Fraudulant credit card use. $3972.10 in NY

Fraudulant credit card use. $3972.10 in NY

My credit card number was stolen and used to book a $3900+ stay at an airbnb in NY. WHen I called airbnb to inform them (2 days after the reservation was made), I was toldthat the matter would be referred to the "trust and safety" department amd I could expect an email shortly. I told the person on the phone that I had a booking number for fraudulant charge, and asked if she would tell me where the location wasso that I could alert the local authorities. Citing privacy concerns, she said she couldn't give me that information, but did confirm, when I gave her the name of the suspected thief, that the reservation had been made in that name. I urged her to alert the host, not only to the fact that they were about to lose nearly $4000 in bookings, but that there was a thief staying at their place, perhaps the host's house. She said that she, "would see what I can do." and sent me an email that included a case number for future reference.  2 days went by, and NO word from the "trust and safety" dept. In the meantime, I had alerted my credit card company and the local financial crimes unit of the police dept. I called airbnb again, asked for the location of the host, was again refused, and again urged the phone rep to at least contact the host and warn them, citing the possible danger they could be facing. Again, I was told, "I'll see what I can do." The next day, (day 4), I called again and asked what was being done regarding the situation, and gave the case number I had been issued. I was told that, "the case number has not been assigned yet." Needless to say I was very upset and expressed my displeasure with the lack of action that airbnb was taking, along with the concern for the host. I was told that an email would be sent to the "trust and safety" dept. asking that the case number be assigned.  Two days later (day 6 now), I received and email from the "trust and safety" dept. asking, "Often, apparent unauthorized charges result from another person (usually a close friend or family member) using your credit card unintentionally. Before we look into this further with your card issuer, would you check to see if another person has access to your credit card details, and may have inadvertently used your credit card to make a reservation for themselves?"

To recap...I had alerted airbnb to fraudulant use of my card, along with the name of the thief (confirmed by the airbnb rep) on day one. 5 days later, airbnb is asking if somehow I or a member of my family had "inadvertently" made a $3972.10 resevation. In the meantime, the thief is staying at the host's place, and, as far as I know, the host has not been warned, either about the impending financial loss, nor the possible danger they are in.

If I was a host, I would be incensed at the lack of concern that airbnb showed in this case. To know that  a host is in potential danger and not alert them immediately is, in my view, inexcusable. Although I received a second email on day 6 telling me that I would be credited back the full amount of my card's charge, absolutely no mention was made if and when the host had been notified of the situation or if the local authorities had been notified. 5 days had passed since I first notified airbnb, and anything could have happened during that time to the host or their property.

I am trying to locate the address of this booking so that I can pursue charges aginst the thief. I have his name, his phone number, and other personal information (he was known to me), but I don't know where the booking was made, except that it was somewhere in NY. I suspect the LI area since he is from there. If any host had a $3972.10 booking charge get refused, I ask that you reply to this post so that I can get in touch and locate this person. For  the rest of you hosts, beware, airbnb does NOT have your backs.

27 Replies 27

my bank asked me to call airbnb, because they charge was authorized and self-reported

Here's why. My bank caught the fraud charges as they were happening. Within 5 minutes I cancelled the card, the charge was pending, I called Airbnb, they could see the charge and refused to cancel the reservation. They started robo emailing me making me feel like they were doing something because I had contacted them as it was happening. I also called the police. I wanted the reservation cancelled so the charge didn't go through. They would not cancel it. The charge when through. I filed a dispute with the bank. Airbnb sent me 3 exact email and then one that said they thought it was me that charge it and the case was closed. They don't care.

 

Because the banks contact the vendors to validate if the charge was legit. Don't be such a tool.

Mahmood11
Level 1
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

My card was just used at Airbnb for $1200. I called the bank right away. The transaction was not processed yet, so they cancelled the card and asked my to contact the bank again in 48 hours.

The website may or may not be secure, but how can a credit card be used by some one when it's in my possession and it has two-step authentication?

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Mahmood11 to answer your question it is very easy for someone to use a credit card. Mine have been used twice with many transactions abroad. Thankfully banks usually pick up fraud even before the user is aware of it.

