Airbnb asking guests for a bank statement

[John-And-Yvonne0]

Under what circumstances would Airbnb ask a potential guest for copies of their bank statements?   I've had two guest recently try to book and were met with the request...is it legit?

John

[Michelle13]

I've never had this happen as a guest and have never heard of the request from my own guests. I can't even imagine why it would be needed unless for a long term, super strict policy that's far in advance.

It doesn't seem legit but to be 100% go straight to the source. Either inquire with airbnb or tell your guest to click the flag message button and I assume there maybe a "scam" option or similar. 

[Dede0]

@John-And-Yvonne0 I wonder about a couple of things.

First, how sure are you that the guest was actually asked by AirBnB (from within AirBnB's "closed" communication system)?

Then, how sure are you that the guest's interpretation/description of the commuinication was accurate? (Might the guest have confused AirBnB's attempts to verify the payment method with questions about their bank statements?

Did either or both of those guests end up staying with you? I ask that because there's a remote possibility that the guest's story could have been the start at some scam against you.

Please follow up if you have mnore information or eventualy figure out what was going on.

[John-And-Yvonne0]

I'm pretty sure this was an attempt to get me to offer alternative payment options outside of Airbnb which would've been a scam.    I didnt offer and they did not push it and they never booked.   Thought it was odd that it happened twice in less than a week.   

[Marit-Anne0]

I believe airbnb has started asking for a screenshot of the credit card statement as part of the verification process.  There has been a few threads lately regarding the issue.

Hotels take your card details and ask for an id, so why should not airbnb do that for us ? 

[Thomas250]

I totaly disagree. If you book a hotel on line you give out you CC info. Card number, expiration date, maybe the 3 letter code on the back and the address assioated with the card your are using. Then when you show up on location, they ask for the card and an Id. This not what is being ask from AIRB&B. Instead, they want you do drop a downloaded copy of your creditcard statement into the programing. Only a fool would do this especial if your on the road using unscure wifi. I suggest AIRB&B use the same system the rest of the globe uses. I have no problem showing my host the cc and a id either DL or a passport when I show up at there door. It really is that simple.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Thomas250

airbnb does the payment transactions for us so I suppose they need a method to avoid fraudulent transactions.  

As hosts do not handle the payment bit, showing the cc to a host would be of no use to anyone.  

Showing your ID to the host can be useful to establish that the one on the booking correspond with the ID.  There is also the option for hosts to require government ID uploaded for accepting instant book transactions.  

[Ingrid197]

Happened to me today! And I was informed O have to wait up to 24 hrs before being verified or before I know my booking went through- which is in 2 days!!

i am nauseated by this tidious and unreasonable, inefficient process. 

WHO reviews?

WHO stores, has access,

WHO verifies it was deleted

[Rosemary19]

Sounds very strange. I have not heard of that happening, unless it counts as a form of identification?

[Vila1]

I'm new to Airbnb during my first attempt to booking it ask my for my credit card statement for verification. I thought it was very strang so I told my spouse to try to book a different place and he also got the same request from Airbnb for his cc statement

[Pierre133]

AIRBNB WILL LOSE MANY CLIENTS WITH THIS VERIFICATION METHOD. IT SIMPLY FORCE NEW AND CURRENT MEMBERS NOT TO USE AIRBNB TO BOOK. VERY DISAPOINTING!

[Mark-Jonathan0]

That's correct! I've been trying to book for a room lately amd they keep on asking me about my billing statement. I don't know what to show them since I am using a reloadable card from my bank.

[Katherine78]

Hi, It just happened to us as well. We have submitted the document. Do you remember how long it took for them to verify? Did it take the entire 24 hours? 

[Cathy177]

This will take days and days,... I have booked several properties with Airbnb and only now have been asked to submit a bank statement,... I'm still waiting days later,... I'm booking a hotel instead as I cannot wait any more,.. it is ridiculous,.. why suddenly ask for verification when several bookings have been made in the past with no problem? 

[Angelique-And-Paul0]

This is happening to me now- I have used the same cc for like 10 past bookings. But my CC company takes so long to post the verification amounts that airbnb pulls them back before they will even post to my card, so this is not even working. How am I supposed to book using my normal card at this point? not to mention that it feels really sheisty, since I've never had an issue using this CC before!