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Chris Elliott, Syndicated Columnist

Stories by Chris

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Problem Solved: AAA homeowner's insurance problem: they never told me I had to fix the roof!
Jan Hustler just lost her AAA homeowner's insurance because she didn't repair her roof on time. But the company didn't tell her about the requirement until it was too late. Can she get her insurance

I recently received a notification from AAA, my home insurance company, that it would not renew my coverage for this year.

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Problem Solved: Help! American Queen Voyages canceled my cruise but kept my $10,126
Carolyn Hoke has been waiting more than a year for her refund from American Queen Voyages for a canceled cruise. Why is it taking so long — and how can she speed up the process?

I booked a seven-night river cruise from St. Louis to Minneapolis with American Queen Voyages

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After UPS loses Vanessa Armendariz’ return package to Amazon, she can’t get her money back. Whose responsibility is this? And should she have to pay for someone else’s mistake?

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The touchscreen on Satoaki Omori’s new HP laptop computer doesn’t work, and the computer has been discontinued. Can he get a full refund — or at least a repair?

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Roy Gregston's Hoover Complete Steam Mop breaks down only a few months after he buys it from Amazon. Even though he has a three-year extended warranty, no one will cover it. What's going on?

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Ronald Crossley’s Hamilton Beach toaster oven doesn’t work. And apparently, neither does the Hamilton Beach customer service department. How does he get this appliance fixed?

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What's wrong with Britt Lane's bed? And why won't Ashley Furniture fix it for her? She's been sleeping on the floor since she ordered the furniture from the retailer.

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After Andrew Bottorff returns his surge protector to Amazon through a Whole Foods store, Amazon tries to charge him again. How can he get his money back?

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Jeffrey Schiff’s Carrier air conditioner stops working during a heat wave. The manufacturer tells him to wait for the parts. But how long is too long?

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Jonathan Sklar orders a meal from KFC through the fast-food restaurant's app. He says the order went to the wrong store. Can he get a refund?

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Michael Trimble's Audious hearing aid doesn't work, so he returns it. The company will not refund his money. What's going on?

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Sue Canavan is moving into a senior living facility. But before she does, ADT wants $2,089 from her. Is that fair?

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La-Z-Boy has delayed Claire Engkvist’s furniture by more than a year. What does she have to do to get it?

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Linda Jordan's husband's CPAP machine has been recalled. But delivering a new one to him may take a while. How long is too long to wait?

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After reporting several fraudulent charges on her Costco Citi Card, Jeanne Vaul gets a new card. But Citi won't reverse the fake charges. What's going on?

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What happened to Vickie Taylor’s subscription to Love of Quilting and Quick and Easy Quilts? She paid for a subscription but never received the magazines.

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One minute, Adam Edikauskas has tickets to a Vegas Golden Knights hockey game. The next moment, the tickets vanished from his account. Why won’t Ticketmaster refund his money?

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Donette Plaisance’s GE microwave oven is cursed. Sometimes it stops mid-cycle. Sometimes it continues to run, but without any lights or heating. Can she return it?

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Leslie Luke orders dresses from an online store, but he never receives them. Why won't his credit card help him get a refund?

By Chris Elliott, Syndicated Columnist September 30, 2023
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Samsung offers Joe King a refund for his home security starter kit, but then refuses to pay him. Can it do that?

By Chris Elliott, Syndicated Columnist September 23, 2023
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Laura Lowry’s Sollevare wine cooler doesn’t work, and neither does the replacement. Who does she talk to about a refund?

By Chris Elliott, Syndicated Columnist September 16, 2023
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Jane Tabachnick orders a refurbished computer from TigerDirect. It doesn’t work, and she asks for a refund. Why can’t she get her money back?

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Angela Hoo orders a $200 gift card from Amazon, but it’s stolen from her doorstep. Amazon offers a refund, but then it refunds the wrong card. How can she fix this?

