a booking did not come through a notification but the message did

[Tracey104]

i had a booking last minute come in. The person sent me a message with request, told them where the key was

they stayed, paid on their end but i have had NO NOTIFICATIONS at all

HELP 

where do i find help from this site ???

thanks in advance 

[Marzena4]

Was it a booking or was it just a request, @Tracey104? You could check it in the payout section, transaction history.

[Tracey104]

No Payout thanks for getting back to me

I am really concerned with this site if you cannot contact them and have to rely on comunity talks to find answers

It also seems like a lot of hosts have noticed drop offs in bookings recently, all of this is a concern

[Marit-Anne0]

I think you have been framed @Tracey104.  They have not paid anyone and it seems you gave them access without a booking going through.  Never, ever tell where the key is until there is a booking complete with booking number.  

[Matthew285]

@Tracey104, what @Marzena4 is trying to tell you is that you may have received just a request for a booking (not a completed reservation).

Then you told the guest how to get into your listing.

The guest stayed for free (without paying anything to anyone).

When you asked, the guest just claimed to have paid.

If you go to the "Your Reservations" page, do you see this person as an Accepted Reservation?

If not, then you may have sent the information about your key to someone who never had a reservation.

It would be as if you walked into a hotel lobby and asked "How much are your rooms?", then the front desk person just handed you a key and walked away.

[Marzena4]

@Tracey104 Yes, @Matthew285 expanded my idea. 

And for future bookings - make sure you enter those instructions into Guest Resources - it is a compilation of info guests receive only after confirmed booking. Never send sensitive data through the message system - did you notice that masking 'content hidden'?

[Bryan10]

Looks like you've been scammed. I've had enquiries before where the guest says they paid, asking me if I can just text them the address to mae things easier. No! Don't do it, unless it's confirmed and paid on the system. Some people just want a free night's stay. Treat it as a learning experience, but please do report it to Airbnb so they can red-flag the guest. 

[Matthew285]

@Bryan10, I don't think it was so much a scam (meaning a plan to rip off the host).

I think it was just an unscupulous guest who, because of an honest mistake by the host,  was given the opportunity to stay for free if they were willing to be dishonest.

And apparently they were willing.

It is rather like seeing someone walk down the street and drop some money. You could and should tell the person. But if you just let them keep walking and then pick it up, have you scammed them?