NBC 5 Responds
The Latest
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Travel Booking Site Shuts Down, Leaving Customers Stranded and on the Hook for Thousands of Dollars
It appears popular travel site Bookit.com may be going belly up after customers say they’re stranded at resorts right now because Bookit never paid for their vacations. On Thursday night, the company posted an official-looking notice on its website including the U.S. State Department’s logo and a message from Bookit saying, in part: “In response ... -
NBC 5 Responds: Scams Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Scams that come hand in hand with any disaster might be inevitable but nevertheless infuriating. Hear the latest on the nasty calls targeting people stuck at home nationwide. NBC 5’s Lisa Parker Responds.
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Chicago-Area Cruise Travelers Battle for Vacation Refunds
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, concerns and cancellations that go along with it, a Lakeview couple said a third-party booking agent threatened to keep their $3,400 if they didn’t set sail on a cruise next week. Chris Barker and Bobby Schafer booked their Celebrity Cruise through a third-party planner, Atlantis Events. The couple was sche... -
NBC 5 Responds: Travel Hassle Due to Coronavirus
Max Wagner has been trying to cancel his trip for weeks. The Chicago man and his friends booked their vacation to Bangkok and Vietnam – with a layover in Seoul, South Korea – last October. Wagner says he’s called Korean Air 10-20 times over the last two weeks, and the same thing happens every time. “’It’s just a dial tone… -
NBC 5 Responds: Travel Hassle Due to Coronavirus
The severity of the coronavirus crisis has made the decision clear for many travelers but are some travel companies making it harder for customers to get answers and their money? NBC 5’s Lisa Parker responds.
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Coronavirus Travel: List of Airline, Cruise Line, Hotel and Rental Cancellation Policies
Many travel companies are offering fee waivers and flexible cancellation policies as coronavirus cases continue to rise. NBC 5 Responds compiled a list of travel companies and their current policies amid the spread of COVID-19. American United Delta Southwest Korean Air Alaska Porter Allegiant Frontier Spirit JetBlue Hawaiian Sun Country Marriott H... -
NBC 5 Responds: Coronavirus Travel Concerns
To pack or not to pack? To pay for travel insurance or not? Amid coronavirus concerns, travelers have been experiencing mixed feelings when it comes to trips planned ahead of time. NBC 5’s Lisa Parker Responds.
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NBC 5 Responds: A Confusing Parking Sign, Pile of Tickets and Judge Who Wouldn’t Budge
When Sondra Ellingson came home from vacation last March, she was shocked to find several parking tickets slapped on the windshield of her car. Three tickets in four days: a total of $225 in fines. “My car never moved,” Ellingson said. “And all for the same violation, all while I’m out of town.” Her car was parked right outs... -
‘Ask & You Shall Receive:’ The Pastor, the Plane Ticket and NBC 5 Responds
Last summer, retired LaGrange Park Pastor Bob Hempel and his wife Elaine thought everything was set for their long-planned trip to a professional conference in North Carolina. “My bags were packed and they were ready to go, like the song says, we were leaving on a jet plane,” Pastor Bob, as his parishioners call him, told NBC 5 Responds. The&... -
Victims of Carbon Monoxide Illnesses Call on Hotels, Motels to Step Up Safety Procedures
Chicago rapper and songwriter Luke Gawne and his girlfriend, Erica Fumo, say they know firsthand how dangerous exposure to carbon monoxide can be, after a frightening close call at The Waldorf Astoria Chicago last November. The couple says they fell violently ill hours after checking into the 5-star hotel. “And I remember saying to her ‘my heart fe... -
Family Receives Refund After Deceased Relative’s Credit Used
A suburban family struggled for years to get their deceased relative’s money back from a major bank after his credit cards were allegedly stolen by a caretaker. Lisa Parker with NBC 5 Responds has the story.
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NBC 5 Responds: Credit Cards Stolen, Bank Account Drained
The day Jim Svoboda’s credit card was used to buy an Xbox game in 2017, his family said there was no way the 93-year old North Aurora man was the one who made that purchase, along with a raft of similar ones. “Dad was already gone,” his daughter Nan Grommes told NBC 5 Responds. Two years later, Grommes, the executor…
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SIM Swaps: Insidious and on the Rise
Thousands of consumers hit by the insidious crime called “SIM swapping” are out millions of dollars, drained by thieves who took control of victims’ phones and accessed their financial accounts. Because of the ongoing threat that “SIM swapping” poses to consumers, federal lawmakers are now asking whether wireless companies n... -
NBC 5 Responds Update: Suburban Mail Mess Resolved
When the NBC 5 Responds team first met the residents of a scenic new development called “The Retreat on Stony Creek” in suburban South Elgin in Dec. 2018, they said they were ecstatic with their homes, but were fit to be tied with the United States Postal Service. Residents of the development said the post office was blocking their mail…... -
NBC 5 Responds: Drivers Left on Hook by Transmission Troubles
Drivers say that a prominent carmaker left them on the hook after their transmissions failed twice in less than a year, and NBC 5 Responds discovered they are not alone.
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Illinois State Police Warn of ‘Spoofing’ Phone Calls
Scammers are using local area state police telephone numbers to “spoof” victims, according to Illinois State Police. Spoofing occurs when a telephone number is manipulated and disguised to look like a different phone number. Recently, ISP officials have received phone calls from concerned citizens saying ISP called requesting personal i... -
NBC 5 Responds: Toyota Recall
Millions of Toyota owners are in for some rough news from the carmaker. NBC 5’s Lisa Parker responds.
