Last minute booking request from guest with NO verifications

[Alexandra316]

So I just got a last-minute booking request from a guest. They had absolutely no information on their profile, and zero verifications. ZERO! Not a cell phone number or email address, even. I asked why they wanted to stay, and they said that they're locals and their landlord needs to fix their bathroom. Yeah, no, sorry. What I can't get over is that Airbnb would even let them send a request with absolutely no verification of their profile. I really feel like Airbnb is starting to take the piss when it comes to guests.... we aren't able to do even the most cursory of checks on them because they now block all info before the booking is completed, and apparently they're not doing any checks either. It takes the giddy buscuit.

How much does Airbnb value our safety when they are allowing guests who have not provided any personal information whatsoever to book with the platform?

[Ann72]

@Helen3 Yes, most of it is easy, but the box @Emilia42 is talking about isn't on the Reservations Requirements page (www.airbnb.com/manage-your-space/XXXXXXX/booking/guest-requirements).  It's under "hosting requirements," or rather the URL says "hosting/requirements."  www.airbnb.com/hosting/requirements.

[Sarah977]

@Helen3  Thanks. I'm sure it's not a majorly problematic thing, but "I just scanned in the photo page of my passport" isn't necessarily that simple. I don't have a scanner, so it will require me to go to an internet cafe, pay to use one of their computers, call up the Airbnb site, navigate to the page in question, then get the internet cafe manager to to scan my passport so it is entered on the page. That's why I haven't bothered to do it yet 🙂

Of course, if I ever use Airbnb as a guest, it's something I'll have to do- I wouldn't want to keep getting declined becuse I had no verified ID.

[Jane627]

@Sarah977    not sure why you would need a scanner, I want my guests to be verified, therefore when I did my verification it was done by phone. If you need help, phone  airbnb for help, providing that you are lucky enough to get a person who knows how to help. I don't mean to sound negative to Airbnb, but too many of their people are not properly trained to help you.

[Sarah977]

@Jane627  I was responding to Helen saying she just scanned her passport onto the appropriate page. She was assuming that everyone has a scanner at home. And you are assuming that I use the app. But in fact, I don't even use a smart phone 🙂  I know, shocking in this day and age.

And I'm well aware that too many CS staff are incompetent. That's not negative, that's an unfortunate fact.

[Helen3]

Hi @Sarah977 

Sorry I didn't explain myself properly, you don't need to use a scanner.

When I set up my listing (over three years ago and things may have changed), I simply got my laptop to take a photo of my passport during the verification process and it automatically read the information and then approved it as appropriate photo iD.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/1237/how-does-it-work-when-airbnb-asks-for-an-id#how

[Sarah977]

@Helen3  How do you get a laptop to take a photo? Sorry for my tech ignorance.

[Ann72]

@Sarah977 @Emilia42 I'm pretty sure I checked that box when I first set up my Airbnb hosting account.  So it's probably obvious at that point, but not so much later if you've skipped that step.

[Leigh23]

Thank you so, so much for posting this information! For me it was semi-complicated to locate. Log in to your account, go to HELP in top right hand corner (if on the web, not mobile), put in the search term “verify guests” and the first question that comes up is, “Can I require guests to be verified before booking?” Click on that precise question  and then click on the “Reservation Requirements” link and voila! Problem solved! This will cut down on A LOT of BS!

[James1308]

I have been getting a lot (4 this week) of strange last minute bookings late at night, then they cancel, the name on the booking is John, then they cancel 5 min later. When I go check the name on the cancel booking, it has changed to peter. Scammers can do this just to get all your info, like address and phone number. I don't except last minute booking without reviews and I put that you need to book at least 2 days prior. Also, I put in that ID has to match the booking name and ID has to be presented before entering. I did let one guest in without ID, thinking it was required by all guest. So many reasons to make sure who is on your property, one being sometimes guest get confused and show up the day before to check-in, so I don't want guest walking in on other guests, the other is for emergencies.

[Priscilla150]

I agree that no verification and their reasons for wanting to stay sound sketchy.  I wonder if they would have given you their landlord's number for verification purposes.   I think that Emilia42  

had a great suggestion for verifing guests.

[Alexandra316]

@Priscilla150 Yes, in different circumstances, I would have been inclined to do more digging, but at the last minute, it just wasn't practical. Last-minute bookings also carry a risk because if the person is committing credit card fraud, it's less likely to get caught before it's too late and you won't get paid at all.

[Priscilla150]

That is good to know about the credit card fraud.  I wouldn't have thought of that and didn't realize you wouldn't get paid.

Thanks for that information.

[Alexandra316]

@Jane627 Yes, if a guest is using a fraudulent card or files a chargeback through their credit card company, you will either not receive your payout, or if your payout has already been sent, it will be taken from your future earnings. Airbnb always gets their money one way or another.

[Eileen109]

I, too, have issues with not seeing photos before accepting them. The guest has every chance to see our photo, pics of our home and it's discriminatory to the host to not see them. I am a single woman with an attached unit. I have every right to decide who I want in my home.

[Alexandra316]

@Eileen109 I do totally understand why this would be a concern for single people who home host. Are you usuing the photo requirement, and if so, has it been working for you?