Make the McKenzie Connection!

Articles written by Christopher Elliot


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  • Sears canceled the work order for my cooktop stove. Where's my refund?

    Christopher Elliott|Dec 19, 2024

    A valve on my gas cooktop, which I bought through Sears, recently broke. A technician from Sears Home Repair showed up a few days later, diagnosed the problem, and placed an order for the parts. Sears required me to pay upfront for the parts and the subsequent repair once the parts showed up. The total came to $827. Sears ordered four valves. Two showed up but the other two were backordered. The backordered parts never arrived, and Sears unilaterally canceled the work order. I only found out...

  • Help! My Google Play account is frozen and it won't refund my $115

    Christopher Elliott|Dec 12, 2024

    Arjun Chhabra's Google Play account is frozen because the company suspects him of fraudulent activity. Can he recover the $115 he spent? I purchased $115 in Google Play gift cards to use in their app store. Google keeps flagging my account as fraudulent. Google asked for a bank statement, credit card statement or cell phone bill dated within the last four months, or a photo of the credit or debit card associated with my account. I've sent the information. Google then sends me a message that...

  • My Airbnb is in a high-crime neighborhood. Can I get my money back?

    Christopher Elliott|Dec 12, 2024

    Robert Harris ends up with an Airbnb in a high-crime neighborhood after his first rental falls through. Does he have to accept it, or can he get a refund? I had a long-term Airbnb booked in Washington, D.C. But my host canceled. Airbnb helped me rebook another location with a slight discount. I was just checking the new area out a few days ago when I realized that it is in a really dangerous area, with super-bad murder and auto theft rates, as well as news articles mentioning my street by name....

  • They moved my wheelchair-accessible seats at a Springsteen concert. Can I get a refund?

    Christopher Elliott|Dec 5, 2024

    Julie Stupsker buys two wheelchair-accessible seats for a Bruce Springsteen concert. But the venue moves her seats and now, she can't see anything. Can she get a refund? I paid $3,000 for two wheelchair-accessible seats at a Bruce Springsteen concert recently. They were shown as seats 2 and 4 in the front row, next to the general admission pit. On the interactive seating map, the pit was behind the accessible seats and to the left of the accessible seats. The seats I bought were in the front...

  • Help! Iberia suspended my $4,005 ticket credit

    Christopher Elliott|Dec 5, 2024

    After Iberia Airlines suspends Thomas Kush's $4,005 ticket credit because of security issues, the airline promised to restore his voucher. But it doesn't. How do you get the airline to do what it promised? I canceled a recent flight on Iberia Airlines, and the airline offered me a $4,005 ticket credit, valid until November 4. But when I tried to book a new flight, Iberia rejected the ticket voucher code. After several calls with their customer service, I received an email saying the voucher was...

  • My Whirlpool washer is too loud! Can you help me get it fixed?

    Christopher Elliott|Nov 28, 2024

    Kathy Lathrop's new Whirlpool washer makes a loud sound during the spin cycle -- so loud, she's afraid her neighbors can hear it. Why can't the company fix the problem? Two years ago I bought a Whirlpool top-loading washing machine from Lowe's. The spin cycle creates a noise so loud it can be heard all through the house, and probably by neighbors. It is balanced correctly and load sizes and detergent are proper. I’ve had a Whirlpool-authorized technician out three times to fix the problem. On t...

  • Air Canada destroyed my suitcase. Can you make it pay?

    Christopher Elliott|Nov 28, 2024

    Donna Wells-Boyle's expensive luggage was "destroyed" by Air Canada. Why won't it repair or replace her luggage? And how much does it owe her? Air Canada destroyed my Rimowa suitcase on a recent flight from Toronto to San Francisco. The airline instructed me to send the suitcase to a repair agent in Texas. The agent declared the suitcase unrepairable, despite the fact that they have no contract with Rimowa and no product expertise in that brand. Air Canada then offered me a choice of inferior...

  • Unlawful Search

    Christopher Elliott|Nov 21, 2024

    I need someone to give me an honest answer, so when I saw your column in the paper, I thought maybe I can unload what I have on my mind. I live in a small community and work for my father. Several weeks ago I was looking for change to purchase water for the crew, and I know my dad keeps loose change in his desk. As I was looking, I saw a notebook. I know it was none of my business, but what I discovered was a listing of dates and money paid, with some initials and remarks written beside the...

  • Sears can't repair my Kenmore trash compactor. Can you get my money back?

