Scam alert! How can I make sure a listing is real?

[Kim207]

This will be my first time using Airbnb so I'm a bit weary about listings being fake.

What can I do to make sure a listing is real and not a scam?

What should I be looking out for?

Thanks

[Olivier906]

@Huong167 is posting a fake link possibly with virus. don't click

[April386]

Spacious Beach Dreams-Gulf Coast Getaways view - Houses for Rent in Pensacola Beach, Florida, United...

we are new to airbnb looking for a family vacation next year.  Saw the place above but it doesn't have any reviews.  How do you know if it is legit?

[Helen2464]

Can folks let me know why they think of this post? https://abnb.me/mn92XQoyZib Just one review and that reviewer has only reviewed once. 

[Sarah977]

@Helen2464  Why do you have doubts? It looks legit to me. And I don't understand your comment about the reviewer. So  what if he's only reviewed once? Was the first review you left for a host sketchy or not to be believed because it was your first Airbnb booking?

[Amy2068]

So, I found these two listings but seem far too good to be true by the same person. $111 a night, ones in the ritz residence and one is in the four seasons. Surely they must be fake?:

https://abnb.me/MDXWyAX57ib
https://abnb.me/Pfffb7257ib

[Juridia0]

https://abnb.me/fF3pR6nLyjb

 Does that Listing look fake to you guys ? It’s new with no reviews . But the price isn’t dramatically low either . 

[Sarah977]

@Juridia0  I don't know if it's "fake" or not, but I wouldn't take a chance on it. The host hasn't bothered to write up any description at all- there's no indication as to  whether it's a condo in a complex, a private property, or what. And "1022 Group"" sounds like a property management company, yet they only have 1 listing?  

Throwing up a listing without  bothering to describe to potential guests anything about the place is sketchy, or an indication the host has no idea what they're doing, which doesn't bode well.

[Brian2036]

@Juridia0 

I would guess that it’s a condo, maybe a time-share.

It is odd that they don’t have a whole list of them available though if it’s being offered by a management company.

You could try messaging the host and asking what kind of apartment it is.

If they suggest that you could pay cash on arrival you can figure that they’re up to something fishy.

[Uta305]

https://abnb.me/bB1rlyfEgkb

I'm wondering if I can trust this listing. I normally check reviews before booking, but this has none. (Or maybe has 1 today, but from the same city, doesn't seem that genuine.) For the price, it is about average in the area, for the quality it's on the cheaper side but not extreme. Searched for the images in Google, but couldn't find any match that would indicate the photos are stolen. The profile was just created a month ago. It's "verified", but I am not exactly sure what that means. Can I trust it? 

I am looking for a 1-month rental so I am a bit worried. What does Airbnb do if we turn up and there is no apartment or it is completely different? Do they take care of our accommodation in such case? Are they easy to reach? 

Thank you for your insights. 

U. 

[Graham404]

Link is.. https://tinyurl.com/25c4a5rv

It's almost half price, no reviews
& Response rate: 40% / Response time: a few days or more.

What do you think? Legit or not?

G.

[Sarah977]

@Graham404  That is not an Airbnb URL.

[Graham404]

No it's a tinyurl but the airbnb url is very long. tiny url just makes things a bit neater. Try clicking on the link and it should take you to the airbnb listing I'm asking about.

G.

[Sarah977]

@Graham404  I'm not sure what you mean by the Airbnb url being "very long"- it's not much longer than what you posted, but whatever.

This is  a new listing with no reviews yet. Response rate of 40% is terrible, as is "a few days or more"- you certainly don't want to deal with a host who doesn't respond in a timely fashion.

But since the listing is new, the host may not have understood how to respond, or may have missed seeing a request or inquiry, because she wasn't receiving alerts (there are a lot of tech glitches with Airbnb). If she missed responding to just one message out of 10, that would drag her response rate down, but may not be indicative of her usual response times. 

Whenever you have doubt about an Airbnb listing, just send an Inquiry message to the host (using the Contact Host button in the listing). That doesn't commit you in any way, and you can ask any questions you might have, such as about the low response rate. You might find the host responds quite quickly and sets your mind at ease. If she doesn't, that would be a red flag and I'd pass on that listing.

[Graham404]

Thanks Sarah, you've provided some great info. I'll try contacting her. G.

[Piangkwan0]

Hi guy, I was wondering if this link is the real website ?

Could you please help me to figure it out?

https://airbnb-rooms.762352764uk892323.xyz/rooms/template.php?kode=SP892QY873&ukode=18196483

Thanks so much 🙂