BOOK

7 unbelievably good reasons to order Scammed right now

You need to get Scammed now. Otherwise, you could get scammed.

My new book, Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals is available online now and arrives in bookstores Dec. 27.

You can get your own copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes. It’s being offered at an amazing 39 percent off the list price on Amazon and B&N. What a deal!

Here are a few more reason you need to order Scammed today:

It’s the book they don’t want you to read. Corporate America would prefer that you didin’t have the information I reveal in Scammed because it will give you the upper hand in every purchase you make as a consumer. Many shady businesses want to keep you ignorant — and buying their scammy products.

The reviews are really awesome. Critics have called Scammed “eye-opening” and “inspiring.” One reader, who just finished the Kindle version yesterday, said, “you can read chapter after chapter without wanting to put it down.”

I explain why you’re being scammed. Why are we so unhappy with certain businesses, like cable TV companies and wireless carriers? Why do we always seem to be the losers in every transaction? I investigate what’s happening behind the scenes when a company tries to pull a fast one. You’ll be shocked.

I’ll tell you how to avoid it. The most exciting part of Scammed is that I have the space to share my insider tips that will ensure you won’t fall for the scams perpetuated by many businesses. It’s information unethical companies would do anything to prevent you from reading.

I’ll help you be a better consumer. My life’s mission is to make sure you’re never, ever scammed again. And so Scammed is full of never-before published tips on how to stay out of trouble, no matter who you’re doing business with.

I’ll tell you all my secrets. If you’ve ever wanted to know why I became a consumer advocate, you’ll want to get your hands on this book. I tell you about all the times I was scammed, and how it turned me into a crusader for customers. These are extremely personal stories that I won’t be writing about anywhere else.

You’ll be supporting more consumer advocacy. By buying Scammed you’re casting a vote for more consumer journalism. Isn’t that reason enough to order your copy now?

Here’s how to order Scammed on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes. Remember, it’s being offered at 39 percent off the list price on Amazon and B&N during the holidays.


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TSA watch: Confessions of a rogue Transportation Security Officer

“As a proud American, I served my country with loyalty and dedication in the aftermath of 9/11 by joining the TSA and the fight on terror,” the letter begins. “After publishing a book about the TSA and Airport Security, with full knowledge of the FSD and his assistants, I’ve now been targeted for removal along with the evidence, while the cover-up for the truth is in effect.”

The missive, sent from Transportation Security Officer William Touzani directly to the president, landed in my “in” box yesterday afternoon. I’m not the first person he approached with this story. He published the entire letter on CNN’s iReport a few weeks ago.
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Get your copy of my travel insurance ebook now!

If you’re a regular reader of my site, then you know that consumer journalism is a tough sell. That’s why I rely on you to keep this site running.

As we begin this fall fundraiser — the first in almost a year — I want to start by saying “thank you” to my visionary corporate underwriters and to you for your unwavering support.

Your comments, tips and suggestions have made this the number-one site for consumer advocacy on the Internet!

(Speaking of which, I have lots of cool stories to share with you in a second, including my Washington Post column about new airline rules, a mudslinging fest about the new Homeland Security headquarters and the unfortunate case of a canceled cruise vacation.)

And as a way of saying “thanks” I’m offering my new ebook, 0-60 Travel Insurance to anyone who signs up as an individual underwriter. It’s the definitive guide to buying and using travel insurance, and if you’re taking a trip anywhere, you’ll want to read it first.

I hope you’ll consider becoming an underwriter. Without you, none of this would be possible.
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Scammed: How to Save Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals

It’s official: I’ve just finished the final edits on my new book, Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals.

I just have to tell you about it.

Last summer, a literary agent I’d known for a few years asked me if I had a book in me. I didn’t want to write anything on travel, because I felt there were already several great guides on being a smart traveler.

But how about something about the relationship between consumers and businesses?
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Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place!

Is anybody happy?

It might as well be Applegate in a revival of Damn Yankees asking the question, with a wiseguy up in the balcony with a clever comeback. (“Nope!”)

Nobody is happy. Nobody will every be completely happy.

That’s today’s lesson about consumer advocacy, my friends. Two reader emails, each received within a week of each other and possibly even written about the same story, illustrate my point.
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7 trips you should never book online

Carolyn Fletcher’s honeymoon started heading south the moment she and her husband landed in Cancun. No one was there to pick up the newlyweds.

It took an hour for her to convince a van service to deliver them to their hotel. But when they checked into their four-star resort in Akumal, they discovered it was a “a two-star, at best,” she remembers.

“The grounds were unkempt and there was trash everywhere,” she said. “Our room smelled of mildew. I sat down on the bed to cry, only to find the sheets and mattress wet from the moisture and mildew. There was mold growing on the curtains, the walls and the furniture.”

