Scam alert! How can I make sure a listing is real?

Answered!

Scam alert! How can I make sure a listing is real?

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

Top Answer
Cynthia-and-Chris1
Level 10
Vancouver, WA

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.

View Top Answer in original post

820 Replies 820

Hello. I'm renting a a airbnb in San Antonio this weekend and I found a new listing at a very reasonable price. Their not charging a cleaning fee. I don't know if it's a scam or not. Can someone help? Isn't there usually a cleaning fee?

 

during the winter season I don't charge cleaning in an attempt to reduce the cost and get more bookings. Just as long as I keep my base price over a certain amount at least we get something.  A asure you I'm very real 🙂 

what do you think about this one? 

 

**[Identifiable listing removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines- Please note that is not allowed to post a listing link unless posted by a listing owner]

 

You can’t. I am a home owner and My tenant is an Airbnb host currently and has multiple rentals on their site for booking. The host has my home listed right now as available. She has been evicted and no longer has access to the house. She never paid utilities and they were turned off. I tried to tell Airbnb what was going on and asked them to take down the listing for my house - so she couldn’t scam others like she did me! 

 

Airbnb would not even take the information!!  They said because I did not have an account they could not do anything. So buyer beware. Obviously Airbnb doesn’t care if they have fake listings. 

Hi @Robert7779,

 

I’m sorry to hear about this former tenant listing your property without your consent. I have flagged some community hosts and hopefully they will send your concern to the right team to address. @Bhumika@Paula@Rebecca  could you assist Robert with his issue please?  Thank you!

Rebecca
Community Manager
Community Manager
Suffolk Coastal District, United Kingdom

Hey @Robert7779,

 

This doesn't sound right at all. I'm going to pop you a DM. 

 

@Lorina14, thank you for tagging me. 😍

-----

 

Please follow the Community Guidelines

Thoughts on this listing being too good to be true?

 

**[Identifiable listing removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines- Please note that is not allowed to post a listing link unless posted by a listing owner]

Could someone please look over this listing? It has no reviews and was just listed a month ago. I did do a reverse image search on a few photos with no results.

 

**[Identifiable listing removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines- Please note that is not allowed to post a listing link unless posted by a listing owner]

Can you please tell me if this looks like a scam or not?**[Identifiable listing removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines- Please note that is not allowed to post a listing link unless posted by a listing owner]

can you check this house out and see if it is a possible scam 

 

****[Identifiable listing removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines- Please note that is not allowed to post a listing link unless posted by a listing owner]

Bhumika
Community Manager
Community Manager
Toronto, Canada

Hi @Harry538 ! Thank you so much sharing your concerns here in this thread. I had to remove the link to a Host's profile/listing as we do not allow our Community members to post identifiable information due to safety and privacy reasons as per our Community Center Guidelines.

 

However, on the top of this thread, Host Cynthia has shared some useful tips to identify if a listing is authentic. Did you get a chance to have a look at those suggestions? 

I had a quick look at the listing and seems like its from a new Host. May be it would be a good idea to send an inquiry message to the Host to get more details? Please keep us posted on how you proceed with it!

Bhumika_0-1712347968432.png

 



-----

 

Please follow the Community Guidelines

Hey! This article/ discussion has been very helpful. I’m looking for the group’s thoughts on the following link. The host has been very responsive to my messages but I still don’t feel super comfortable. There’s a lack of reviews. The host is a “Super Host” but I’m really not sure what that means or whether that should give me any piece of mind. 

 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1126088738348707057?source_impression_id=p3_1713656501_UwDJOBIM7udsOeFK

 

Given that the host has been responsive, I suppose I should discuss it with them but I’m sure what to ask for. 

Any recommendations or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. 

Hi,

 

Do you think this property is legitimate please?

 

**[Identifiable listing removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines- Please note that is not allowed to post a listing link unless posted by a listing owner]

thank you

Can you please weigh in if this "new" listing might be a scam. It's cost does look too good to be true given the luxuriousness of the space and because our dates are during the Olympics: 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1119098887355070887?adults=5&location=Paris%2C%20France&search_mode=reg...

 

There are no other dates booked for this new space in August, but it does appear to have bookings in September and beyond. 
Thank you for weighing in. 

Is this listing real?

**

 

**[Identifiable listing removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines- Please note that is not allowed to post a listing link unless posted by a listing owner]