Guest wants to book but not stay

Joy--And-Joerg-0
Level 1
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Guest wants to book but not stay

Few hours ago, I received an inquiry from a guest wants to stay at my villa today. Later on, this guest asked me to chat with him in Wechat and let me know that he just wants to book my villa but do not want to stay. He asked me to transfer him 70% after I received payment from Airbnb and I will receive 30%. He said it is a company group building activities fund. First I though that he wants to sell me review (Definitely I do not want. I have enough good reviews although we just started to host 1 year).  I wonder if any Airbnb host has this kind of approach. I will not accept money from this way and just want to share with others. What do this people want to do? I feel strange and do not trust them at all.

16 Replies 16
Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

This is an obvious scam.  I have not experienced this kind on airbnb, but definitely on other listing sites.  One of the reasons I chose to list on airbnb only as they offer a secure option. I suppose this one is planning to contest the credit card charge, claiming he did not stay. With a million red flags in action, most hosts would get the picture, but no harm in trying I suppose.

Flag the profile please. 

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Two possible scams

 

1. Charge back on credit card payment

 

2. He wants to scam the company he works for and say that a work activity costs XXXXX when it costs much less and he will pocket the difference

 

In either case you don't want the booking. I would flag his profile on BNB so he doesn't try to con other unsuspecting hosts.

@Helen3I think the 2nd choice is the most possible. I will flag him as @Marit-Anne0 suggest. Thank you.

Lilian20
Level 10
Argelès-sur-Mer, France

Agree with @Helen3 on idea number 2. 

 

such system would also mean less tax and more cash 

In the last 5 days I received 3 messages in 3 different languages with the same story: let us book with airbnb, but we won't stay and you pay back 80%. It is certainly a scam directed at the host, not some other company who pays the stay for their employees. It would be interesting to find out how exactly they want to scam. 

Chris232
Level 10
Petersfield, United Kingdom

@Alexandra1125 

They will pay with a stolen Credit Card or a debit/credit card. The amount will then show up in your account, you will think that you have been paid so then you pay back 80%.

The Credit card company then cancels the transaction or the bank initiates a charge back (Unauthorised payment)

You are then 100% out of pocket, in effect you have given money away and the scammer is up 80% with free money

Thanks, Chris, for clarification. Now it makes sense!

MicheleandLouw0
Level 10
Maun, Botswana

Thank you for sharing this information with us

Beth-and-Dylan0
Level 2
Philadelphia, PA

I also just today received a very similar offer from a guest, who says she travels here 4 times/month for work and wants to book with me but stay with friends instead; then give me 20% of the money she'd be paying and keep 80%.  It sounds like a scam to me, she said her employer's funds were $2200 for a 4-day visit.  The feedback you've received has helped me to see this a little more clearly - it sounds like everyone involved except her (the hosts, her company) would be getting the short end of the stick with money and taxes owed and she'd be pocketing most of the cash.

That sounds like the Nigerian money order or Pay Pal scam...Once the money goes through your bank everyone gets paid because most people have enough money in there checking account to cover it through the verification time .When the bank verifies 24 hours later that there is NO-Funds, The person with the checking account gets left holding the bag.

 I would not do same day booking to prevent this problem from happening.

Manu3900
Level 2
Greater Noida, India

Has anyone actually done this and been scammed by guest using a stolen credit card? 

Rick3156
Level 2
Glendale, CA

I do not know if I am posting in the right place. I am pressed for time, but I wanted to at least mention this somewhere.  We have a large house (18 rooms) with 7 day advance notice. 2 days before move in, we get an inquiry and they have some minor things about TV and then about seeing it in advance and then the day before move-in, they tell us about medical needs and want us to sign a statement that our house will accommodate their medical needs as the wife was being released from local hospital after cancer surgery.  What? Now they spring special medical needs -- a first floor bedroom for patient and her caregiver.  Of course, one's impulse is to help cancer patient, but then a voice insider me asks, "why didn't they tell about the cancer patient's needs first rather than about the TV?"

We've had too many scammers so we are learning when were are being manipulated. Also, our bedroom configuration did not fit their needs.

Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Rick3156 

As it is an inquiry (not a booking request), you can answer the accommodation does not match their needs. You did not mention the lenght of stay, but i assume it will be for longer time period ?

The "signing of a statement" is rather weird, your house is not a clinic. No need to decline an inquiry.

Thank you. We've been burned before on a credit card scam (not Airbnb related), which was embarrassing since I did Corrupt Business Practices litigation for years and I believed that I would never be "had."  Now that I am older and wiser, I am more cautious of suspicious behavior.   Rick