Royal Caribbean allowed that person to cancel your cruise?

That’s what Rita Yates believes happened to her recently. When she called to make the final payment on her upcoming sailing, an RCCL agent explained that the cruise Rita intended to take to celebrate her 40th anniversary no longer existed. Assuming that the cancellation was another casualty of the pandemic, Rita asked why the cruise line hadn’t informed her sooner.

That’s when Royal Caribbean gave Rita an even bigger surprise: Explorer of the Seas would be sailing as scheduled. In fact, the RCCL representative explained, records showed Yates had canceled her own cruise – and forfeited her deposit.
Rita says she absolutely did not cancel her cruise, but she believes she knows the troublemaker who did. Now, with Royal Caribbean unwilling to refund her deposit or reinstate the voyage, she’s asking for help.

But with police reports, lawsuits, and other threats being tossed about, that might be a lofty request for a consumer advocate.

Why did PayPal let this hacker make a PayPal Key for this customer?

How did a hacker get into my PayPal account?

March 22, 2025July 6, 2022

A few days before Christmas, Robin Shermon was shocked to learn about the PayPal Key in the most terrible way. That’s when she found that a hacker had created a PayPal Key for her and made a $2,000 purchase using her cash.

Now Shermon hopes that our advocacy team can get her hard-earned money back.

Michelle Couch-Friedman

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