    Christopher Elliott|Nov 21, 2024

    Kenneth Stueben wants Sears to repair his Kenmore trash compactor. He's already paid $436 for the parts and labor, but now Sears can't do the job -- and it won't refund his money. Is that allowed? My Kenmore trash compactor stopped working late last year because the on-off switch malfunctioned. A Sears technician came to my home and said he needed to order a replacement switch. The total charge for the diagnosis, the part and the labor to install it came to $436. The technician asked me to sign...

  • Sixt charged me an extra $513 for car rental insurance -- but I never asked for it!

    Christopher Elliott|Nov 21, 2024

    Why is Sixt charging David Degagne an extra $513 for insurance on his car rental in Portugal And can he get his money back if he never asked for the insurance? Let's find out. I recently rented a car with Sixt through Auto Europe near Lisbon. A few days after I returned the car, I received a charge on my credit card for an extra $513. I was shocked by the amount. I was only expecting charges for the transponder ($17) and tolls ($20). The extras were for optional insurance. Sixt and Auto Europe...

  • Why won't Citi remove these fraudulent charges from my card?

    Christopher Elliott|Nov 14, 2024

    Kathleen Sullivan has $4,000 in fraudulent charges on her Citi Costco Visa. Why won't Citibank help her? I've had 20 fraudulent charges on my Citibank account, and I need your help getting them removed. All of the charges happened six months ago and they were all for an online travel agency called Agoda. I immediately notified Citi as well as Agoda. Citi issued me a new card, but the fraudulent charges continued. It took four new cards before the charges stopped. The charges were all for hotels...

  • Iberia told me to file a credit card chargeback. Now I don't have a ticket!

    Christopher Elliott|Nov 14, 2024

    When Joel Revill's ticket purchase on Iberia doesn't go through, a representative advises him to dispute the purchase on his credit card. But now he doesn't have a valid ticket. What should he do? I purchased a ticket from Boston to Madrid on Iberia Airlines through its website but didn't receive confirmation. When I called Iberia, an agent told me he couldn't see the purchase and advised me to dispute the charge with my credit card company, which I did a week later. On the same day, I received...

  • Amazon promised to price-match my gaming keyboard. Where's my $32?

    Christopher Elliott|Nov 7, 2024

    When Bret Taylor finds a cheaper gaming keyboard online, he asks Amazon if it will price-match. A representative says yes three times, but then the company refuses. Q: I recently went online shopping for a gaming keyboard. I found a SteelSeries APEX 7 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for $159 on Amazon. I noticed that I could buy it elsewhere for about $32 less. I initiated an online chat with Amazon, asking if they would price-match. A representative told me three separate times, in writing, that Ama...

  • Our Air France ticket credit expired during the pandemic. How do we get our $23,577 back?

    Christopher Elliott|Nov 7, 2024

    Air France owes Gilda Souza $23,577 after the airline canceled her flights during the pandemic, and then Souza mistakenly allowed her ticket credit to expire. Can she get a refund? In late 2018, I booked three flights on Air France through American Express for a trip in 2019. I had to cancel the flights and received a one-year ticket credit. I rebooked a 2020 flight to Europe through KLM, an Air France partner. However, in June 2020, KLM canceled the flight at the height of the pandemic. Air...

  • Saks Fifth Avenue return problem: Why won't they accept this $10,854 gold ring?

    Christopher Elliott|Oct 31, 2024

    Saks Fifth Avenue refuses to accept a $10,854 gold ring as a return. The reason: The company says it's damaged. Is Thomas Gunderson stuck with this purchase? I ordered an Origami Crossover Ring In 18K Yellow Gold With Diamonds from Saks Fifth Avenue for $10,854. The ring was too large for my wife. She had it out of the box for literally two minutes. We returned the ring the next day. Saks received the ring, but they sent it back to us, saying it was damaged. We did not damage the ring. We are...

  • Help! My all-inclusive hotel charged me for two extra nights

    Christopher Elliott|Oct 31, 2024

    The Miraval Berkshires, an all-inclusive resort in Lenox, Mass., overcharges Dalia Hamzeh by $2,500. Now, it is refusing to answer her emails. How can she get her money back? I booked a weekend trip to the Miraval Berkshires, an all-inclusive resort in Lenox, Mass., in early September last year. It was my best friend's birthday, and my sister would initially join us. She could not make it, so I notified the hotel within the time allowed to modify my reservation without penalty. It would only be...

  • Shakedown Street: Why can't I resell these Grateful Dead concert tickets?

    Christopher Elliott|Oct 24, 2024

    When Ticketmaster sells Nathaniel Meyer his Grateful Dead tickets, he believes he can resell them. But he can't. Is he stuck with them? Ticketmaster sold me tickets to Dead & Company: Dead Forever - Live at Sphere that did not indicate transfer or resale restrictions before sale while advertising another category of tickets for the same event that clearly stated that those tickets were nontransferable. The comparison of the two ticket categories side by side implied that the tickets I purchased...

