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Tales from Consumer Advocacy Land
Real stories. Real rescues. Real advice.
Hi friends! 🤓
I promised you an extra newsletter this week, and here it is! I hope you’re staying warm. I have actually been snowed-in since last Sunday — and that is a good thing. I’ve been hunkered down in my cozy office with all my indoor animals while also dropping snacks out my window to my outdoor friends.
The photo of the goose above is one of those animal buddies who has settled outside my window waiting for the next meal (although he seems very robust and I am not sure he needs extra meals!) There are also deer, squirrels, doves, woodpeckers, chipmunks, and feral cats popping up out there
A feral cat chowing down outside my window
🐈P.S. I have boxes outside for feral cats to sleep in… and, truth be told, if they want to come inside my house, I would let them in. But they don’t.
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🧐But now let’s get down to business — what’s going on in Consumer Advocacy Land?
Tonight, I want to tell you about an important change that is coming to an airport near you starting tomorrow.
In May of last year, it finally became a requirement that all domestic air travelers in the United States must have a Real ID. Unfortunately, despite the multiple years of warning, many Americans still do not have Real IDs.
To avoid mass chaos at airports, the TSA began allowing passengers to travel without a Real ID after individual on-the-spot interviews and vetting at the airport. But starting tomorrow, that will not be a free service.
For air passengers who fail to obtain a Real ID and arrive at the airport expecting to fly, they will still undergo in-person vetting, but it will now cost $45 per occurrence. Since most Real IDs cost less than $45, this will likely force all air passengers to come into compliance with this rule.
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Tonight, I have a few articles you may have missed previously (and of course, if you’re new to Consumer Rescue, they will be new to you.)
👟First, I have this week’s article about my shopping experience buying sneakers at Unclaimed Baggage (the place where airlines sell all the unclaimed stuff passengers leave behind).
Then I have some other cautionary tales:
Enjoy!
I’ll see you back here on Tuesday with an all-new article: Fake cruise line call centers are still taking advantage of unaware travelers. The family I’ll tell you about was taken for $6,000. Was I able to help? Find out on Tuesday! 🤓
This Week’s Fiascos and Fixes 🔍
✈️If an airline misplaces your luggage and cannot find it within a reasonable time, the carrier must pay for your loss. If you accept the compensation, the airline's liability to you ends, and your belongings are considered permanently lost. But could your missing property eventually reappear on display at Unclaimed Baggage, a resale shop in rural Alabama?
Unclaimed Baggage is an unusual place where all sorts of lost items get a new lease on life.
Here's what I learned about America's only retail store that buys, restores, and then sells travelers' orphaned stuff.
Michelle Couch-Friedman, Chief Fiasco Fixer
😵During his stay at a Quality Inn, it never crossed Tim Kendall's mind to steal the mediocre pillows in his room. But that didn't stop the hotel manager of this franchised property from branding the elderly man a pillow thief -- and applying a theft charge to his final bill. And you won't believe the outrageous value that the manager placed on two standard pillows.
This case, unfortunately, highlights what appears to be a growing problem in the hotel industry. It seems that some franchise owners are actively seeking additional revenue streams. And with their guests' credit and debit cards in hand, many are liberally applying wacky charges they can't substantiate. (MCF)
🥸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. (MCF)
🚗Messy people, beware! Car rental companies will charge you up to $450 if you return a dirty vehicle.
Avis customer Bart M. recently found this out the hard way. Shortly after returning his last rental car, Avis notified him that the vehicle was excessively dirty. As a result, the company intended to bill him hundreds of dollars to clean the car (MCF)
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The comment section is open 💬🗣️
Do you have an opinion about today's articles? Want to share a suggestion? I love to hear from you.
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If you haven’t already checked out our Facebook group “What’s your Problem?” - have a look. That’s our friendly private community where you can ask quick questions and get quick answers.
It's a private group, so only members can see what's inside. We hope to see you there!
Welcome, new friends! 🥰
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Until next time 😃
Don't forget! Consumer Rescue is just a click away. One of us is always here to answer your questions.
You can get direct consumer advocacy assistance here
What's your problem? Private Facebook group.
Ask Abe (Your registered Medicare counselor)
Of course, you can always reach me at [email protected]
Your friend and loyal consumer advocate,
Michelle Couch-Friedman
Founder/CFF (Chief Fiasco Fixer) 😛
917-841-0583
The Consumer Rescue newsletter and the articles you read on the site are fine-tuned by a team of absolutely wonderful editors (and my friends): Art Ellis, Karen Roberts, Irene Rawlings, Wendie Feinberg, Tanya Anticevic, Jennifer Finger, Robyn Whittingham, Teri Bergin, Dwayne Coward, and Chip Elam. ❤️ |