Post Exposing "Host" With 97 Listings, Fake Profiles and False Reviews Deleted From CC. Why?

[Susan17]

On March 6th, a member called Bj, started a thread in the CC called "Superhoax Paradox", exposing a "host" in Montreal, called AJ, who has 97 listings - many of them riddled with false reviews from fake profiles. Bj clearly demonstrated how the host was using the false reviews to scam the system in several ways. For example, when any of his listings got a god-awful review, it would be immediately followed by several stellar reviews from some of the dodgy profiles, all of which also reviewed all his other crappy listings. Bj reported this to Airbnb, but was told it "doesn't violate Airbnb's T&Cs, and posted the screenshot of the response he received from Airbnb Support to prove it, along with links to AJ's profile, and several of the profiles posting the false reviews. 

Initially, the links to the profiles were deleted, and shortly afterwards, the entire thread disappeared too. Meanwhile, AJ's profile is still going strong today, with lots more false reviews from the same bogus profiles, and the vast majority of his listings at either 3.5 or 4 stars. (So much for being delisted for low ratings. Obviously, such punishments don't apply to the Pro's)

Yesterday, AJ hit the headlines, when he was featured as one of Canada's Top 5 Airbnb hosts, in a CBC investigative study, covering 32000 listings in 16 major cities, which uncovered huge "professional" operators and commercial entities, hiding behind fake profiles, posing as regular hosts. (Sonder, with thousands of listings in the US, Central and South America and Europe, and $135 million in funding behind them, is flying high at No 2 on the list)

"But while Airbnb promotes itself as a darling of the sharing economy, touting stays in real people's homes and relationships with personable hosts, its biggest players in Canada are actually — and often secretly — multimillion-dollar for-profit corporations, a CBC News data analysis found"

"Airbnb did not suggest that anyone CBC News spoke to was violating its terms of service"

This is not only happening in Canada. Nama any Airbnb market on earth and I'll show you a dozen similar instances in 5 minutes flat. This sh*t is destroying our cities and devastating our communities - your city, my city, every city on the planet. Airbnb is cynically using and exploiting its own "valued host community" as a Trojan Horse to hoodwink regulators and pave the way for the venture capitalists, investment bankers, foreign speculators, vulture funds and chancers, to slip in behind us, and stealthily take over all that lovely lucrative business that small traditional hosts have worked tirelessly to build up over the past decade. It's happening already, on an epic scale. And we're all too d*mn blind to see it. Or maybe just too dumb to care. 

[Mark5]

But doesn't a review come only after a paid stay? Doesn't AJ ( or whoever the fake Host is) have to receive a payment in order for his fake guest to leave a review?

[Sarah977]

@Mark5  Yes, that's true. But a host could simply offer the fake reviewer a price of $10/night, then reimburse them. So the guest pays $10, the host receives that $ and gives it back to the fake guest, plus the service fee. The host would only be out of pocket a buck or two in exchange for a glowing review. You have to think like a scammer 🙂

[Patricia55]

Aye @Sarah977 , that's what I was thinking too (do I have the makings of a good scammer? ;))

What a dirty business, isn't it? 😞  @Susan17 makes very convincing arguments.  Is there anything we hosts can do about this?  Ask the right question, en masse, for the next Q&A at least... anything else?

[Guy285]

I (unfortunately) booked a place with AJ back in March for this upcoming July.  That was before I read the hundreds of negative reviews, and the hundreds of robotic fake positive reviews for all his places (at the time that I booked it, the reviews for his place was all positive, and he was a super host).  Now his listings are all hidden and can’t even see what other guests are saying about it.  And he hasn’t written me back in two days.  Got a feeling I’m going to drive 8 hours to sleep in a crackhouse....

[Susan151]

@Guy285 You do have the option of calling AirBNB and asking them to consider finding you an alternative location based on these shenanigans. Certainly, that is what I would be doing. Having a safe and clean place to land after traveling is high on my list of priorities.

Good luck!

[Alon1]

@Guy285 

You can contact Airbnb to request Cancellation, citing the history you have become aware of.

