Allowing Anonymity leads to Crime

Kevin-s0
Level 10
Minamiashigara, Japan

Allowing Anonymity leads to Crime

I saw on Youtube a speech by the head of Airbnb promising to enforce the rule about having a proper profile picture.  We barely know anything about our guests.  I at least want a real photo and their full name.  In Asia where I am based, the lack of a proper profile picture is common place.  I report transgressors here and there, but frankly think Airbnb should be enforcing their own rules, as promised by the CEO.   Why has Airbnb allowed photos of cartoon characters, mountains, and even a paper bag as a profile picture  in the first place?

Here is the latest crime caused by anonymous Airbnb guests in Japan:

 

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003672442

 

I was robbed of MDs (mini CD disks that we have in Japan) by a guest.  Other items have gone missing too.  I feel if the rules that

Airbnb has promised were enforced, this would at least lessen.

8 Replies 8
Regina38
Level 10
Wilmington, DE

I agree. And when you wait for them to add a recognizable photo of the booking guest and for them ot verify ID if it is a reservation request your booking remains blocked. they are trying to force hosts to use instant book which I will not use. I havehad people request to book with them walking away from camera from far away, a picture of a child that was not reserving, a picture of tree limbs in the sky, no picture, no profile filled out, and no ID verified even though I request this in order to reserve. Now you have to police this yourself if you do not use instant book.

Airbnb is treating Instant book hosts better on every level even though it goes against the Shared economy premise and just turns your place into a hotel. Even hotels require ID  and full name to book a room.

Marie82
Level 10
New South Wales, Australia

For me pictures is not essential as i provide in many cases self check in options

but most important is the ID CHECK and i require that for each guests booking on Instant book

@Kevin-s0

Great post and thanks for the utube link... surely there is a simple software that can be employed at profile creation stage that is face recognition enabled.

 

@Marie82 I wanted to ask (although as you do not yourself have a human face for your profile pic it is obvious you don't see the need to comply or require...)

But how does asking for ID verification in advance work with self check-in?

would someone be able to make the booking and then another person actually checks in? I would be interested in knowing anything new to help with verification.

 

Best Wishes.

marie,your picture ID is acartoon character.

I for one , rent my house to real people .I worked my entire life to build a house so i think yes,its important to know and SEE hwo is  coming to stay with me.Hotels ask for one ,and they charge at least 4 times more then i do,and are protected by great insurances,

Annie169
Level 1
Tiverton, United Kingdom

As a host that has a clear profile picture I expect my guests to as well. 

 

I feel happier with a photograph and some profile information. I may stop taking guests that do not comply. 

 

As a host, with a very good record, I feel very presured to do instant booking and allow one night stays. Neither of these fits with the rest of my life. but I feel penalised that I can not do them.

 

I would also like the opption to add an additional ' winter fuel suppliment '  ( like the cleaning fee ) my guests can use electricity in the winter that makes the cost of letting almost worthless. As they are self contained I can not control the use.

 

I work hard to provide a pleasent experience for guests but this has to work for hosts as well as guests. 

Roya1
Level 1
D.C., DC

I'm glad I found your message thread - was about to start a conversation on this very issue!

 

I've also noticed that recently Airbnb eliminated the last name from booking requests. The only vetting we can do is to google search folks and identify them with the profile picture.  I have found two criminal cases that I'd reported to Airbnb over the years! One of them had 14 positive review!!  If I hadn't known the person's last name and seen their profile picture, I wouldn't have been able to find out that they were wanted!!

 
Now,  I need to ask people for their last names, which is uncomfortable as it relays a negative vibe. Also I've run into guests that don't feel comfortable uploading photos. I do have the ID Verification requirement and so I ask them to send me their photo via direct email/text after booking is confirmed, which then exposes me to a potential need for escalation via Airbnb to cancel and not be penalized, if there's potential danger in hosting that person.


All of this is unneeded burden on hosts. In fact I agree that Airbnb should proactively instigate recognizable profile photos as well as providing full name at the time of booking request as they used to,as a matter of security policy for hosts. 


I have a feeling they're forced/opted to do this due to racial discrimination lawsuits - if that's the case, this is not the correct solution; i.e. risking security of hosts instead of identifying discrimination cases and penalizing those who are in violation.

Is Airbnb management looking at our comments here?  Or, are we just commiserating?!

i would like to support the comment "is Airbnb Management looking at this issue....."  i am becoming increasingly concerned that people wanting to reserve my listing have no identifiable photo and no government ID verification, just an email and mobile phone.  i would like at least a passport or official id as a key criteria for proceeding with a reservation, not just a mobile phone and email.  we can be very vulnerable to criminals as without a photo or official id we do not have a decent level of information should it be necessary to involve the police at any point.  WHAT IS AIRBNB MANAGEMENT DOING ABOUT THIS, WHY AREN'T THERE MORE ANSWERS FROM THEM, WHY DO WE HAVE TO DIG THROUGH PAGES OF COMMUNITY INFO IN ORDER TO FIND ANYTHING CONCRETE ON THIS?

I have until now only used Airbnb for my reservations, but if the trend of non-profile-photos and no official id continues i will look elsewhere for a booking vehicle.

 

Rob48
Level 1
Luton, GB

Hi i’m based in Bedfordshire and have been doing this for last 5 years or so and on the whole all goes well

 

I would prefer to see a photo and reasonable verification and check any previous reviews before accepting

 

what I would like to ask colleagues is about Airbnb support and customer services because in times of an issue unless it is something very simple then the support is not there, basically polite blanks

 

It has happened to me on more than one occasion so a while ago I gave and only take a small number of bookings through them

 

But in the last few days I have had guest inquiry where it could potentially a scam, thieves or possible criminality

The persons account not verified however I feel there is something very wrong with the inquiry, I have to go  my memory I believe this person make the same enquiry sometime ago and the quote was probably not very far and enquiry is that they would like to rent the house or rRoom for a couple of hours for a school project but no clear dates given and there is no history of this account it’s not verified maybe this enquiry came in Say maybe 10 to 12 months ago and are you didn’t take the booking either because we didn’t have the availability or for some other reason that I cannot rememberSay maybe 10 to 12 months ago and are you didn’t take the booking either because we didn’t have the availability or for some other reason that I cannot remember but  what I can remember is that it’s the same wording is everything is the same and this person says that they are 16 years old and they want to rent a house or the room.

 

now I could be Completely wrong but there seems to be something very seriously wrong here this person has made the same enquiry to you later saying the 16 years old that  in it self is an issue 

 

 My gut feeling is that there is some sort of criminality this enquiry I voiced my concern is to their BMB however after spending quite a bit of time I didn’t get anywhere just polite blanks as usual 

 So I have advised them that I am shutting the calendar for the next three months until they come back to me with some sensible answers/solutions or otherwise I may consider closing my account it is not something that I wish to do however it is kind of wrong or very unprofessional or I don’t know what/how Airbnb policies have been set and Customer service staff have been programmed to be polite but we ignore anything that may potentially be serious if not just for me but of course for the Airbnb community because this may be something that is particulars person/group who may be behind this category does the one for games

 

Any comments any assistance any direction or any resembling experience that anyone has heard I would appreciate feedback, thank you in advance

 

Rob