Why am I telling you about Fletcher’s post-nuptial nightmare? Because she booked it online.
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Travel therapist: “You need to pick the trip that’s right for you”

Karen Schaler is the author of Travel Therapy: Where Do You Need to Go? A former embedded war correspondent in Afghanistan, she’s experienced the highs and lows of travel. I asked her how to get the most out of your next vacation.

schalerQ: What’s travel therapy?

Schaler: It’s all about changing your attitude by changing your environment. By using travel therapy, visiting different destinations can help you deal with what you’re going through in life. Whether you’re going through a breakup, lost your job, stressed out, looking for a way to add some sizzle to your relationship or re-invent yourself you can use travel therapy to make sure you’re picking the trip that’s best for you based on what you need and want.

Q: Where did the idea come from?

I personally have been using travel as my therapy for years to not only help me get through the tough times but to also celebrate special occasions. I got the idea after I returned from working as an embedded war television correspondent in Afghanistan. I was going to the gym when I was grumbling about something insignificant and said out loud, “I need to get on a plane, I need some travel therapy.” It was like — bam.

I had been using the concept for years but had never put it into words. I knew I had to write about it so I could share the idea and hopefully help others pick vacations and special trips matching their emotions. So I finished the documentary I was working on about Afghanistan and quit my television career of more than 15 years. I knew there was more I could do and contribute so I cashed in my 401K and starting traveling and doing the research for the book.

Q: At a time like this, when travel — especially air travel in the United States — is awful, shouldn’t people be staying home when they want any kind of therapy?

Schaler: It all depends on your personality and where your head and heart is.

With travel therapy, there isn’t one answer that fits everyone, or one trip that has the answers. It’s all about picking a trip that fits what you personally need, not your best friend, or your neighbor, but you. For some people, getting on a plane and getting away is exhilarating and liberating and they barely notice the delays and travel headaches. While for others even the idea of air travel gives them hives.

Q: How do you know what trips to pick?

Schaler: Not every trip is for everyone in the book in each chapter there are fun, simple quizzes that help you narrow down the trips that are best for you. That way, you’re not just picking any random trip and ending up disappointed with your destination.

Q: Where should people not go if they’re looking for a therapeutic travel experience?

Schaler: Again, this depends on your personality and what you’re looking for. In the book, each chapter has a section called DO NOT ENTER giving you a list of places you shouldn’t go.

Q: For example?

Schaler: If you’re looking for a romantic escape, you don’t want to go to a family friendly resort where you have screaming kids killing your quiet time. However, if you’re looking to reconnect with your kids then a family friendly choice is the perfect option. Key to remember is one person’s idea of travel therapy could be another person’s nightmare. You need to pick the trip that’s right for you.

Q: Where is the most therapeutic destination for you?

Schaler: This answer changes depending on what I’m going through in life. When I was uninspired at work and looking for a challenge traveling and reporting in Afghanistan was the perfect place because it helped me realize life is short and never to settle.

When I was searching for a way to re-invent myself I found volunteering at an orphanage in Malawi was a life changing experience that helped me gain perspective and appreciation for everything I have.

When I want to really spend quality time with a boyfriend, I love sailing because I can truly disconnect with the world and reconnect with who I am with. Honestly, I find anytime I can travel and experience new place and meet new people I’m happy and thankful for each moment I have on the trip and can’t wait to write about it and share it with others. I really do love it that much. Good thing I’m a travel writer, right?

Q: Absolutely. So what advice would you have for those of us who are disillusioned by travel, who would really rather stay home? Can we be rehabilitated?

Schaler: Hummm…let’s see, what are you going to find at home. The same o’ll same o’ll? How has that worked for you so far? If your answer is “not so great” then get off the couch, turn off the TV, and pry your fingers off your BlackBerrys.

There’s a whole world out there waiting for you to explore. Anyone can change, you just need to take the first step and planning the right trip is key and can help you find your way in more ways than one!

Q: I want to ask you about when therapy goes wrong. Has that ever happened to you? What can you do about it?

Schaler: Of course we’ve all taken the wrong trips. It happens when you don’t spend the time doing your research and you come home disappointed and disillusioned.

Making sure this doesn’t happen was one of the inspirations behind writing this book. In this economy, you can’t afford to take the wrong trip, so I wanted to have one compressive book that helps you plan a trip and get it right the first time so you’re not wasting your valuable time and money.

In the rare case if you researched and planned and you still find yourself on the wrong trip try and think outside the box and be flexible. Spend time thinking about what you can change to make it better instead of just complaining about what’s wrong.

Q: Some therapies in the medical field have been discredited, like leeches and lobotomies. Convince me that this isn’t just another faddish cure that will go the way of transcranial electroshock.

Schaler: Travel therapy will never be a faddish cure because the benefits from travel are timeless. It will never go away because there is a whole world to explore and once you get started it’s hard to stop.

When people complain to me about something like being stressed out or sad about a breakup, I like to say, “Take two trips then call me in the morning.” Of course there is never one cure that works for everyone, but I’ve heard amazing stories from the travelers and therapist I have interviewed about how travel changed their lives. I know it has changed mine.


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