[Aj87]

hey @Guy285 I was set to stay at his place this weekend and then stumbled on this. I noticed on his ads that he has numerous reviews (written the exact same way) from the same users.... I called Airbnb since I was scared that this was a scam and that the reviews were horrible. I pointed out to a few reviews from his other listings that claim there was bed bugs - As soon as customer service heard this, I had someone review my case and tell me that if a claim of bed bugs is made on a property, the owner must prove (with documentation) that the property is safe or else ALL of his listings are canceled. I had my refund within 2 hours and was able to book a different place last minute. I'm guessing he didn't want to go through the hassle of having to prove this so he told them to cancel it? Hope that helps - this guy is a real crook.

[Guy285]

I tried contacting them, and they won’t give me a refund because technically my place is still reserved.  His reviews are nightmarish (bloody sheets, 666 carved in the bathroom mirrors, etc).  I wish there was some way I could get the host to just cancel my booking and give me a refund.

[Shannon380]

Were you able to get a refund? We have a booking with him as well. And I’m very concerned 

[Susan17]

@Guy285  @Shannon380 

 This is exactly why the post warning about "AJ" and the shady ways in which  he was operating, should never have been deleted from the Community Centre - let alone, censored. 

You both are 100% entitled to receiva full refund. Absolutely. This guy is a complete chancer and an out-and-out con man. He should have been shut down and delisted by Airbnb way back in February, when Bj reported him - repeatedly -  and subsequently outed him here in the CC, as a warning to hosts and guests alike about the type of scams and rip-offs that are rife on the platform, and what we all need to be on the lookout for. Because ultimately, we all suffer the consequences of "hosts" like Aj. 

I read all his reviews too, @Guy285 - they were horrendous, for sure Sounded like he was renting out filthy run-down dumps, often not even the listings pictured, mostly to large groups of party animals, to do with as they wished for the weekend. It was obvious from many of the reviews that there were a lot of very irate neighbours harrassing his guests too, because they'd no doubt had all they could take of the constant disruption to their peace, and their lives.

You can bet your life the neighbours were reporting him to  Airbnb too, along with countless disgruntled guests. He deserved to be booted of the platform months ago - for multiple violations - but Airbnb chose to turn a blind eye, regardless how abysmal his reviews, or how shocking his standards. 97 listings will buy you that sort of forgiveness from Airbnb, evidently. 

You both have every right to get every last cent back from Airbnb for your reservations with AJ, and if the company had even an ounce of decency, they'd compensate you for your wasted time and energy too. It appears that AJs properties have finally been delisted, most likely due to the barrage of complaints and intense media scrutiny, following the CBC investigative report in May. 

It seems that Airbnb are failing their guests, every bit as much as they're failing their hosts. Not a very wise survival strategy. 

[Shannon380]

@susan17 @Guy285 

I have called and called and no one will do anything to help with this problem. The reviews don't matter and I have no way to get a  cancellation or a refund. I just have to go and take my chances with 11 people flying from all over the country. 

I am at a total lose as to how this is an acceptable practice or what I can do now.

[Susan17]

Sorry, @Shannon380, just saw your comment now. Have you taken your trip yet? Did you get anything sorted? There's no way Airbnb can force you to stay with a host they've delisted. If they refuse to cancel, and rehome your entire group  in suitable accommodation, you should get in touch with CBC, who conducted the original investigation. 

[Aj87]

hey @shannon421 I was set to stay at his place this weekend and then stumbled on this. I noticed on his ads that he has numerous reviews (written the exact same way) from the same users.... I called Airbnb since I was scared that this was a scam and at that the reviews were horrible. I pointed out to a few reviews from his other listings that claim there was bed bugs - As soon as customer service heard this, I had someone review my case and tell me that if a claim of bed bugs is made on a property, the owner must prove (with documentation) that the property is safe or else ALL of his listings are canceled. I had my refund within 2 hours and was able to book a different place last minute. Hope that helps - this guy is a real crook!

[Emilia42]

@Guy285 and @Shannon380 please report back and let us know how things go with your stay (if you weren't able to cancel.)

[Guy285]

Hi Emilia, I tried asking the host for a refund and to cancel my stay and he refused to offer me a refund (he did offer 75%, but I don't like throwing money away).  Airbnb also said I can't cancel because my place is still available and no part of the contract was violated.  I feel like contacting the CBC and asking them if they'd want to go see how bad the place is going to be with a camera crew.