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After getting strong-armed into paying a medical bill she doesn’t owe, Elly Kinsella tries to get a refund from her physician’s office. Can she get her $740 back?

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When Jack Price tries to return his Google Pixel 6 phone to Amazon through UPS, the phone gets lost. Will he ever get his $518 back?

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After getting an oil change at Jiffy Lube, the engine on Ian Culhane’s Subaru stops working. The likely culprit is a botched oil change, he says. Why won’t Jiffy repair his car?

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Susan Lennon’s iPhone gets stolen in the mail, but Apple assures her she can use her AppleCare coverage on its replacement. So why is it asking her to sign up again for AppleCare?

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When Russ Higgins and his family try to use CLEAR, a security screening service, to verify their identities at the airport, they find a long line and almost miss their flight. What does CLEAR owe them?

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Ryan Maietta orders an Arc A770 graphics card from Amazon. Instead, he gets a different card, an A750. How does he get this fixed?

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Keith Cantrell's new refrigerator is making a loud buzzing sound. GE can't fix it, and Home Depot won't let him return it. What should he do?

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When Robert Preuss tries to buy a Fisher-Price Power Wheels Dune Racer from Amazon, he can't complete the purchase. Amazon offers to fix the problem but then reneges, leaving him with a $304 bill.

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Mark Sund orders commemorative coins and uses PayPal to pay for them. But the seller never delivers them. Can he get his money back?

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Sears promises to cover the cost of Wanda Warren’s dishwasher installation. Then it offers her a check for $180 -- which isn’t enough. Does it owe her more?

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Joe Eckre has tickets to see Alan Parsons, but the artist has postponed the event. Can Eckre get a refund?

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Olivier Kunckler orders a Chateau Pontet Canet 2019 from a Texas liquor store chain. The company cashes the check, but the bottle never arrives. What happened?

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When T-Mobile mysteriously unenrolls Kierra Knox from three promotions, he tries to reinstate the offers. Then T-Mobile blocks him on social media. What’s going on?

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Elizabeth Moeck has tickets to see David Foster in concert, but the show gets canceled during the pandemic. What happened to her refund?

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Justin Carrier’s GE Profile washing machine breaks, flooding his house. One month later, GE hasn’t repaired the appliance or paid for the damages. What’s going on?

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If a pharmacy gives you too much medication, can you get a partial refund? That's what one reader wants to know after he receives $13,000 worth of pills.

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When a U.S. Customs agent confiscates Adriana Cordero’s passport, she tries to get it back. But government bureaucracy is standing between her and her ID.

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When Maura Ruzhnikov sends money to a stranger by mistake on Zelle, she tries to undo the transaction. That’s easier said than done. Will she ever get her money back?

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Quest Diagnostics charged Ro Dobkin an extra $353 for services. Can she get it back or is it lost forever?

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It’s been four months since Brigitte Yvon bought her garage shelving along with installation from Home Depot. But no one has installed it yet. Can she get a refund?

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Victoria Sims’s Frigidaire refrigerator has never worked. It’s been almost a year since she bought it — can she get a replacement?

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After Jamie Reynolds cancels her appliance orders from Sears, a representative promises her a prompt refund. But three months later, she’s still waiting. What can she do to get her money back?

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John Baldwin’s Samsung tablet won’t hold a charge. He wants to file a warranty claim. Samsung says the device is out of warranty. Is it?

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Christy Prince’s new GE refrigerator hasn’t worked for three months. Should GE replace the appliance?

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Lyft charges Peter Leung $80 for spilling a drink in one of its cars. But he says he didn’t drink anything. Does he still have to pay?

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When the door on Lauren Butcher’s new GE range shatters, the company makes her wait two months for a repair. She wants a new oven. Who’s right?

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Sheri Lau’s Samsung washer doesn’t work, despite many repairs. Now the manufacturer claims it sold her the appliance “as is” and won’t help her fix it. Is she out of luck?

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