PLEASE COULD SOMEONE EXPLAIN.

[Shaun69]

Hi fellow hosts, I need your expertise to explain something I do not understand? We have got five different guests arriving in the next month none of which has a photo. However when I check the verified data box for each guest the "selfie" box is ticked, I do not understand how that can be the case!!!!!!!! I know guests do not need to supply a photo, but if they have not how come that "selfie" box is ticked. Maybe I am missing something very obvious if that is the case i apologise !!

Regards Shaun

[Alexandra316]

@Shaun69 There is a major flaw in the way Airbnb allows people to set up their accounts, in my opinion: once the account is set up and ID is verified, guest can change their picutres and names to anything they want. Because we don't get an actual copy of the ID, we have no way to verify that the name on the profile even matches the name on the ID they provided. It's the same with selfies: they can add it, have it verified, then delete it.

I saw one recently that said that their ID was verified and selfie checked, but their name was HappyLuck Cat or something equally inane and the profile pic was of, presumably, said moggy. Surely no one is issuing driver's licences to felines, and yet, there the profile stood.

If you're concerned about the lack of picture, I would ask them to add one to their profile.

[Shaun69]

@Alexandra316 Thank you for your reply. So do I understand this right, that for that "selfie" box to be ticked, at some stage in the process the guest has supplied a valid photo but has subsequently changed it?

[Alexandra316]

@Shaun69 Exactly. There is nothing to stop guests or hosts from deleting or changing photos or info once the account is set up.

[Steve143]

Hello @Shaun69,

The selfie and profile photo processes are separate. Once guests upload a photo of their government ID they may be required to take a selfie which will be checked by software to see if it matches the photo on the ID. It's some little indication that they've used their own ID.

Airbnb doesn't automatically set the selfie photo as the profile photo.

Airbnb requires that hosts have some profile photo but only suggests that guests have any profile photo at all.

I've always asked guests who've booked and who either have no profile photo or have one that doesn't show a face, tp upload one or send me one. I've sometimes had to ask Airbnb support to help in contacting the guest. so far all have uploaded a profile photo or sent me one.

The articles below have some more information on profile photos and the government ID verification process.

https://www.airbnb.ie/help/article/67

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

Steve.

[Shaun69]

@Steve143 Thank you for that reply Steve, the mist is begining to clear!

[Rebecca181]

I have it in my house rules that I don't accept reservations from people who don't have complete profiles, including photo. You might consider doing the same.

[Shaun69]

@Rebecca181 Noted!

[John1080]

I think the selfie and uploaded photo are two different items. I had a friend, who, as a guest made a profile, and uploaded a selfie, which I think Air uses to check against the ID. She never uploaded a profile photo however. 

[Shaun69]

@John1080 I think I have understood it atlast, thanks Shaun.

[Shaun69]

@John1080@Rebecca181@Alexandra316@Steve143 Thank you for taking the time and trouble to reply to my post. It is clear that i have put two and two together and have come up with "ninety" regarding this issue. It is now my understanding that the verification "selfie" box being ticked has absolutely nothing to do with the guests profile picture or lack of it. Many thanks Shaun.