Welcome to Consumer Rescue
Fiascos and Fixes
Our advocacy team has been solving consumer problems always free of charge since 2016. We have a proven success record of fixing disputes between customers and companies in a caring and logical way. We focus heavily on travel-related issues, but we also tackle non-travel-related problems. These articles tell the tales of those troubled consumers and how we helped, and how you can avoid a similar circumstance.
James Parker just got hit with the most excessive cleaning fee I’ve ever seen as a consumer advocate. Soon after checking out of his recent Airbnb rental, the owner sent him a $1,470 bill to clean up the mess she says his family made.
But what mess was she really cleaning up?
It goes without saying that a vacation rental in the heart of London should come with a working toilet. And, of course, if your Airbnb doesn’t have one, you should get a refund. Right?
Unfortunately, Airbnb guest Karen Morris just found out that not everyone agrees with that basic premise.
Over two years ago, All Nippon Airways (ANA) canceled Jurian Yee’s flight to Japan. ANA promised that it would soon send a $1,296 refund through Expedia. But it never did materialize.
Now a frustrated Jurian (via his dad) is asking the Consumer Rescue team for help. He’s hoping we can nudge ANA to send that refund so he can finally take his long-awaited trip to Japan.
But after so much time, is this a lost cause? Let’s find out.
Linda Ralston has been fighting an expensive hotel billing error for months. Several weeks after her 3-night stay at the Westin La Paloma in Tucson, Arizona, she discovered an extra night’s charge on her credit card. Now her battle seems to have ended in a lost chargeback, with the resort coming out the winner.
But with all the evidence on her side, how did she lose?
Have you ever found yourself stuck paying for a subscription you didn’t want after a company “gotcha” with an automatic renewal? I bet you have.
It happened to me recently. Here’s how I fought it and what you can do to protect yourself from this predatory business practice.
Home Depot sold Marcea Cazel a beautiful 7-foot pre-lit Christmas tree with an extended warranty two years ago. The family loved the tree’s realistic look and soft twinkling lights and hoped to enjoy it for years to come. Unfortunately, the tree turned out to be a dud.
Last year, the family spent hours placing sentimental ornaments on their tree and reminiscing about each one. After the decorating was complete, the family gathered around for the big reveal. To their great disappointment, when Marcea flipped the switch, the bottom of the pre-lit tree remained completely dark. Since that time, Marcea has repeatedly asked Home Depot to honor the warranty and replace the tree. But she still has a pre-lit tree that only lights up on top.
Elisa Boyd says her experience at a hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona, has been the most embarrassing of her life. This story begins with two friends on a relaxing desert getaway. But it ends with a mortifying accusation by W Hotel employees and a giant post-stay credit card charge.
Now Elisa wants her name cleared and her money returned.
Elisa’s experience is one more to add to the file of hotel guests blindsided by unexpected and dubious post-stay fees. And it serves as a reminder to make sure to leave your room in the same condition you found it. Otherwise, you might find yourself with hefty and embarrassing charges on your hotel bill — and no way to defend yourself.
Bernadine Fong has a strange story to tell. United Airlines called her a no-show for a flight to San Francisco that she flew. As a result, when she tried to fly back home, the airline informed a stunned Bernadine that it had canceled her return flight.
Can we figure out what’s going on here?
Could a hotel charge you for fake damage long after you’ve checked out? By the looks of our advocacy team’s files, it seems so.
Imagine this. You’re suffering from a terminal illness and hope to experience some adventures while you’re still able to enjoy them. But then, the COVID pandemic comes along and throws a wrench into your plans. After nearly a year of waiting, things seem to be subsiding, so you take off for a short vacation with your family. Unfortunately, an opportunistic hotel manager has been waiting, too — for unsuspecting guests to hit with hefty fake charges.
What would you do if it happened to you? Give up, or fight back?
If you’re Sherry LaSalle, you choose to fight back — with help from our consumer advocacy team.
Hertz customer Aaron Baird made a costly mistake during his last car rental. Because he returned the vehicle to the wrong location, the car rental giant slapped him with a $780 upcharge. Ultimately, in the spirit of positive customer relations, Hertz offered Aaron a goodwill gesture and erased the debt.
Lesson learned, and all was well – or so Aaron thought.
A few weeks after Hertz offered the goodwill gesture, a different department within the company resurrected the invoice. That Hertz team sent Aaron’s account to collections and put him on the Do Not Rent (DNR) list.