HP sold him a warranty he didn’t need. Then it refunded a bank account he didn’t have. (Illustration by Dustin Elliott)
💻 A $40 refund that went nowhere — One of our readers bought a $40 Care Pack warranty for his HP laptop after a support technician convinced him the machine was failing. HP’s own warranty department later told him it was the wrong warranty and his laptop didn’t need replacing. HP agreed to refund him, but then sent the money to a Bank of America account he doesn’t have and called the case resolved. So is it?
On Backchannel, one of our readers paid $3,720 for two first-class American Airlines tickets he says an agent confirmed three times were fully refundable. When a family medical emergency scrubbed the trip, American offered a trip credit instead. Is that allowed?
For Members Only: You search for your airline’s phone number, and the top result is a fake. The platform that ran the ad got paid either way. The Federal Trade Commission wants to know whether that platform should cover your losses. Here are the details. — Christopher Elliott
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FEATURED ARTICLE
HP sold me the wrong warranty—and then sent my refund to the wrong bank
Hugh Fuller buys the wrong warranty for his HP Pavilion laptop. The company promises a refund, but then sends the money to the wrong bank account. Now HP says the case is closed.
OUR UNDERWRITER
Global Rescue is the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue has exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. Global Rescue provides best-in-class services that identify, monitor and respond to client medical and security crises. Learn more about Global Rescue.
📌 Here’s what you missed this week
Catch up on the latest stories from the Elliott Report
HP sold me the wrong warranty—and then sent my refund to the wrong bank
Hugh Fuller bought a $40 Care Pack warranty after an HP Smart Friend technician convinced him his laptop was failing. HP’s warranty department said it was the wrong warranty. The company then sent his refund to a Bank of America account he doesn’t have and declared the matter resolved.
Priceline canceled my reservation and left me with a $360 bill
Charles Marcus paid $502 for two rooms at a Hampton Inn in Islandia, N.Y. Priceline canceled the booking without asking, and rebooking the same rooms for the same nights cost him $862, even after an agent confirmed the cancellation was the company’s own mistake.
Help! Microsoft locked my account and won’t let me back in!
John Curtin had used the same Microsoft email address for 20 years and paid $84 a year for Office 365. When Microsoft locked him out for “unusual activity,” its automated recovery forms rejected even his payment history as proof the account was his.
Surviving the middle seat: A field guide to aviation’s worst conflict
A commercial airline pilot explains why the middle seat keeps your nervous system on alert for an entire flight, and etiquette experts settle the armrest question for good. A Hawaii attorney who has spent years refining her kit now boards with two inflatable lumbar pillows, a carabiner water bottle and a jacket engineered out of pockets.
Guilty until proven innocent? You are if you rent a car.
Howard Gross photographed a tire pressure warning light minutes after collecting his Alamo rental in Nice, France, and a manager later put the warning light in writing. Alamo billed him $752 for the flat tire that followed, and a Hertz customer got a $4,567 scanner-generated claim with a repair estimate listing zero days of work.
How a French château became a modern art spa — minus the clichés
Monique Pignet didn’t want a castle. Her family bought one in the Loire Valley anyway, restored it by hand over 17 years and turned it into a wellness resort with more than 40 resident artists, a spa inside ancient caves and a former fire juggler running the place.
StubHub told me to sell my Lady Gaga tickets elsewhere, then they charged me for it
Tony Rogozinski called StubHub to cancel his Lady Gaga listing before selling the seats privately, and an agent assured him no further action was needed. The listing stayed active, the tickets sold on the site a second time, and StubHub charged him $864 for an order he couldn’t fill.
OUR UNDERWRITER
INFplans.com is a specialized travel medical insurance platform dedicated exclusively to non-U.S. residents traveling outside their home country, including to the United States, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, and other global destinations. Key differentiators include coverage for travelers up to age 99 and unique options for pre-existing condition coverage, benefits that are rarely available in the visitor insurance space. With a simple online experience and a seasoned support team, INFplans.com makes it easy for non‑U.S. residents to secure the travel medical protection they need to explore the world with confidence. Travel with confidence with INFplans.com
💬 What you’re asking on Backchannel
Why can’t I get my money back for this ticket?
Chris Maglione and his partner paid $3,720 for two first-class American Airlines tickets from Tucson to Portland, Maine. He says they asked the phone agent three times to confirm the fares were fully refundable. When a family medical emergency scrubbed the trip, American said the tickets were nonrefundable and offered a trip credit. Before it would reconsider, it wanted a doctor’s letter and a birth certificate. Did the agent sell them the wrong fare, and can they still get their money back? Here’s our team’s advice on Backchannel.
OUR UNDERWRITER
International Citizens Insurance helps expats, travelers and anyone far from home find the right insurance plan. Our knowledgeable agents will help you find the best plan at the right price and be your advocate for the life of your policy.
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