Scam-Airbnb Escrow Account

Hazhin0 · ‎08-05-2017

SCAM--Airbnb Escrow Account

I am looking for flat in Prague for long term stay and some days ago I found a flat and emailed the owner, after two emails she (I am not sure about he/she!) told me that she really likes me and I seems like a resposible person! (I only send her two email) and If want to finalize the process I need to sned deposite+rent to Airbnb and Airbnb would send me the keys and... You can find her whole email below:

Hi there,
    Thank you for your prompt response and for your kind email. If you are still interested I agree to rent it to you. I promise you that you will love the place. You seem to be a nice person and I can assure you we will not have any problems. I prefer to rent my flat cheaper but to a nice and responsible person.
    Obviously you will have to see the apartment before discussing further details because you cannot rent an apartment that you haven't seen. I am willing to send you the keys so you can visit it and see it suits your needs.
    The delivery for the keys (apartment keys, interphone, alarm) and viewing permit (signed by me), will be made through an authorized courier and using a Airbnb Escrow Account ( www.airbnb.com/trust ) to make sure that we can trust each other.
    Using Airbnb escrow account involves three parties: me as owner, you as a potential tenant and Airbnb as a responsible third party authorized to proper conduct of the transaction.
    Here is the procedure explained :
    The Escrow Account Airbnb works the same way as the escrow account on which you place the deposit when you rent an apartment, except that instead of a bank, we use Airbnb. Of course, nobody can touch that money until you have not returned the keys.
    The escrow deposit, the first month rent + rental guarantee ( 5700 +5700 = 11400 CZK), must be filed by bank transfer to activate the escrow account.
    The delivery will be by a licensed company such as DHL, Federal Express or UPS and it will be sent by Airbnb at your home.
    To initiate the process, I need the following information about you:
-Shipping Address (address where you want the package to be delivered) and name of recipient;
-Delivery Schedule (local time you'll be at home to receive the package and sign the receipt);
-Phone number;
     You don't need to open an account with Airbnb because this transaction is a rental and the Landlord must open the transaction, just send me your personal details and i will open a case with them immediately.
    Then Airbnb sends you the keys and the contract already filled with your details; You will have 14 days to inspect apartment since the arrival date; If you want to keep the apartment, they give me the money, and we go on from there; If you do not keep the apartment, you send the keys/contract back to Airbnb and you get your money back.
    This will be in writing in the Airbnb contract I will sign.
    The Airbnb fees will be paid by me when I will initiate the procedure, you will have to pay for the money transfer fees when you pay the deposit.
    I'll wait your quick reply and if you agree, I will need your full name, shipping address and your phone number (mobile if possible) so I can initiate the Airbnb rental transaction.
Thanks again for your time and look forward to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,

I search for Airbnb Escrow Account and furtunatly I found a very similar case in 2016:
https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Community-Help/Rental-scam-using-Airbnb-How-should-I-go-forward-...

If you read comments you can find alot of similar exaples. These stupid scammers use same format for wiring their email and you can read stuff like:
I am away and Airbnb Agent or service would bring you the key.

You should pay first and after you can visit the
Please be careful and do not be fulled by these thieves and scammers.

Linda108 · ‎09-05-2017

@Hazhin0 Looks like a scam to me. If there is an Air BNB profile, click on the flag under the profile name and report to Air BNB.

Lucia274 · ‎25-08-2017

Hi there,

Same thing just happened to me. I emailed about an apartment and receieved this email back:

Hi there,
    Thank you for your prompt response and for your kind email. If you are still interested I agree to rent it to you. I promise you that you will love the place. You seem to be a nice person and I can assure you we will not have any problems. I prefer to rent my flat cheaper but to a nice and responsible person.
    Obviously you will have to see the apartment before discussing further details because you cannot rent an apartment that you haven't seen. I am willing to send you the keys so you can visit it and see it suits your needs.
    The delivery for the keys (apartment keys, interphone, alarm) and viewing permit (signed by me), will be made through an authorized courier and using a Airbnb Escrow Account ( www.airbnb.com/trust ) to make sure that we can trust each other.
    Using Airbnb escrow account involves three parties: me as owner, you as a potential tenant and Airbnb as a responsible third party authorized to proper conduct of the transaction.
    Here is the procedure explained :
    The Escrow Account Airbnb works the same way as the escrow account on which you place the deposit when you rent an apartment, except that instead of a bank, we use Airbnb. Of course, nobody can touch that money until you have not returned the keys.
    The escrow deposit, the first month rent + rental guarantee (1450 +1450 = 2900 PLN), must be filed by bank transfer to activate the escrow account.
    The delivery will be by a licensed company such as DHL, Federal Express or UPS and it will be sent by Airbnb at your home.
    To initiate the process, I need the following information about you:
-Shipping Address (address where you want the package to be delivered) and name of recipient;
-Delivery Schedule (local time you'll be at home to receive the package and sign the receipt);
-Phone number;
     You don't need to open an account with Airbnb because this transaction is a rental and the Landlord must open the transaction, just send me your personal details and i will open a case with them immediately.
    Then Airbnb sends you the keys and the contract already filled with your details; You will have 14 days to inspect apartment since the arrival date; If you want to keep the apartment, they give me the money, and we go on from there; If you do not keep the apartment, you send the keys/contract back to Airbnb and you get your money back.
    This will be in writing in the Airbnb contract I will sign.
    The Airbnb fees will be paid by me when I will initiate the procedure, you will have to pay for the money transfer fees when you pay the deposit.
    I'll wait your quick reply and if you agree, I will need your full name, shipping address and your phone number (mobile if possible) so I can initiate the Airbnb rental transaction.
Thanks again for your time and look forward to hear from you soon.
Sincerely

