CONSUMER ADVOCACY - Page 2 of 21

United Airlines aircraft, blue sky and airplane

United Airlines canceled my flight from Iceland. Am I really owed nothing?

March 9, 2025March 8, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

After United Airlines canceled Tamra McIntyre’s flight home from Iceland, she requested EU 261 compensation – around $622. In response, the airline “awarded” her just 8,000 United Airlines Mileage Plus points, the equivalent of about $108.

Final answer, says United Airlines.

McIntyre, unwilling to accept that answer asked the Consumer Rescue advocacy team to investigate. United Airlines says her flight cancellation doesn’t qualify for EU 261 compensation. She says it does.

Who’s right? You’re about to find out.

Keto scam alert, scammer calling asking for payment, diet pills, con artist demanding payment

Keto Supplement customer service says I owe big money! What is this scam?

March 9, 2025February 27, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

There’s a new scam coming to your home phone. Aggressive, fake customer service agents are on duty, demanding payment for Keto supplements you didn’t order.

I learned about this bizarre scam firsthand when a pushy, fast-talking woman called me to deliver an ultimatum. She told me that her company, Keto Supplements, wanted me to pay for the diet pills they’d sent me. If I didn’t give her a valid credit card immediately, she said, I would regret it.

Princess Cruises can't let these customers board the ship

My Princess cruise sailed without us because of a tiny passport mistake

February 23, 2025February 22, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Don’t make the passport mistake these Princess cruise ship passengers made. You’re in the danger zone if your passport has less than six months left before it expires.

American Airlines aircraft, AA airplane parked at gate, American Airlines canceled flight, delayed flight at gate

Help! American Airlines gave me travel credit instead of $5,075 in cash

April 27, 2025February 16, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

American Airlines left Brooke Krukenberg and 24 family members stranded in North Carolina after canceling their flight home to Iowa. As the group scrambled to find alternative transportation, airline agents assured the displaced passengers their refunds were on the way.

Krukenberg calculated that American Airlines owed each family member $250 for the canceled flight – around $5,600. That refund factored into the group’s plans as they booked rental cars and hotels for the unexpected 18-hour road trip back home. Here’s what happened next.

Enterprise Rent a Car lot, rental cars in a row

Enterprise says Mickey Mouse damaged my rental car. Why should I pay?

February 16, 2025February 9, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Like every savvy traveler, Kathy Mason inspected her recent rental car very carefully before driving it off the lot. The vehicle had no visible damage, and she says she returned it in the same condition just two days later. So it was a surprise when Enterprise sent her a $775 repair bill – two months after the rental was over.

But even more surprising than the repair bill was who Enterprise believed was responsible for damaging “things” inside the rental car. In an official incident report, “Mickey Mouse” is named as the alleged suspect.

United Airlines aircraft, sunset with United Airlines

Help! Fake United Airlines customer service charged me a $1,750 service fee

March 21, 2025February 5, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Christian Forthomme made a critical, but common error while booking a round-trip business-class flight to Paris for his wife. After asking Google for United Airlines customer service, he called the first number that popped up in the search results. Instead of reaching the airline, he dialed right into a scam call center where a fake UA agent was waiting. That fraudster easily booked the ticket and charged the unaware Forthomme a whopping $1,750 service fee for her efforts.

Cruise passenger on this ship says she was tricked into buying a lab grown diamond, Royal Caribbean passenger news, Rhapsody of the Seas on the ocean

Was this cruise ship passenger tricked into buying a lab grown diamond?

January 31, 2025January 29, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

On the last night of her recent Royal Caribbean cruise, Amy G. bought a beautiful diamond ring on the ship. She was quite pleased with her purchase – especially because she snagged it during a flash 50-percent-off sale. But the pleasant feeling only lasted until she got home and had a good look at the Certificate of Authenticity.

Airbnb problems in tropical Mexico, surveillance cameras in my Airbnb help, vacation rental problems.

Now, that broadsided rental car customer is asking Consumer Rescue for help. He hopes we can appeal to Avis (the parent company of Budget) and get this mysterious damage fee erased.