Hi @Lizzie - yes I did see your update and it's great to see that someone is finally taking some interest in Monika and her family receiving the missing payouts that are rightfully theirs, even if it did take almost two months of relentless fighting and determination from Monika to get to this point.
However, Monika receiving her payouts is only one part of this story. The fact remains that her payouts are still being deposited - in cash - via the SERVIPAG cornershop system, by an Airbnb 'payment processor partner (Argenper).
Unfortunately, the 'agents' at Argenper are so far refusing to answer Monika's very reasonable and straightforward questions and/or provide the relevant documentation that verifies and validates the origin of the cash they're depositing in her bank account. No matter how many times she asks them.
Of enormous concern here is that these deposits are unmarked and untraceable, with nothing appearing on Monika's bank statement to indicate that they have anything whatsoever to do with Airbnb and are (sometimes, not always) accompanied by nothing more than a hand-scribbled receipt which may or may not bear a few letters of someone's name and an illegible phone number. The only wording that appears on her statement in relation to these monies is 'deposito en efectivo' (cash deposits). Needless to say, this is a worrying situation which could cause her more than a few headaches should her bank account ever come under scrutiny from the authorities.
The big question here is why, in this day and age of instant money transfer - and in a country with sophisticated banking systems - Argenper agents in 3 different cities throughout Chile would be withdrawing substantial sums from the company's account, schlepping down the road to the corner shop with huge wads of cash relating to not only Monika's payouts but also it seems, to the payouts of unknown numbers of other Chilean hosts, and depositing all these amounts in various bank accounts, through the SERVIPAG machines.
Sure, there may very well be a perfectly innocent reason behind it all but unfortunately, Argenper appear wholly reluctant to share any such innocent reasons with Monika, which is obviously a tad disconcerting in itself. Obviously, Monika needs to protect her family from any possible irregularities or anomalies in connection with Argenper's rather unusual banking practices, so on Monday she'll be making her case to the PDI (Policia de Investigaciones de Chile/Investigations Police of Chile), who have already indicated that her concerns are completely valid and that they're interested in speaking further with her.
Apart from Chile, Argenper also has offices in Peru, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil (and 2 in the US) so presumably, Airbnb may also be partnering with them to handle their host payouts in those regions also. As yet, it's unknown just how many other hosts are also being paid via cash deposits in corner shops like Monika, but I guess that's something for the PDI to look into.
The biggest question of all though, is why on earth a multi-billion dollar global corporation like Airbnb would be partnering with an apparently Arthur Daly-type outfit like Argenper in the first place, and entrusting them with the handling and distribution of untold millions of dollars-worth of hosts' money. No doubt, that will probably be something that the PDI will be interested in seeking answers to also.
cc. @Monika-And-Domingo0 @Ute42
Penelope