The person went by the name of Patrcicia. She emailed me before this saying she was from London and worked at the same university that I went to. After reading this email I googled my own name and my Linked in profile came up. I then realised that all of that information about me was on my linked in profile. I assume this hacker had googled me and sent an email with this information in order to gain my trust and make this person out to be a person that I would want to do business with.

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS IF YOU RECEIVE SOMETHING OF A SIMILAR NATURE.

Aleksandra38 · ‎11-09-2017

I received exactly the same message, also the person claims to live in London, however since I am not in Prague either, she said that she would send me the keys via post after I pay the deposit. I was suspisious from the very beginning as the flat is too nice for the price, but now I am sure it's a fraud.

Giu0 · ‎20-09-2017

Same happened to me as I was looking for a place in Prague.

Same words from the London lady.

1ST red flag: she is not physically in the city

2nd red flag: the price is too suspiciously cheap

3rd red flag: key delivered by post

4th red flag: misuse of English words / bad grammar

5th red flag: set up of escrow account

6th red flag: Not real photos but renders.

Please Airbnb, help avoid these kinds of scams!

Cormac0 · ‎04-12-2017

@Giu0

there's so many red flags, you almost say that its bunting.

Gosia5 · ‎06-02-2018

Thank you for sharing this. Got the same message today concerning Gdynia. It's a fraud. Is there an option to call police or Airbnb could have an official statement?

Linda108 · ‎21-09-2017

@Hazhin0, @Giu0, @Aleksandra38, @Lucia274. If I am understanding this particular scam, the listing is found somewhere other than Air BNB and then the "host" has a bogus "escrow" account along with bogus Air BNB procedures. I am not sure what Air BNB can do other than have this forum that tries to help potential guests realize this is a scam.

Kalina6 · ‎13-11-2017

--SCAM --

Hello All,

Same happen to me today. I received exactly the same email from Ann Bayley.

I have found and ad about renting a flat in Tricity (Gdynia) in Poland on external portal (Olx or otodom.pl - it dissappear now)

and started a conversation with Ann who lives in London but have a flat to rent in Gdynia she inherited after grandmother.

After my email with info got this message asking to pay deposit and 1st month rent in order to start the process.

Keys would be sent by courier like UPS etc. The person reffered to Airbnb functionality which doesnt exist.

IT'S A SCAM!!! Watch out! Airbnb should announce some official statement to protect other users.

Pierre261 · ‎14-11-2017

Thank you very much men, the same thing just happened to me right now.

Thanks to you I am sure it's a scam although I already had big doubts, I received exactly the same mail words by words.

Good job

Robert648 · ‎14-11-2017

Hello all,

I knew that something was wrong with this offer and thanks to you I have a hundred percent certain that it is SCAM.

Exactly the same thing happend to me right now in Wroclaw, Poland.

A person also named Anna Bailey and have the same format of the response.

The first email looks like this:

"Hello,

Please email me only in English because I has born and raise in UK, I DON'T speak Polish.

My name is Anna Bailey and I just got an e-mail regarding your interest in my apartment located in ul. Ksiecia Witolda,Wroclaw, Centrum

I am looking for someone to rent my flat inherited from my grand-mother. I am the single owner, the apartment is fully paid and there is no legal problem. The apartment is unoccupied since I no longer live there.

I want to rent my apartment to some nice and responsible persons, so I would like to know more details about yourself : How old are you, if you are married, if you have a pet, if you have a car, occupation, for how long you want to rent my apartment etc..

In addition to the rest, here is some information about myself and about the apartment, so we get to know a little more:

The apartment is exactly like in the pictures, very clean and equipped with everything you need, has been recently renovated.

