Our mission is to provide important consumer news about Connecticut and national topics involving drug and medical costs, health issues, businesses, financial companies, investing, real estate, and how to save money on purchases.
We would love to hear from you about business complaints and story ideas. Our goal is not to make money, but to help keep you informed.
George Gombossy is the editor & publisher of CtWatchdog.com and www.CtCondoNews.com – two premier Connecticut consumer websites. 
George launched CtWatchdog in August 2009 after he was fired from The Hartford Courant where he was the first investigative consumer columnist in the Courant’s history. He was fired on Aug. 3 after refusing to “be nice” to major advertisers.
For three years he served as the advocate for consumers at The Courant, following 12 years as its business editor. Working with thousands of readers who sent him complaints and tips, his Watchdog columns resulted in more than a dozen state investigations and forced CL&P and many other companies to spend millions of dollars improving their customer service.
In late 2011 the suit was resolved.
During his 40-year career at the newspaper, George led teams of reporters that won dozens of awards, including the George Polk Award and the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award. He helped the paper win its first Pulitzer Prize.
Under his direction The Courant won the SABEW Best in Business award for overall quality among midsize newspapers four times and he directed the work of two Gerald Loeb Award finalists and won the SABEW BiB award for his Watchdog column. At least five of his investigative series were nominated by The Courant for the Pulitzer.
The National Association Of Consumer Advocates gave George its highest journalistic award- the 2009 Media Award – for his 40 years of working on behalf of consumers and investors as a reporter, editor and columnist. He was a board member of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW), where he served on the contest and audit committees.
More recently, George took a hiatus from CtWatchdog and worked for H&R Block for five years as a tax preparer. He is now firing up his website again and volunteers with the Meals On Wheels program in Manatee County.
George is also a proud U.S. Army veteran, volunteering to serve during the Vietnam War (he did not serve in Vietnam). Born in Hungary, he came to the U.S. in 1956 and has been ever grateful to this country for what it has given him and his family including his wife, two children, two grandchildren and a brand-new great grandson.
George and his wife now live in Florida but your can still reach him at george@usawatchdog.me.
On January 3 I read with dismay the article in ctwatchdog.com. Unfortunately the individual who provided the information did not provide a complete set of facts.
I’m certain that as a professional newsperson it is your intent to report a fair, unbiased, and accurate story, so I ask that you contact me and give me an opportunity to respond.
As reported, the article misrepresents what happened, presents a one-sided perspective, and is an unfair attack on my integrity and character. I have been a managing agent for 24 years and I am prepared to defend my reputation as a fair, trusted and ethical businessman. I can be reached at 203-248-3444 or by email at steve@margolismanagement.com.
You are welcome to respond here.
Good Morning CTWatchdog,
This is my first time being on your website although as long time CT resident have heard of your organization. Never the less, I’ve found the spectrum of topics very diverse & after putting into your search field numerous times to no avail, could come up with
“1” article or comment about the Racial profiling in E. Haven as well as throughout the State in numerous municipalities. Foremost, I’m dismayed 7 appalled a the same time. To call yourselves CTWatchdog and ‘NOT have one article, reference speaks loudly to your position on this matter.
As a neutral informative media source for the constituents of CT it’s obvious by your lack of coverage, interest, mention of the incessant but real issues that must be deal with here in CT as well through the States. However to say that your’re a CTWatchdog is a JOKE ! Really. More like a sleeping
or dying 17 yr old pooch. I’d say very concisely this quote fits your CTWAtchdog explicitly!
“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.
Hello, George Gombossy. So ….. Jon Lender was given your job. Perhaps if you were still on the Courant you would do an investigative report about how elder persons are abused, neglected, & screwed by the nursing home industry and overlooked by our “oversight” agencies. I’m interested in writing a column: advice to dissatisfied “consumers” of nursing home care on how to deal with them. I am about to publish a book and Website on nursing home abuse & corruption in America. My attorney is preparing a multi-million dollar lawsuit againt a “prestigious” nursing home.
george, i am also being charged a fee of $105.00 per month and we have shut off our gas, no usage, they sayt its a delivery charge, sounds like a scam to me, thanks for your help, ron
i read your atricle in sunday feb.17, about the family that was scammed by the free puppies. i just had the same experience this week, in regards to two free maltese puppies. the woman said she was from terrell, texas, and said she worked full time, and couldnt care for the pups. she also told me that i would only have to pay to have them shipped here, so she told me to send the money by money gram, so i did, and it had to be sent to afoni paul wirngo in cameroon quonde, i had no idea where that was, so i just sent the money by money gram. i was never told it was non-refundable. on the day the puppies were to be shipped from terrell texas, on texas aitlines to tweed new haven , and delivered to my house the woman named susan parpada toldme the agency needed 1200.00 more to ship the puppies. she said it was for insurance purposes. i told her i would take my chances that nothing would happen to the pups. she kept hounding me for the money,but my 14 yr. old grandaughter picked up on the fact that it was a scam. this woman hounded me for two days, until i blocked her from contacting me via facebook. i called my attorney the next day, and he said the minute i mentioned cameroon, he knew it was africa and that most scams originate from africa. susana also said i would be reimbursed the 1200.00 when the pups were delivered to my house. i have saved my receipts from the moneygram, for the shipping, but i know i will never get it back…what a lesson well learned. but i do have the supposed owners name and where she is from, and i’m sure if i contact the authories in terrell, tx. maybe they can help unless you think you can. we need to get the message out there about this supposed agency in cameroon africa…[town of quonde]. the pups names werechester and lincoln which were also some sortof code when refering to the pups. again i alsohave the name of the scamer in africa. so, mr gombossy, i feel for the other family in ct. who went through the same ordeal. i wish there is something we can do to stop this. thank you for letting me vent sincerely, lynda mcmillen
George, I just want to remind everyone not to make the mistake I did. I signed a 2-year contract with Big Sky Gym. They charge for the entire term of the contract even when you no longer use the membership. To cancel their “automatic renewal”, they require very specific information and steps. I had to recite a contract number; had to give them my email address when I opened the account; had to use specific wording, along with the contract number and reason I was cancelling, in a certified letter to them. In other words, they make it VERY difficult to cancel. I heard it is possible to use their services and NOT sign any contract. That’s the way to go.
What recourse does one have in dealing with Amazon.com? I bought an electric toothbrush from them. After about a year, couldn’t get the clock, (included with the brush) to work. Sent an e-mail message to Amazon, about a month ago, and still have not had a reply from them about the warranty on the product.
Have you tried contacting the manufacturer?
Hi George… is anyone else tired of the way Comcast treats their 30+ year loayal customers besides me. I now have about 3 possibley 4 hours of phone time invested over an issue of outage. Seemed like every day for more than two week back in feb 2015, my services, cable, internet and phone went out for an hour and a half. In March, they were suppose to give me a $80+ credit. I never got it. Called back today and found out that a supervisor dissalowed the credit… that there was no justification for it. The customer service rep again confirmed the outage… but later recanted that their system was showing that we were viewing ondemand services during the outage. Is it even possible to have an outage of all three services yet be able to view ondemand servies… or is there system just wrong. Don’t know what to do. They owe me… but are waring me down. thanks dave
I recently purchased triple strength Dr.Tobias fish oil and now reading they are under class action lawsuit for faulty advertising about their product. Do you know where this it at as far as court action and am I eligible for anything if they are found to be deceiving public? Thanks..
https://ctwatchdog.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=31079&action=edit
Are you still up and running ?
still up but not producing new content