Host asking for passport via email

[Jasmine228]

I am currently looking for an apartment to rent. The owner of a property has contacted me through email asking for my passport details. I understand that this is procedure in spain, but is it normal to ask via email. The owner said once i have given them their details they will give an offer through Airbnb?

This has happened twice with two different owners of properties so I am not sure it is normal or I am just unlucky and getting scammers lol.

Any help will be appreciated!

[Sarah977]

@Jasmine228  This sounds like a total scam and there are tons of them out there. Do not send any personal information, and cease interacting with this person. You apparently found this not on the official Airbnb site, but elsewhere, because legitimate Airbnb hosts communicate through Airbnb messaging and they wouldn't even ever get your personal email address and only get your phone number after a booking is confirmed. 

Do a search here for "Scam listing?" and you will find pages and pages of these scams to which many people have naively sent off money, never to hear from that scammer again.