The rent per month is 1060 PLN with All Utilities Included (water, electricity, internet, cable ).

About me, I am 47 years old and I am a researcher in pharmaceutical products, currently living in London, my home town. I'm in London, United Kingdom but I already though at a solution so you can get the keys and visit the apartment to make an impression.

Here are more pictures: https://imgur.com/a/ML5uv"

The second was like you have.

Thank you for your vigilance!

Beata18 · ‎27-11-2017

Same here. She/ He uploded offer on popular website for looking for rent place, in Polish, giving email adress on polish website. Then the offer disaappeared, she mailed me from another adress saying she can't speak polish and is living in London, give some informations about her, asking about mine...the next mail was almost word by word like the ones other people gave here. It's not coincidence, we should spread it's a scam.

Kateřina3 · ‎27-11-2017

Thank you very much for this, because exactly the same happened to me just now and thanks to this post I know it´s a scam. They went by a name Julia Bertens. I´m gonna inform the website they used for the advert.

Konstancja0 · ‎04-12-2017

Yes, same thing happened to me in Cracow today, lady from UK, [Hidden], wrote to me excatly same e-mail.

Thnanks for this information you shared!

Petra180 · ‎08-01-2018

První email (First email) -

Hello,

Please email me only in English because I has born and raise in UK, I DON'T speak Czech.

My name is Clarissa **** and I just got an e-mail regarding your interest in my apartment located in [personal information hidden]

I am looking for someone to rent my flat inherited from my grand-mother. I am the single owner, the apartment is fully paid and there is no legal problem. The apartment is unoccupied since I no longer live there.

I want to rent my apartment to some nice and responsible persons, so I would like to know more details about yourself : How old are you, if you are married, if you have a pet, if you have a car, occupation, for how long you want to rent my apartment etc..

In addition to the rest, here is some information about myself and about the apartment, so we get to know a little more:

The apartment is exactly like in the pictures, very clean and equipped with everything you need, has been recently renovated.

The rent per month is 5900 CZK with All Utilities Included (water, electricity, internet, cable ).

About me, I am 47 years old and I am a researcher in pharmaceutical products, currently living in London, my home town. I'm in London, United Kingdom but I already though at a solution so you can get the keys and visit the apartment to make an impression.

Here are more pictures: https://imgur.com/a/MBcrd

Thank you,

Clarissa ****

Druhý email - second email
Hi there,
    Thank you for your prompt response and for your kind email. If you are still interested I agree to rent it to you. I promise you that you will love the place. You seem to be a nice person and I can assure you we will not have any problems. I prefer to rent my flat cheaper but to a nice and responsible person.
    Obviously you will have to see the apartment before discussing further details because you cannot rent an apartment that you haven't seen. I am willing to send you the keys so you can visit it and see it suits your needs.
    The delivery for the keys (apartment keys, interphone, alarm) and viewing permit (signed by me), will be made through an authorized courier and using a Airbnb Escrow Account ( www.airbnb.com/trust ) to make sure that we can trust each other.
    Using Airbnb escrow account involves three parties: me as owner, you as a potential tenant and Airbnb as a responsible third party authorized to proper conduct of the transaction.
    Here is the procedure explained :
    The Escrow Account Airbnb works the same way as the escrow account on which you place the deposit when you rent an apartment, except that instead of a bank, we use Airbnb. Of course, nobody can touch that money until you have not returned the keys.
    The escrow deposit, the first month rent + rental guarantee (5900 +5900 =11800 CZK), must be filed by bank transfer to activate the escrow account.
    The delivery will be by a licensed company such as DHL, Federal Express or UPS and it will be sent by Airbnb at your home.
    To initiate the process, I need the following information about you:
-Shipping Address (address where you want the package to be delivered) and name of recipient;
-Delivery Schedule (local time you'll be at home to receive the package and sign the receipt);
-Phone number;
     You don't need to open an account with Airbnb because this transaction is a rental and the Landlord must open the transaction, just send me your personal details and i will open a case with them immediately.
    Then Airbnb sends you the keys and the contract already filled with your details; You will have 14 days to inspect apartment since the arrival date; If you want to keep the apartment, they give me the money, and we go on from there; If you do not keep the apartment, you send the keys/contract back to Airbnb and you get your money back.
    This will be in writing in the Airbnb contract I will sign.
    The Airbnb fees will be paid by me when I will initiate the procedure, you will have to pay for the money transfer fees when you pay the deposit.
    I'll wait your quick reply and if you agree, I will need your full name, shipping address and your phone number (mobile if possible) so I can initiate the Airbnb rental transaction.
Thanks again for your time and look forward to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,

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