Phone Support - User Verification needs improvement

[Ken28]

Last night, due to extenuating circumstances, my home became inhabitable and I needed to relocate my two guests ASAP.

When I got on the line with Airbnb, I was asked to verify my name, phone number, and email address. No problem.

Then, I was asked for digits of my bank account.

I refused to provide that, and the agent and I went back and forth for probably 30 minutes; the agent assuring me that she was indeed Airbnb, and that she could not provide any support without those numbers; I kept telling her that she didn't need my bank account information, and that's a gross breach in security - asking users for that information.

I tried as hard as I could to find some way for her to prove to me that she was in fact Airbnb. To elevate me to another support rep. To transfer me to someone else. Nothing worked. I threatened to leave Airbnb altogether, and she was ready to assist.

I said -- "I'll give you the last 4 digits of my bank account if you'll give me the first four digits", hoping to verify that she had my acount information pulled up and clarify which bank account she was referring to. She said she couldn't do that. 

Eventually, I gave up. Gave her the numbers of all my bank accounts until we got to the one she needed. Why? Because I had been in the same room as my guest the entire call, on speakerphone. (He didn't blame me at all - he thought that it was a poor practice as well.) But I needed to get him somewhere else to stay, and the ONLY way to do that was to cancel the booking. And the only way to cancel was to call support and give my bank digits over the phone to a complete stranger.

I would like to FORMALLY request and IMPLORE Airbnb to find another way to verify user's identity. Set up security questions or get background-check type questions. Something other than asking for financially vulnerable information over an insecure 800 number.

I'll have another post regarding the poor experience with the cancellation process.

[CarlandDiane0]

Honestly, giving Airbnb the last four digits of a bank account or credit card number isn't what I'd consider a huge violation of personal privacy. The last four digits of virtually every account number appear on statements and receipts all day, every day. That alone is not sensitive information.

I understand your frustration, but I for one am glad they ask for that piece of verification.  (BTW, you can find your last four digits in your profile under Account Settings/Payout Preferences, so next time you don't need to roll through all your accounts until you stumble on the right one.)

I'm not suggesting Airbnb processes are perfect -- oh, they're far from it -- but this one isn't a biggee in my book. Though perhaps I'm missing something....

[Amy38]

You would be less annoyed if it had been a vengeful ex-lover messing with your account.

[Ken28]

I will ALWAYS be annoyed with someone requesting financial account information over an insecure line of communications.

I don't at all mind, and welcome good security measures. Asking for banking information is not a good one.

Ask for something else to verify my identity. Google and Apple use two-step verification, requiring you to provide a code sent to a device. Banks use 'code words' to secure your account... wouldn't that be a simple option to implement?

[Lois-and-Darryl0]

@Ken28:  As part of the caller verification process, Airbnb asks me in what format I receive my payments.  Since I use PayPal, that's all I have to say.  Also, giving someone the last 4 digits of a bank account number would not give them anything of value, unless they had the rest of the number.  If this is a concern to you, I suggest you look into utilizing PayPal.  I'd already been with PayPal for years and trusted their platform, when I joined Airbnb.  It's pretty innocuous.  i.e., Airbnb rep:  "How do you receive your payments?"  "PayPal."  That's it.  Good luck!  Lois

[Marie82]

I called ABB all the time and they always ask for the 4 last digit

i dont  mind at all as with the last 4digit no one can retrieve ur account nbre unless they have more info

I guess it is a secure move from ABB to make sure they are talking to the correct host

we want them to be secure so we cannot blame them if they are taking such a measure

[Timo27]

The questions they ask are way to simplistic.

For Example throughout the Midwest many people still use their checking account with checks.  A typical purchase in small towns requires: phone number and ID.  If you have a mailing list that someone signs up for you have EVERYTHING trivially available to gain access via phone: Name, Birthday (from ID), Last 4 of check account (check in hand), and  email address.

It would be TRIVIAL to allow a phone-in password to be established and when someone gets hacked via the phone it seems only then they will change.