CHEATED of referral promotion

[Caleb-And-Liz0]

Hey all, 

Recently we referred a new host under the promotion Airbnb was offering to hosts for $200, to get new people hosting. Long story short, I gave the couple our referral link, which they used to set up their first ever hosting account/listing.  They had an airbnb account as guests, but never as hosts.  After they completed their first booking we never saw the $200 and called airbnb to ask why.  We were told a handful of different reasons by a handful of different people, but the one that seems to be sticking is that because they already had an airbnb account (which had never even be used) they did not qualify under the promotion, as they were not "new hosts."  Again, these people had NEVER hosted before, but had set up an airbnb account to search for properties to rent, but never did that either.   Has anyone else ever encountered this issue??  After all we do as hosts to make profits for this company, it sure feels shady and wrong to cheat long time hosts out of a promised $200 with a lame excuse like this.  The verbage in the terms and rules by airbnb state that the "hosts must be new, first time hosts."  This is the part that the customer service associates keep citing as the rule that has been broken- since they were not "new" to airbnb...  I do not understand the rules as that at all... anyone??

[Zurab2]

I referred a friend who did not even used airbnb at all. he set up an account and hosted a guest. I never got the priomised credit. I asked airbnb and they said the host did not use my link and seted up his accoubt on his own.  the new referral emails are designed intentionally so that when you open the link it is confusing how to follow the process and a new user can easily be tricked to set up an account independently, without any referral. 

very low level of AIRBNB to treat the loyal users so poorly. 

[Anna2051]

Hi, I’m having a similar issue, however I can see that “my” air bnb referral link is missattributing to another host (called “axel” apparently).

Both times used, I saw my friends create *brand new* air bnb accounts to host people for the first time and apparently my referral wasn’t tracked.

The second time (different friend), I noticed the below (you can see my referral name in the URL but another air bnb user in the picture and name). 

I have since been pushed about from one service person to another and none really seem to understand or care that they appear to have a technical issue that is causing misattribution of referral fees (is “axel” even a real person?). 

It’s incredible because air bnb have the most wonderful service for guests but a very different approach to hosts, who are the ones providing the space they make the money from.

So upset! Have spent so long trying to explain and no one cares. One these two host, I should have been up for £600. 

[MandD6]

Hi I was searching for people with same issue and I been dealing with this for the past 7 days with no one available to assist me. Did you ever had this matter taken care of and if so how where you able to take care of the matter?

[Jenny1627]

My friend and I are struggling with this as well but it's been going on for over a month and each various person tells us some different type of bs. Did you ever find any resolution with this?

[Robin4]

@Jenny1627 

Jenny, move on, it is bullsh*t, I am told I can earn $1,140 for recommending a new host using the supplied link! I have done just that ( and I might add very precisely) on 3 occasions now and have never seen a cent........not one solitary cent!

It's simply a way for Airbnb to recruit new hosts without the expense of having to chase them.....these new hosts do their bit, they are successful, us existing hosts that recommended them and helped get them going did our bit......Airbnb did not do theirs.

It's a scam, accept that and move on!

Cheers........Rob 

[Tamara360]

Yes I have had a similar issue in referring my boyfriend who didn't even know what Aibnb was so he definitely didn't have an account. They gave me the run around. This is not the first time I've e had this problem. So yeah they are full of BS and don't want to pay us! Crazy since were super host! I use to say they are pretty fair in regards to percentage they take from listings but this crap right here just pisses me off! For all you saying we need to read the rules I have and they are being sneaky! 

[Christina825]

The same thing happened to me!

I believe Airbnb is scamming on the referrals. I had a friend use my referral code on his house. He had never hosted before. I was suppose to receive $275 once a guest completed their first stay. The new host was promised $25 for his first booking. Fast forward, property listed, first guest books and completes stay. We never saw the referral money into our bank accounts. Called to her inquire and I get bounced from person to person. Then I’m told it’s under investigations but for “privacy reasons” that can’t reveal why. I was totally livid! They offered me a $100 “coupon” and said that was the best they could offer. So disappointing to be lied to and mislead. 

[Chris-and-Ashley0]

Had this happen to us. We convinced our close friend, who is also a senior citizen and doesn't understand technology, to open her home to strangers for AirBnb. I read all the rules and community forums about everyone elses issues with the program, so I was so so so careful to follow all the rules. I contacted customer service several times through chat and by phone but the either pushed it off or they would come up with some new excuse. No "supervisor" available ever. What kind of place is this that there's no managing employee? Should I still feel confident in having my listing on Airbnb when it's call centers are severely understaffed and incompetent? Not to mention the ethics or lack of they use to making you give up. It's a form of bullying. Why offer such an incentive program if they can't honor it? Why go through the hassle of disappointing and offending all the hard working hosts who make Airbnb what it is? My opinion of Airbnb has changed vastly. And I will never refer another host nor will I be spreading any more lies about how good Airbnb is.

[Christopher187]

I never saw either of the two referral promotions that I should have been awarded.  What a scam.

[Eden34]

Yea site was buggy and they told me that my brother didn’t use my link (which he did). They’re being super scammy with these links. I’m not going to stop fighting until I get the credit. 

[Susan1028]

This is a widespread issue leaving us all to wonder if it’s not just a scam to enlist more hosts without delivering what’s promised.  

Kinda like that $Million Host Protection policy...

C’mon Airbnb!

[Ami5940]

Same exact thing happened to me! My uncle referred me and the terms stated that he would receive $200 and I would receive $200 after my first host. I never saw the money and when I called them they said they don't see that offer. So when I went back to the link my uncle sent me, it had another promotional deal!!! If anyone has ever actually received money from hosting referrals, please let us know because this seems like a scam. 

[Derron3]

I have received it four times

[Kamel34]

Yup! The app cheated my girlfriend, but under the guest promotion. She never booked a stay before and the app said you have to be "new" - I imagine they mean "never have downloaded the app or registered as a user...ever"

[Heidi336]

Such a joke. They are cheating me out of $400 now. They upped our referral bonus since we've been super hosts for a while but it's all lies on their end. They have no intentions of paying it out. If they are going to make it so difficult to achieve they should properly state the terms on the referral page rather than trying to hide it and be shady.