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

[Sarah977]

@Piangkwan0  No, it's a scam. That isn't an Airbnb URL.

[Piangkwan0]

@Sarah977  Omg! I almost believe that is a real website. Thanks a lot, Sarah. You save my life❤️

[Sarah977]

@Piangkwan0  Yes, the scammers are very tech savvy and adept aat creating believable fakes. Your first clue is always the URL.

Read this so you don't fall for fakes:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/971/how-do-i-know-if-an-email-or-website-is-really-from-airbnb

[Fabi2818]

What do you think about this?

https://www.airbnb.de/rooms/4326498?source_impression_id=p3_1639647134_YNl7PaTe6BAWR0yh&guests=1&adu...

[Alison878]

Does this seem legit? I booked about a month  ago and the host still has never messaged me back after 3 messages. I’m supposed to check in tomorrow.
https://abnb.me/kSOlV4Tofmb

[Uta305]

I started to check reviews for you but then I remembered Airbnb deletes negative reviews anyways. Fingers crossed everything goes well for you. 

[Sarah977]

@Uta305  No, Airbnb doesn't delete negative reviews. It's extremely difficult to get a review removed- it has to be shown to violate Airbnb's review policy- which has to do with discriminatory or profane language, or the review talks about thingswhich are irrelevant to the listing or the host, like talking about how bad the traffic was to get to some event the guest travelled to.

If you spent some time reading through posts from hosts on the subject of reviews, you would know that Airbnb refuses to remove even reviews which are full of lies, which complain about the lack of something that was never offered in the first  place, and even refuses to remove revenge reviews from horrible guests who get booted out for throwing parties and trashing houses.

Please don't spread false rumors.

[Uta305]

It's not false rumors unfortunately. I know their policies very well and also how they bend it. But only if hosts ask for it. After I started doubting, I and my friends did some testing. We got to the conclusion that negative reviews always get removed whenever the host asks fof it, as the policy is treated very flexibly. I am very mindful of my language and helping other travelers, so this is why I even bother testing and sharing. Even safety issues are ignored. 

[Sarah977]

@Uta305   Regardless of any "tests" you did, and the anecdotal conclusions you drew from it, you are simply incorrect. It is extremely difficult for a host to get a review removed. A host can ask for thier own review, the one they wrote, to be removed, but getting a guesst's review  removed is almost impossible.

As I said, you only have to peruse a couple pages of these forums to read the reality.

[Uta305]

How much do you know about me, the text we conducted, or the circumstances that lead there?  Did you ask me? REALITY is, you didn't and probably don't even care. 

I do ask you, what is your story? What is your motivation behind telling I'm incorrect? 

People are afraid to leave a negative (=not 4 or 5 star review), I too overthink it, even though we shouldn't, especially not when concerns are more serious than whether there was a microwave or not. 

I will interact further on neutral terrain, this is certainly not it. Merry Christmas. 

[Sarah977]

@Uta305  My motivation is that while your test might have been anecdotally correct, it doesn't reflect the general reality. 

And I dislike reading posts which put forth notions that pit hosts against guests, or vice versa. It's an antagonistic viewpoint, when in fact, hosts need guests and guests need hosts, most guests are good and most hosts are good. It's a symbiotic relationship that requires both parties to be respectful and trustworthy to work. And the majority of the time it does.

And stating something as fact, when you aren't willing to share how you supposedly tested this, renders it without merit.

[Uta305]

I agree with that, most of my experiences have been positive as well. But that doesn't mean that I have to accept a biased practice the company enforces, it would benefit everybody to have trustful policies in place that protect both parties. This is currently not the case - I hope it will be changed, I did submit some recommendations. 

[Diamond35]

https://abnb.me/kc48IpGflmb Hey. I need help seeing if the home is legit to book. 

[Krizia5]

Hi! Me and my partner is looking for a flat to rent. This link was sent to me by the host. Can you verify this property if this is legit? Thank you for your help. 

https://airbnb-rooms.87236723934uk76522372.xyz/rooms/template.php?kode=SP365HD625&ukode=26284651

[Sarah977]

@Krizia5  That is not an Airbnb URL. It is a fake. This is a scam.