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

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

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? 

1 Best Answer

at least you are wise enough to follow your gut instinct. if it walks like a duck,, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, the probability is that is a duck..  you are correct in  the assumption that is a scam.. it is..all around the mountain... it appears that these scam arists seem to have chosen spain as ground zero for these fradulent activities.. don't waste your time or money dealing with this person,,

find yourself a reputable agency with verifiable information not unless you like sending your money to unknown persons with unknown accounts.. i was almost victim of this okey doke, but saw at the last minute, after things just didnt jive nor was verifiable that i was being hoodwinked..

 

nope not a victim here...

 

rosemary

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I just found an advertisement for an apartment rental. It was a lovely apartment and I was shocked at the amazing rental price. The woman identified herself as Irma would.

I just found an advertisement for an apartment rental. It was a lovely apartment and I was shocked at the amazing rental price. The woman identified herself as Irma Wood. She said she was renting the unit because her daughter only used it for school and moved back to Utah. After telling her about myself and what I was looking for she stated she would rent me the “flat“ which automatically single to me she was from another country. She then told me that since she was in Utah I would need to go through Airbnb and went on to say what a trusted site it is. Another poster in this discussion use the same language when talking about the email she received regarding proceeding with the rental. This is obviously a scammer. I should’ve remembered if it looks too good sounds too good it is too good. I’m trying to find out where to report this. The rental unit was on craigslist. It really is detestable. I am trying to find a place to report this to Airbnb but I see no options anywhere on their website. I will try to attach her email to me.

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Reporting it to Airbnb is pointless. It isn't their listing, it's just some scammer who creates a fake look-alike Airbnb ad. So there isn't anything Airbnb can do about it. It would be like someone taking photos of your house, listing it for rent on Craigslist, then when someone who answered the ad suspected it was a scam, expecting that you could do something about the scammers.

 

And of course these scammers aren't using their real names and the email addresses will be deleted as soon as the scammer knows you're wise to them, or some unsuspecting mark sends them money.

 

Where to report it is to Craigslist, and also to the cybercrime/fraud division of the police. But screen shot the ad before reporting it, because it will likely disappear.

@Margaret970 

Thank you! My phone just gave me an alert that it was a scam number. I did take the screenshots and I will report it. Such horrible excuses for human beings. I am so sorry for anyone who has lost money to these beasts. Hopefully we can help others not get taken. I should’ve remembered my own words of wisdom… If it looks too good sounds too good to be true it usually is good to be true.

Hi guys, i just got scammed by an ''eva budniak'' of 1,288 euros. They advertised an apartment in portugal. Gosh hwhyyyyy! i only just realized.. 

Olá, passei por isso em Portugal.Como o dinheiro não foi depositado em Portugal, o país que recebeu o dinheiro que deverá descobrir onde os golpistas estão.  E eles nao o fazem, mesmo todos estando na União Européia. 

Passei por isso em 2017. Abri processo é nao deu em nada. No meu caso, depositei o dinheiro para Itália.  

Não se preocupe, os portugueses falam inglês em sua maioria.

Boa sorte!

Ola, o banco e de Madrid 😞

 

Enviei o dinheiro para um banco em Madrid e não em Portugal :(. Consegiste receber o teu dinheiro de volta?

 

Hi guys, i just got scammed by an ''eva budniak'' of 1,288 euros. They advertised an apartment in portugal. Gosh hwhyyyyy! i only just realized.. I will need to report this: https://lisbon.craigslist.org/apa/d/charming-one-bedroom-apartment-for-rent/7184562397.html

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Iris483 If you paid in the EU by credit card you might (MIGHT) be able to claim the money back from them. Worth a try at least.

I paid usin g revolut, but their asking me to contact the police and file a police report before they are able to help. But my portuguese is not good at all... what a situation to be in...

@Iris483 I don't know what country you are in but as its a scam the 'host' may well not even be in Portugal. Perhaps you could report to your local police (if that is not Portugal)

Yes the host is not in portugal at all. Shes in germany and was renting an apartment the so called apartment in portugal. the issue is im not from portugal and dont speak portuguese, im from italy.. and i would need to contact portuguese police..

 

can i contact italian police, do you think theyd help?

@Iris483 Assuming you were in Italy when you booked then I would report to the Italian police. The worst that can happen is they say they can't help you .

@Iris483  The host isn't in Germany (and they aren't a host). Everything these scammers tell you is false. They could be in Russia, or South Africa. Their names are false, their ID is false, the entire story they tell you is false, and the place they are supposedly renting isn't where they say it is, and doesn't belong to them- they get the photos off real estate ads other sites.

You are completely right, they probably used the identification of their previous victims. And I reported the issue to the Portuguese Police, they are highly unlikely to do anything about it. Do you know anywhere else i can report this rental scam?. They also got a copy of my Passport.. great..

Naemi3
Level 2
Lisbon, Portugal

Heyy guys, i need your help or advic!

got scammed from an apparently spanish woman renting an apartment in Lisbon.

Seemed friendly first and sent ID, how did you guys process your personal data and ID copy?  Any experience what happened ?

Hope really they don't use my name to scam other poor people..

 

There HAS to be a way to get these people!!! unbelievable !!!