VACATION FIASCOS - Consumer Rescue

Getting charged for rental car repairs, getting hit with false damage charges

I’m being charged $1,979 for rental car repairs, but someone else wrecked the vehicle!

July 21, 2025July 21, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

A steady stream of complaints from consumers charged for rental car repairs flows into the Consumer Rescue helpline each week. Most of these rental car customers are sure someone else caused the damage they’re being asked to pay for. Unfortunately, many of the bewildered travelers have no proof to support their assertion.

Then there’s Avis customer Emma B.

Emma’s was one of the strangest car rental complaints I’ve ever received. Given that I’ve investigated thousands of unusual cases during my decade of work in Consumer Advocacy Land, that speaks volumes.

Summer travel scams, avoid scams this summer, sunset in the summer

Summer travel scams are on the rise. Here’s how to spot and avoid them

July 21, 2025July 14, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Expensive, vacation-ruining travel scams are popping up everywhere this summer. Travelers must be on the lookout for predators running money-draining schemes before, during, and even after a trip is complete.

But there is good news.

You can outsmart the bad actors whose only wish is to relieve you of your hard-earned travel dollars. By familiarizing yourself with the latest scams aimed at tourists, you’ll be able to stop the thieves in their tracks.

Here are the top travel scams and schemes to avoid this summer.

An Airbnb host in Bloomington charges guest for damage she didn't cause, Airbnb problems, Airbnb host scams, vacation rental shenanigans

An Airbnb host billed us $790 for damage 3 weeks after we left the vacation rental

July 8, 2025July 8, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

An Airbnb host sent Janet Reel a surprise $790 damage bill… three weeks after checking out of her vacation rental. Reel says she left the property in perfect condition and considers the accusation outrageous.

Turo rental gone wrong, fraudulent car repair bill, pre-existing damages to a vehicle, Consumer Rescue guidance and direct help, consumer advocates, Consumer Rescue, Michelle Couch-Friedman can help

I got hit with a fraudulent $640 car repair bill after a Turo rental!

July 19, 2025June 23, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Fraudulent repair bills aren’t just sent to customers of traditional rental car companies. Heidi Schiller found this out recently after a 24-hour car-sharing experience with Turo. Her vehicle host, Ken, acknowledged multiple pre-existing scratches on his Tesla before Heidi took the wheel.

Ken assured his renter that the damage to the car wasn’t her problem to worry about. So Heidi didn’t worry. That is, until a few days later when Turo sent her a $640 repair bill for the vehicle.

Carnival Cruise Line's Dream, cruise ship at sunset, Carnival Dream

Cruise ship passengers beware: No, you don’t have an Enhanced ID!

June 30, 2025June 16, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Carnival Cruise Line passengers John Harrison and his family of eleven recently learned a harsh lesson about Enhanced ID. They showed up at the cruise port in Galveston, Texas, expecting to quickly “get to the fun.” But the fun never happened for Harrison and his elderly parents. They were denied boarding Carnival Dream after presenting what they presumed to be EDLs.

Carnival employees told the surprised would-be passengers that their driver’s licenses were insufficient to take the cruise. The stunned trio was soon left behind as Dream sailed away with their other eight passport-carrying family members on board.

Nashville vacation rental problem, 1-night in Tennessee. $1000 travel fiasco

Help! Our 1 night vacation rental ended with a $1000 charge for a new bed

July 8, 2025June 9, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

A vacation rental management company in Nashville charged guests $1,000 for damaging a mattress after a one-night stay. Even more frustrating, the agency told the shocked travelers it didn’t need proof that they had caused the damage.

Can our advocacy team come to the rescue of these consumers?

Let’s find out.

Celebrity Cruises denied boarding pregnant passenger, Celebrity Reflection, cruise ship on the ocean, Cruise ship at sunset.

Celebrity Cruises denied boarding to a pregnant would-be cruise passenger. Here’s why

July 5, 2025June 2, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

First-time cruise passengers Marisa Vacca, her husband, and toddler couldn’t wait to board Celebrity Cruises Reflection last December. The family arrived in Ft. Lauderdale the night before embarkation and excitedly settled into their hotel.

But then a heavily pregnant Marisa began skimming the Celebrity Cruises pre-boarding instructions, and her heart sank.

Timeshare chaos in Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, blue sky and sea,

My timeshare company offered a $2,500 buyback but never paid me!

June 8, 2025May 31, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

You’ve probably heard about the couple jailed in Mexico after filing numerous credit card chargebacks over timeshare fees. They reversed nearly $120,000 in charges from their timeshare company and advised others how to do it too.

Publicly.

The couple gave their awful exit advice on a Facebook group for disgruntled timeshare owners. However, they weren’t the only ones lurking in that community.

Passenger says Frontier Airlines denied boarding to him by mistake, Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines denied boarding to my family. How much are we owed?

May 31, 2025May 12, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

A Frontier Airlines passenger says his family was wrongly denied boarding their recent flight and he’s demanding compensation. But what really happened, and does the airline owe him anything?

Let’s find out.