  • Iberia told me to file a credit card chargeback. Now I don't have a ticket!

    Christopher Elliott|Oct 17, 2024

    When Joel Revill's ticket purchase on Iberia doesn't go through, a representative advises him to dispute the purchase on his credit card. But now he doesn't have a valid ticket. What should he do? I purchased a ticket from Boston to Madrid on Iberia Airlines through its website but didn't receive confirmation. When I called Iberia, an agent told me he couldn't see the purchase and advised me to dispute the charge with my credit card company, which I did a week later. On the same day, I received...

  • Why won't Citi remove these fraudulent charges from my card?

    Christopher Elliott|Oct 17, 2024

    Kathleen Sullivan has $4,000 in fraudulent charges on her Citi Costco Visa. Why won't Citibank help her? I've had 20 fraudulent charges on my Citibank account, and I need your help removing them. The charges happened six months ago, and they were all for an online travel agency called Agoda. I immediately notified Citi and Agoda. Citi issued me a new card, but the fraudulent charges continued. It took four new cards before the charges stopped. The charges were all for hotels in and around...

  • Does Macy's Worry No More warranty apply to my sofa?

    Christopher Elliott|Oct 10, 2024

    Janet Stevens has two vouchers for a furniture purchase at Macy's. Why is Macy's refusing to honor them? I bought furniture from Macy's in San Mateo, Calif., over five years ago. I paid for Macy's Worry No More Great Give Back warranties on the sofa and chair. I made no claims during the five-year warranty period, which entitles me to a refund of the full warranty cost. I applied for and was sent two vouchers totaling $396, which could be applied to another furniture purchase from Macy's. I...

  • How do I get a repair invoice from Enterprise? My insurance company needs it

    Christopher Elliott|Oct 10, 2024

    Michael Roehricht needs a repair invoice from Enterprise to file a claim with his car insurance company. Why won't the company send him the paperwork? I need your help with an insurance claim. I recently damaged a car I rented through Enterprise while in Germany. In summary, my car insurance company has been requesting a repair invoice from Enterprise for the last two months to close the claim and determine how much to pay them. Enterprise wrote that they would not share additional documentation...

  • American Airlines canceled my business class ticket by accident. Can you fix it?

    Christopher Elliott|Oct 3, 2024

    A day before Satrupa Kagel's flight from Tokyo to San Francisco, she finds out American Airlines canceled her ticket. Is she on the hook for the $3,548 she had to spend for a last-minute ticket? I'm an American Airlines frequent flier, and I recently booked an award ticket with Japan Airlines, an American partner, from New Delhi to Haneda, Japan, and on to San Francisco. A few days before my flight, I called American Airlines to upgrade the Japan-to-U.S. leg to business class. Unfortunately,...

  • Can you help me restore the 654 product reviews Amazon has deleted?

    Christopher Elliott|Sep 26, 2024

    Amazon has removed all of Susan Deonier's product reviews from the platform, but it won't say why. Is there any way to get these comments restored? I recently received an abrupt, robotic removal of hundreds of customer reviews I've posted on Amazon since 2018. I've also been blocked from posting new reviews. Amazon did not give me a specific reason for this action, and I've received no response to my respectful inquiries from any human at Amazon, including two letters I sent to the Amazon...

  • Windstar promised an all-inclusive package on my Central America cruise. Now it's refusing!

    Christopher Elliott|Sep 26, 2024

    Tracy Joselson and her husband booked a Windstar cruise with a promised all-inclusive package. But then the cruise line takes away the package. Can they cancel their cruise? While my husband and I were on a recent Windstar cruise, we made reservations with the onboard cruise coordinator for a seven-night cruise to Costa Rica and Panama next year. As an incentive to sign up for a future cruise, the coordinator promised an additional shipboard credit of $100 per person, and at no extra cost, an...

  • I returned my iPhone, but Amazon is charging me for it. Is that fair?

    Christopher Elliott|Sep 19, 2024

    Leah Davidson returns her iPhone 11 to a third-party seller on Amazon. But the seller claims the box is empty. Does she still get her money back? I recently bought an iPhone 11 through a third-party seller on Amazon. I returned the phone via UPS, and I have a receipt that verifies the package was delivered. The seller claims it received an empty box. I've shown the seller my receipt, which says there was a phone in the box. The third-party seller keeps asking Amazon to intervene. But Amazon...

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