New! Like listed yesterday new

[Kim2998]

So I just put my guest suite up yesterday, I have a rental  request with no photo, no reviews, and just joined  Oct, 2021.  For some reason I'm feeling like this is sketchy. What are the common things to look out for from scammers?  

[Brian2036]

@Kim2998 

The first thing to look for is exactly what you got.

I would ask them to complete their profile and inform them that picture ID for ALL guests will be required before checkin.

If that discourages them Good Riddance.

If they ask for a discount or try to get you to book them off-platform the answer is NO.

If they want to bring extra guests the answer is NO.

There are a small number of active con-artists who specifically target new listings. They frequently try to book for more than 30 days to obtain a discount, then leave after a few days and demand a full refund.

Avoid guests who are under 25 and want to book for one night only, particularly if they live nearby.

[Sarah977]

@Kim2998  Are you aware that profile photos are hidden from hosts until after a booking is confirmed? All you will see at the request stage is a circle with a letter in it  in place of the profile photo.

There isn't anything sketchy about a new profile with no reviews. Everyone has to start somewhere. While your profile isn't new, it once was and you also had no reviews. Were you sketchy?

You just have to be cautious with a request from a newbie. They may not really understand how Airbnb works, they may not have bothered to thoroughly read your listing info, including the house rules, they may think they can book for 1 and show up with 7. So a host has to be more vigilant, communicate more, ask questions, ascertain that they have read through everything and will comply with your rules, etc., than you would with an experienced guest with lots of good reviews who communicates well.

What kind of message accompanied the request?