Hey Carl,
I agree, as Hosts we have to be more diligent than ever to make sure the guests renting our properties are going to conduct themselves as respectable human beings.
From my perspective, I see things coming full circle back to the days when you actually have to have a phone conversation with guests at least twice prior to their arrival, and at least once during their stay.
In an age where most people are not interested in having an actual conversation with people over the phone, but instead are satisfied with email or electronic communications, the art of having a one on one conversation with someone has been lost.
If you think about it. It seems kind of absurd, the we have accepted the idea of hiding behind text and electronic communications, and take that form of conversation as a way of vetting potential guests.
Having a conversation with someone in person or on the phone allows us to create a deeper connection with them, and in my experience, that connection can eliminate a lot of potential problems.