Does Airbnb sell our phone numbers?

[Inna22]

I had to change the name on my Airbnb profile to my daughter's to comply with a local ordinance (very long story, she helps me host anyway). Today I received a spam text addressed to her first name to my cell phone. Airbnb is the only place where her first name could be somehow connected to my phone number. Technically a guest could have used the info but it seems like a painful way to compile a spam list - one Airbnb stay at a time. Airbnb might have also had a security breech however are they not required to inform everyone effected?

[Debra300]

@Inna22,

I am bumping your post so others can respond.  I rarely ever get spam texts, except during elections, and those are legally allowed.  It is also possible that a guest had their device hacked, and all of their Contacts information breached.  How long ago was the profile name change done?  

[Inna22]

@Debra300 the change was over a year ago. So political texting is allowed? This was political. How would they get my number?

[Debra300]

@Inna22,

Yes, political texting and robocalls are legally allowed.  They could get your number from your voter registration record, driver's license or property records.  I often got political texts for Keep Cool, and I know that he's never used my number for any of his stuff.  

[Christine615]

I don't think it's Airbnb. I was surprised when my office number started getting spam texts and calls. But it occurred long after I registered for Airbnb. It seemed to start when I used the number for my application for STR licensing once the city passed a formal law. 😞

[Helen427]

@Inna22 
Did you get to the bottom of this?

I have recently been requested to provide a form of Photo Id to verify who I am to Airbnb, and of all things they state that a Voter Card is acceptable as a form of ID.

"Hence, we kindly ask you to submit an unexpired government-issued ID including a photo should you wish your payouts to be released.
Ex: Passport, identity card, driving license, residence permit, voter card"

I feel very uncomfortable providing any form of Photo ID to any person online in light of the recent Optus and Twilio Data Breaches.

Incidentally Twilio is understood to have a contract with ABB.

Perhaps it's overdue for an international discussion on what are acceptable Best Practices as to forms of ID and requesting information that 'doesn't exist' 

How many have not bothered to renew Passports, and Differently Enabled  (read Disabled/ Visually impaired ) people are not likely to have a Drivers License and it's definitely not advised to share those forms of ID online due to the high risk of Data Breaches and Fraudulent use of others Private Documents

@Catherine-Powell 

[Inna22]

@Helen427 very interesting discussion indeed. Particularly for those of us who ask for a copy of ID. I’m currently going back and fourth with yet another group that is refusing to provide them. They are all worried about how it is stored. However, everywhere I traveled in Europe this summer I was asked for IDs for all people in my group, including my minor children.

[Gillian166]

@Inna22  It's a valid question: "how is it stored" and one I've brought up many times. I've generally found the people who are most staunchly demanding IDs (outside of govt mandates) also have low understanding of what I'm asking.  I had to provide ID to the airbnb hosts in Japan, and i had our passports saved with redacted info. 

 

[Inna22]

@Gillian166 I think it’s only a valid question before you book. If you have already booked, and the host disclosed in their listing that they would be asking for this, you no longer have an option of refusing them.

[Gillian166]

This is very interesting, because just yesterday I got a scam call to my number and they asked for my daughter, who is my co-host. 

[Richard531]

I think the most likely case is that guests are selling the number. 

Airbnb is WAY above this and it would be a massive legal/privacy class-action risk that I don't see them taking for such a tiny amount of money to a multi-billion dollar company.