Guest profile used for hoax?

[Laura1538]

Hi,

I just recently had a "guest with husband" staying in my flat. I have strong reasons to believe the guest profile the booking was made through is used for accomodating different people in my area for who-knows-what purposes. 

The guests staying by using this profile are very polite and friendly, and don´t cause any (visible) harm to the host. They made a few "mistakes" while staying over at my place and thats´s why I started to suspect things and look more carefully in the profile history. The list of conflicting details is long.

I have talked about this with ABB but they won´t do anything about it since I don´t have proof (pictures, videos, testimonies of neighbours or other hosts). I know that´s the policy and I wasn´t even expecting them to do anything about this, just wanted to hear it myself. 

As a private person I don´t have the means to investigate a case like this to have the bulletproof proofs. First of all there is no way for me to confirm a legimit looking ID is actually legimit.  Secondly there is no way to know what ID the guest(s) are using when booking under X profile different properties with different hosts.  Meaning, if it´s different people every time, there is no link to connect them and see this. In ABB system there isn´t even a possibility for the hosts to chat to each other in private unless you "make an inquiry" for booking and try to explain your doubts in the message field.  I think that would be intrusive and more like harrassment than a way of changing information.

Like said, ABB´s policy is what it is. But if the policy was different they could be the "authority" to link these details when there is a reason to suspect deliquencies.  Now the only thing I can do is to report the profile (using the official form) but without the proof - nothing will happen. Other thing I can do is to give thumbs down to the guest in my review of them but again - that´s a minor consequence if what I suspect is happening is real. 

Just rant from a frustrated host.

[Clara116]

@Laura1538 well, this is like a mystery but just enough to imagine all kinds of bizarre and scarey things BUT without knowing anything.

When you write different people in my area??? I am cautious of locals or people in my town wanting to book and unless its a great reason - I say NO.

I am going to private message you on here so you see there is infact ways of messaging IF a host is on CC. 

happy hosting, Clara

[Laura1538]

@Clara0Great, please show how the private messages work! I didn´t mean "different people" from my area would be accommodating, but from one guest profile booking different people using ABB properties in my area. Sorry for my English... could have caused the misunderstanding. /Laura

[Clara116]

@Laura1538 If I hold the cursor - by your profile photo it ask with a RED box send message or view profile. click the red box to send a message. I am on a computer - not on my phone - it might be different. But I use computer with Google Chrome and its easier to use the ABB app. for everything.

[Susan151]

I have to admit that I don't understand this post at all!

I have been told that I do not have a criminal mind and would fail miserably at that profession. This might be an obstacle imagining what your 'hoax' guests are up to.

[Laura1538]

I'm sorry Susan, I cannot go into details, it's too delicate 😕

My point was (like Paul writes below) there is a loophole in Abb, and even if you would "know" it's being misused it doesn't matter, it won't change anything. Or well, it might change the way how  you choose your guests, what do you need to see before hand, how do you handle the entry, add things on house rules etc. And at the same time avoid to make life for you or your guests too difficult.

[Paul154]

This is a loophole in Airbnb. They do not guarantee that the person making the booking is the actual person.

Best to ask for ID before entry. At a minimum, match their face picture to them.

[Kelmany0]

I set my listings to 1 person and no additional guest permitted for this very reason. Its extremely easy to use ABB for "reasons" we know two people without ID verifications would use it for. Its simple mathematics and human behaviour. Why do it in a car when you can do it in a room in secret. I also put a notice on my listing that a video camera is in place that records who comes and goes from our home. Use a camera embedded in your doorbell that takes a picture of the persons coming and going. If you write this into your listing you will probably get rid of those using your place for reasons unknown. Also put a minum two nights stay to ensure you are not attracting the last minute desperate types... my two cents 🙂

[Fred13]

@Laura1538 When time allows, give some thought to becoming a mystery writer, with your diverse interests and vivid imagination, your books promise to be very intesresting and a smashing success. 😉

Seriously, I jot down everyone that stays in my place; what Airbnb thinks, does or wants I pay no attention to. Since all my guests must have have a passport, it makes it simple.

Good luck and lets us know when your first mystery novel comes out, I wait with baited breath. 🙂

[Laura1538]

Haha Fred, Good one 😄 😄

Might be easier to write a good mystery novel about real life though, not invented events. Sorry I cannot open more this case here... I was just getting some fumes out and now got many community members baffled. 

[John1574]

@Laura1538

It could be that an "Escort Service" has found a way to accomadate their clients by using AirBnB instead of hotel or motel rooms.

Using the "Saved Messages" feature found at the bottom  of the text box of the Inbox feature when you open any message can warn off certain people who aren't playing by the rules.

You can scare off some nefarious people by crafting a "saved message" stating that you check ID to match the profile picutre at check-in and that 3rd party booking is prohibitated by AirBnB.

I have a template saved in "Saved Messages" just for this purpose.

Thumbs up if you like a post.

[Laura1538]

@John1574

This case was not about escort services, but nevertheless to add a short 'disclaimer' to messages sounds good for many kinds of uses! I cannot find a "Saved messages" feature though - do you mean "Archived Messages" folder? At least I think that could be used the way you described.

[John1574]

@Laura1538

 Go to your inbox and open a message either sent or received it does not matter. 

 You will see a text box in which you can write a message. 

 At the bottom of the text box you'll see the words "use a saved message".

 If you click on that, "saved messages" will open, where you can edit or write a saved message.  Or click on the message to have it pasted into the text box. 

 I believe you can also access "saved messages" in your listing:  but I can't remember which heading it would be under.  But I think you could find it just checking "edit listing " features. 

 I find it a very valuable feature, and I always access it through the inbox.

 Basically you should open a blank text box from your inbox. And there at the bottom it will be. 

[Laura1538]

@John1574

Super, thanks! 🙂