Rental scam using Airbnb? How should I go forward, if at all?

[Elizabeth103]

I have been trying to find an apartment and found a listing on a popular rental website (not Airbnb). We started e-mailing, and the owner told me that he lives in Spain and will be using Airbnb's services for payment. It didn't seem strange until this last email. What bothers me about this is that it doesn't seem to follow any of Airbnb's practices. It also threw up other rental scam red flags, such as the fact that he wants me to pay before seeing the property, he's asking for my personal information outside the Airbnb platform, and the place doesn't come up on the Airbnb search list. Here is the portion of the most recent e-mail that I find odd, copy/pasted, edited for clarity:

"If you decide to proceed with this transaction, I will need your phone number along with your full name and address where you can be contacted for the keys and the rental contract. Then I will start the process through Airbnb here in Spain, providing them your information. Next you will receive a notification message from them, containing a receipt with all the instructions that you need to follow in order to complete the process and receive the keys and the rental contract.
Regarding the payment, you will get all the necessarily [sic] instructions on the invoice, so you can deposit the money for the first month along with the warranty, into an escrow bank account from AIRBNB. They will hold and insure your money until you check the apartment and decide if you want to rent it or not.
As soon as you will complete the deposit of $1,100 + $1,100 = $2,200 into their bank account, an agent from Airbnb will meet and show you the property. You will be given one day inspection period to take a decision and [in case you are not satisfied with the apartment], next day the total amount will be refunded to you by Airbnb. If you'll like the flat then you can keep the keys, sign the contract, and we will fix a date for the monthly payment, that it has to be done by you directly to my personal bank account."

There's a lot about the whole exchance that seems quite.... off. The more I think about it, the stranger it sounds. There is nothing on Airbnb about "escrow accounts," etc. It just smells terribly fishy, and I want to make certain that my eagerness and need for a place to go doesn't get me ensnared into some scammer's net. 

So, what are your thoughts on this? 

[Daniela1673]

Hi everyone, 

I'm very greatful I found this thread as I was about to get scammed in a similar way. The guy's name is Ralph van Dooren and he's supposedly renting out an apartment in De Pijp in Amsterdam (the place was listed on another housing website). He asked to rent for one trial month through airbnb, because he's located in Sweden! His emails were really elaborate and he sent his ID - I still felt a bit uncertain and asked for a call. We chatted for a bit and he was very kind and replied to all my questions. When he then sent me the BnB link to the apartment via email, it all felt a bit suspicous. When then only bank transfer was possible (to a bank in Spain), I contacted BnB and they checked the link and the reservation code for me. It turns out it was all fake! So professional!! I still can't believe I talked to him on the phone! This is all so creepy! I hope this is helpful to anyone in a similar situation. Get your reservation code checked if you feel there is something weird!! 

[Sarah977]

@Daniela1673  Good that you were suspicious and didn't get scammed. 

One thing you should be aware of- there is no good reason why a real Airbnb host would advertise on another housing website and then tell you they want to use Airbnb for the first month of a year-long booking. A legitimate landlord would simply make all the arrangements with prospective renters themselves- they would ask for ID, work history, current employment, references and then decide which applicants were the best choice and sign a lease with the tenant.

An Airbb host might advertise on another website, just to broaden their exposure, but in that case, they would just direct you to their Airbnb listing, not send you long emails, ask for your personal info, tell you their life story, or any of that.

And it really doesn't matter what name these scammers use, because it isn't their real name- it is stolen or fake ID and they won't use that name for long- as soon as someone gets hip to their scam, they delete all those ads and start over with another false name.

[Alan218]

valeriegaletas@hotmail.com

JUST SENT ME THE SCAM:

Gracias por la información. Quiero decirle que si está listo para continuar con esta transacción, le informaré sobre cómo funciona este servicio.

-Haré los documentos de entrega con Airbnb.

-Después de hacer los arreglos, se requerirá para su confirmación de pago el primer mes y la fianza (1360€). Airbnb le enviará una factura de pago para informarle que tiene las llaves y los documentos bajo su custodia.

-Después de confirmar el pago, comenzarán el proceso de entrega.

-Una vez que reciba las llaves, tendrá un período de inspección de 2 días antes de su decisión final.

-Si no le gusta el piso por algún motivo, Airbnb le devolverá el importe total (1360€) ya mi me devolverá el paquete con las llaves.

-Si todo está en orden, instruirá a Airbnb para que me dé el dinero.

Si está de acuerdo entonces necesita enviarme los siguentes datos para poder hacer todos los arreglos con Airbnb:

-Su nombre

-Dirección

-Numero de movil

Estoy esperando su respuesta, gracias.

Un saludo

[Alan218]

her fake listing https://airbnb.reserva-piso.com/1/listing/41/view-w30ayufz/ee8V4TBCGA#host-profile 

[Alan218]

SAME thing just happened to me with this fake one https://airbnb.reserva-piso.com/1/listing/41/view-w30ayufz/ee8V4TBCGA#host-profile 

[Barbara2263]

Hi Daniele!

I just got scammed by this same person. I was very dumb, and I transferred the money to him. I’ve just found out today, that this was all a scam, and now I’m in Amsterdam without any money because of this **bleep**head. Can you please send me the phone number which he gave you? I now there is almost zero chance that not a fake phone as well, but maybe it will help the police in the investigation. Thank you very

[Andrew2029]

this happened to me as well!! any information on what to do/get my money back would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you!

[Sarah977]

@Andrew2029  Unfortunately there is likely no way to get your money back other than talking to your bank or credit card company and seeing if they can reverse the charges or stop payment. You would talk to their fraud division. Also report to the police.

It's just like people who fall for the Nigerian prince scams where you just send them some money to process the million dollars they are going to send you.

[Vj6]

Just got into another situation like this with a 'too good to be true' house in London.

Watch out for someone called Aaron Aj Lodge in facebook marketplace.

He is the main contact and then said that I should send an email to Mulla Mariam <ddn54@yahoo.com>. Of course from there the AirBnb story starts.
Didn't had time to play more with these scammers but thought good to post the few details I had about them here. Cheers.

[Chantelle34]

@Elizabeth103 Just experienced the same thing as you, the scammer even emailed me a link to an Airbnb website but it looks fake, it mimics the Airbnb website almost perfectly, where do I report this?

The link looked like https://airbnb.comlocation-rooms...etc.
Mine was for an apartment in Paris, the name was Jose Antonio Diez Gomez and the email was antonio@adg-arq.com.

[Sarah977]

@Chantelle34  Report it to the site where you originally saw the ad and to the police fraud division. That URL isn't an Airbnb URL.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Chantelle34 I would try sending the link to Airbnb Customer Support FAO Trust and Safety team but I fear that they can't do much unless they have links to local law enforcement.

At the end of the day we all just need to keep publicising these scams and, if no one gets suckered in they will eventually go away.

[Jane3758]

My daughter just paid 3,900€ to the scammer,  she's a 20 year old student who worked and saved all summer to pay for this Uni apartment....very sad.

[Václav3]

I've encountered another one. Listed on a popular Czech site and the offer disappeared right after we started messaging. He used WeTransfer to send me a link in a text file. He also "lives" abroad, flat is a part of a heritage, and his daughter lived there during studies..blah, blah, blah... And the flat was very under the market price.

Screenshots of the website:

[Edouard94]

Same here jose antonio again

antonio@adg-arq.com

 I found it on seloger.com. Thanks for letting me know!!!