As an Airbnb host what’s the best way to deal with scammers?

Answered!
Douglas353
Level 5
Orinda, CA

As an Airbnb host what’s the best way to deal with scammers?

Just received this booking request for two weeks.  Wondering how you would respond?  This is obviously a scammer using the fake “certified check” scam to get me to send them money.  I need to respond to keep my response ratting, but wonder how to respond?  The only way to get scammers to stop scamming is to waste their time.  I’m thinking of responding with a special offer of $1,000,000 per night.

 

Anyone else have a better idea? 

 

 

Hello

 

My company will be taking care of the vacation so I can only make the
payment by sending you a company or certified check for the payment, kindly
get back to me with the mailing information and total quote for the night
via text or my direct email address, so we can further discus this, also
the * PDF *attached is the information my direct email address and my cell
phone number.


Thanks

1 Best Answer

It's a scam that's be going around for years.  DO NOT OPEN THE PDF, it can contain computer viruses which can encrypt all of the files on your computer.   If you want to know more about the Airbnb/VRBO scams take a look on YouTube, search for Pleasant Green channel.  Scammer are using Airbnb properties in their scams. 

View Best Answer in original post

9 Replies 9

@Douglas353   When you get an Inquiry (as opposed to a binding Request), you're only required to write a response - neither pre-approving nor declining is necessary. A response can be as simple as the word No.

 

Then, flag and block the profile and be done with it. It's no use trying to outfox your Inbox spam.

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Douglas353 If you respond in the way you are suggesting then Airbnb would have every right to suspend your listing for agreeing (effectively) to take payments off-platform. Take @Anonymous 's advice and you will end up in a much better place.

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

"Dear Guest, all payments and communication must be done through Airbnb. Best of luck to you."

 

Click send to fulfill response requirements. Report as scam and block if the option is available. Archive message. 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Douglas353  This is a known scam. Follow Andrew's advice. Don't try to counter with a scam of your own (sending a million dollar special offer).

 

Are you aware of the difference between an Inquiry and a Request and the difference in the response requirements? As I recall, this was explained to you already on another thread. These scam messages are almost always sent as Inquiries. Yet you are calling it a request?

@Sarah977   Saying no doesn't help you or any other hoster.   No, I do not understand the difference between an Inquiry and a Request.  But I think I get understand what a Pre-Approval is.  Could you explain the difference between the three?  Thank you.

 

I see you are in Mexico, do you have the same problem with scammers as we do in the US?  Have you seen how sophisticated scams are against US citizens?  Just saying no doesn't stop the scammers.  Wasting their time and money is the only way to get them to stop.  If they can't make money doing it they will stop.  Any unfortunately in the US Airbnb properties are being used in the scams.  

 

Sarah what not help your fellow Airbnb host or other honest hard working person from not getting scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars?

 

https://youtu.be/Xvjjpzyiig4 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrKW58MS12g&t=40s&ab_channel=MarkRober

 

@Douglas353 You have had the differences between inquiries and requests explained already - Have you not read these posts? Pre-approval is a subset of inquiry and can be ignored until you have mastered the other two.

Taking @Anonymous 's advice FULLY is the answer. By flagging the guest to Airbnb you will usually find their account is removed within days.

Whilst @Sarah977 is in Mexico there are actually no borders where these scammers are concerned

@Douglas353  There are scammers everywhere. The US doesn't have a corner on that market, and that scam you experienced is a known online scam not dependent on area- they are sent to hosts worldwide. That one you just got is not necessarily from a US person- it could as easily be sent from South Africa or Russia or Chile.

 

You were advised to report the scammer- where did I suggest you should just say no? Sending an outrageous special offer doesn't help other hosts or stop the scammer- only reporting them does, as Airbnb will shut down the account. But the scammers just open new ones- they can be slowed down, but not totally stopped. Cybercrime is a modern-day online issue, not something limited to Airbnb. 

 

The difference between inquiries and requests is, for starters, clear on the message title. It either says Inquiry or Request.

 

Inquiry- a way for guests to ask questions without committing to a booking. Because even if you pre-approve, the guest has to take another step to actually book.

 

Inquiry choices- Pre-approve, Decline, or just answer.

The reason  you are being advised to just answer (No, Go away scammer, I wasn't born yesterday) and report, is because answering fulfills your response requirement, while declining hurts your acceptance rate, something you have already experienced.

 

Requests- options are Accept or Decline. You can message with guests before doing that, but it doesn't count as a response- to fulfill the response requirement, you must either accept or decline within 24 hours, unless the guest withdraws the request before then.

When you accept a request, the guest does nothing further to book- Airbnb immediately charges them for the booking.

 

Clear?

 

 

I just got this on VRBO and told them they are welcome to use their credit card and be reimbursed by their company, but I will not accept money or open any PDFs sent to me.

It's a scam that's be going around for years.  DO NOT OPEN THE PDF, it can contain computer viruses which can encrypt all of the files on your computer.   If you want to know more about the Airbnb/VRBO scams take a look on YouTube, search for Pleasant Green channel.  Scammer are using Airbnb properties in their scams.