Good afternoon everyone,
When creating your listin...
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Good afternoon everyone,
When creating your listing, it’s important to capture the essence of what makes your space...
Latest reply
This will be my first time using Airbnb so I'm a bit weary about listings being fake.
What can I do to make sure a listing is real and not a scam?
What should I be looking out for?
Thanks
Answered! Go to Top Answer
Welcome to Airbnb!
Here are a few things you can do to make sure the listing is real:
(1) Look at the reviews and make sure they seem to talk about the same place you are booking
(2) If the listing says anything about contacting the host outside of Airbnb before booking, DO NOT - this is a well-known scam.
(3) Look at the listing - if it seems "too good to be true" (aka luxurious penthouse for a super low rate) it probably is!
You can also post the link here and we can weigh in on our thoughts.
@Gilad10 Is there anything in particular that makes you question it? It's an official Airbnb listing, not some look-alike scam site and there are 4 good reviews. Communicate with the host through Airbnb messaging and if she responds in a timely fashion and nicely, I wouldn't see anything to worry about, unless you have some specific reason to doubt the listing.
Hi - booking an airbnb currently (all communication has been through the Airbnb site and host asked that airbnb verification was used, i.e., add govt ID). The host is asking that all important booking info (time of arrival, how to get keys, etc.) go through HostnFly (posted as a partner concierge service in the ad). The place looks like it is perfect and the rate is cheap (not too good to be true, but MUCH better than options out there at the moment). Thoughts?
Hi, I’m interested in staying in a condo listed kind of skeptical since it doesn’t have reviews and the owner just joined Airbnb this month. Can someone help me find out if it’s a real listing or scam.
@Denise859 This is on the official airbnb site. The scams that people have posted about here are places that people found through some other sites, like Craigslist, Gumtree, etc and the host then responded to them via email with some long winded screed that mentions things like "Airbnb agents who will meet you with keys" and other ways that Airbnb definitely doesn't work. then the inquirer is directed to a fake Airbnb site that looks almost like the real one but has a non-Airbnb URL, although it can look quite similar.
Of course if a place is newly listed it isn't going to have any reviews yet, just like a guest who is new to Airbnb won't have any reviews. Like you- you do have one review, but it's from this month, so back in July, you wouldn't have had any review for a host to go on. But that doesn't mean you're someone to be wary of.
Why don't you send an Inquiry message to the host (click on "contact host", found under their listing description), introducing yourself and asking any questions you might have (but not ones that are answered by reading thoroughly through the listing info, that just irritates hosts ) and feel it out. Sending an Inquiry doesn't obligate you in any way and you can get a sense of whether this is something that would be good for you, and a nice, responsive host, or whether it sends up red flags.
Hi! Could you guys help me decide if this place is legit. Seems to good to be true. https://abnb.me/enBYpCAjsZ
@Lex30 It is on the official Airbnb website, so yes, it is legit in that sense- in other words, it's not some scam listing on a fake Airbnb look-alike site. What is concerning is that there is only one review, but it isn't actually a review- it says that the host cancelled the booking, which is how a host cancellation always appears-under the review section. And you certainly don't want to get your reservation cancelled, leaving you in the lurch.
But I often find that some new hosts in non-first world countries seem to be unclear on how to properly set up their listing information, how to deal with the platform, cancellations, etc. Perhaps it's due to a langauge barrier or rudimentary online skills.
What I always suggest when a guest has some iffy feelings about a listing is to just send the host an Inquiry message (click on Contact Host, under their listing description). This doesn't obligate you in any way, and you can ask any questions that would set your mind at ease. There's nothing wrong with saying that you're interested in his place, but the fact that he has no reviews and cancelled a guest concerns you- that you would be very upset if you made plans, booked a flight and then had him cancel your booking. Just be polite and straightforward and see what kind of response you get. If he doesn't reply, or it takes him 3 days to do so, or his response makes you feel he's sort of clueless, cross the place off your list and look for another.
That's a good idea. I'll send him a message and see what he says before I try to reserve. Thank you!
this listing seems a bit sketchy or too good to be true. host owns over 40 condos. but it seems odd. please help.
It's a real estate or property management agency.
if you pay through the app and communicate through it, but the host says the place is different than the pictures and sends you a link "through app" of that actual place (within cancellation time) should I be worried or is that between him and airbnb at that point?
hi all. Is this listing a scam? Help. lol