What did you expect? People are greedy, people are poor and they will use every single opportunity to fool you, to scam you.

 I feel like soon enough we will get rid of almost every single credit card in a material form and use it only as an attachment in our cell phones. That’s fair enough, especially when I see websites like https://cvvshop.to/product/usa-cc-cvv-non-vbv-x-10-items-pack/. Yeah, I understand that it’s about convenience and that no one will ever track down this credit card, but is it really worth it? I don’t believe so. If you are interested in that sort of business, you are free to go, I am waiting for the moment when I will no longer fear to lose all of my money because I have lost my credit card!

Hey guys same thing happend to me a while ago as I didn't use my credit card in a while and haven't checked to see if it's still in a safe place, I suspect somewhere I used it to purchase some stole the info on my card, luckily the person who used the card only used it for a booking for two days, no other purchases,I managed to block my cc before I had any other damages done to my cc, yet this is still verry upsetting to the day,but only a lesson learn, i can only blame myself for negligence,we are told to keep our cc info private and also told about what can be done to our cc Info, I nearly took my anger out on air bnb but realized they are only the vendor and it is not possible for then to share our cc Info, so guys let us not let this happen to us again...i love air bnb it's amazing it has changed the way I go on holiday, easier and affordable, I made a booking for this weekend again from air bnb after my incident with my cc.. I really learned my lesson and grateful that I was so quickly aware. 

Joann1359
Level 2
London, United Kingdom

This just happened to me. $395 booking made not with my account hut with my card. I cancelled  my card with the bank and reported the fraudulent charge, but now I’m  scared because I received an email from Air Bnb saying they closed my case because they concluded the charges were made by me/family member. Did anyone experience this get refunded? Feel so helpless and shocked that people can steal so easily from you through Airbnb because they make it so difficult for the victim to contest the fraud!

Exact same response I got after exact same experience. I am thinking they don't care at all. They want their money. They charge was pending when I called them. They let it go through, they got my money and a thief is vacationing on my money and getting paid is all they care about. It's really sad. That money came directly out of my business bank account. I really needed that money and it is causing a hardship. It's sad.

 

Kelvin122
Level 1
Gaffney, SC

Airbnb is a scam. 

 

I just went through something similar to what you all are reporting.

 

Someone booked a $930 reservation through a device that at one point, was used by me for bookings.

 

I notified them that this was not me and they absolutely refused to acknowledge or help me with a refund.

 

In the end, I filed a police report and notified the bank who swiftly reversed the charges.

 

Airbnb has the audacity to continue to contact me over this saying that "we have asked the host to issue a refund, but he is not responding".

 

What part of my bank reversed charges is not translating??

This has been a horrible experience and I will be canceling this Airbnb profile.

I hear VRBO is better when it comes to things like this.

Exact same experience. My bank caught the fraud charges as they were happening. Within 5 minutes I cancelled the card, the charge was pending, I called Airbnb, they could see the charge and refused to cancel the reservation. They started robo emailing me making me feel like they were doing something because I had contacted them as it was happening. I also called the police. I wanted the reservation cancelled so the charge didn't go through. They would not cancel it. The charge when through. I filed a dispute with the bank. Airbnb sent me 3 exact email and then one that said they thought it was me that charge it and the case was closed. They don't care.

I booked a place from air B and B in June and got the statement last month.  It was fine.

than on my most recent credit card  statement I had another rental charge for that was charged to me a month after my valid charge.

I called air B and B and was told it was from another account but they could not tell me anything siting their privacy policy.

I told them that they know that card is not mine and they said they would get back to me.

I called Visa and reported the charge as fraud and they said they will investigate and cancel my card.

they also told me the charge was marked as ‘reoccurring charge.'

i called B and B back and they admitted I would be charged the 260.00 every month,

of course intolerable them of my actions with Visa.

I am a little puzzled of why there would be a recurring charge of 260.00.

is someone living in a place I was to pay for?

and 260.00 a month is a relatively small amount.

I am closing my account with air B and B.