Recent scam 09/2020

[Gina1456]

First time hosting our brand new rental in La Quinta, CA.  Guest wanted to originally rent for a full month. We were super excited. He mentioned he needed to be in town for a month and could he receive mail? Here it starts- and we did not know. We said, "Sure".  Then he didn't book quick enough and someone booked in the middle of the time he wanted. He wanted to know why that was allowed to happen. We explained we could not "hold" a period of time. He would need to "book". So, he did. The first 10 days of the month. Day of arrival came, he asked if he could check in 3 hours earlier. Since this was the first guest, no one had been in there and it was just sitting we said, "sure".  Gave him his check in code for doors. ( We now meet the reserving guest, check ID and walk through to make sure everything is "acceptable" to them, and then give them door codes.)   We do not hear from our first guest(s) for 3 1/2 days.  A Friday night at 5PM he sends a message saying he woke up w/ a bug on him.

We immediately apologize and ask if we can send pest control  ( which we just had out every 3 weeks while we remodeled) the very next day. He agrees.  (He then filed a complaint w/ Airbnb.)  We send bug guy out. Guest says he will let pest control in. We get the report from bug co. and it sates "No bugs/vermon found" but they treated inside and out.  We send all this information to Airbnb. Guest wanted to know if he could be compensated. We agreed to discount one full day off his stay. He wanted to know if he could have "additional time" instead. We said, "No".  (Why would you want to stay if you're upset enough to file a complaint?) Two days pass and he sends msg at 11PM saying he thinks there are bed bugs.  We respond that we will personally go there tomorrow and see what's happening.  We get there the next morning (ask for his ID- he says he doesn't have his DL but shows us his passport- this is important because a passport only shows the city and state you are born in- and probably what he used to be verified through the site. He told us he had been living in Vegas and Florida when we met him, and he had an AZ license plate) and when we get there his guest, stays in the car (?).  Guest walks thru house w/ us. We video everything along w/ conversation. 

 No bed bugs. We ask him "what is it you would like?"  He would like to be compensated for 3-4 days. We say we will give you 2 days off your payment and we shake on it.  He had one more day to go and we ask if he did in fact want to stay. He said yes. All good, we part all agreeing.      He checks out the day after our meeting and his name falls off the guard gate list.  I go to clean over the next 2 days and each day ...I see him. He keeps slowing down at the rental. I inquire w/ the guard gate and we come to find out he came back after midnight on the check out day and intimidated the guard who gave him a 3 day pass w/ our address under a fictitious name but same license plate# ! As I go to check the mailbox I  find a ton of mail from the CA Employments Benefits. Our address number but addressed to all kinds of different peoples names.  Of course we start sorting things out w/ our guard gate, HOA, contact CA Employment , authorities, postal service and at some point the FBI gets involved. ( who turned it over to state level).    We put a stop on the mail and as of this writing we continue to get mail from EDD. These are checks and benefits being paid out to people. It was important this guest stay for a month, start saying he was having issues to gain more "time".  It was a very good thing all communication went through the airbnb site. Airbnb was prompt in addressing and recognizing the situation.  I will admit, our first time out was something that made me want to "Sale this place- it's not worth it!"...but we made it through.  PLEASE be careful and aware out there. I'm sure this is NOT the norm but wanted to pass ALL this on to you guys.  Good luck and stay safe. 

[Christine615]

Welcome to Airbnb.  Consider this your "training" badge. We've all been sucked in early on. I suspect that these scam artists prey on new hosts hoping to build a rating.

You did the right thing in reporting the scam to the authorities. Someone on a recent host board reported the same scams are happening to other hosts - especially in California. Amazing that legitimate people are still trying to get paid for the first months of the pandemic but scam artists can get paid for hundreds of fake people.

Hang in there. The vast majority of guests are fabulous.  Some tips:

1. Don't negotiate. Guests asking for favors and accommodations outside of the rules are almost always going to keep it up once you approve.

2. New guests without a track record require extra vetting. Airbnb should be doing it, but clearly they are not given the ongoing EDD scams.

3. Don't offer compensation for problems that don't exist. Once you start, it will be assumed by the authorities or Airbnb that the problems were real. Once you factor in cleaning, the extra pest control, and refunding several nights, you're at a net loss for something that didn't really exist.

4. 30 day tenants are a problem because they begin to acquire legal tenant rights. You might want to set your max for fewer nights initially, or rent only to those people with good reviews or a long long social media history (tricky asking them to provide the information, but there are ways to circumvent Airbnb deleting information from the messages).

5. Ask the complex to warn the guard for issuing a pass to a stranger after his tenancy is over. That could have been dangerous.

Hang in there! Welcome to hosting. For the most part, it's a good experience and these things are outliers.

[Gina1456]

Thank you so much for your input. All great tips!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

Hi @Gina1456 You sat HOA rules provided on request. I would suggest you add 'and print outs available in the property on arrival'

I hope things go better with future guests.

By the way - How have you set your pricing? You don't want to be significantly cheaper than other properties in the locality or you will attract vermin.

[Gina1456]

Thank you for the help!

[Lenore22]

Yeah that pricing thing is hard. As a new host, several resources recommend setting prices 50-70% below market to encourage bookings, reviews and leniency assuming we have a lot to learn. But just about everything I've heard here is, "Don't do it!" 

They're also seems to be different approaches depending on whether properties are "just an investment" versus people looking for something a little less aggressive- especially if they live in or near the property or are looking to rent part time.

Tricky stuff!

[Shreya28]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We got saved from being scammed.

This is our 1st time hosting. We haven't host any guest yet although we did receive month stay inquires. Luckily my husband declined those offers.

[Rajan2]

We had many inquiries about using our "mailbox" to receive mail. Here is the original thread on this: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Do-you-let-guests-receive-mail/m-p/1346858#

I am sorry this happened to you. I hope it does not dissuade you from hosting.

[Rajan2]

We have had to turn off autobook in order to properly screen those who look to stay. Those who really need a place and are open to talking to you will discuss their reasons and not be shy when asked reason for choosing your place. 

[Gina1456]

Thank you for the feedback. We really appreciate it:)

[Sarah977]

@Gina1456  Mark the mail as "no such person at this address" and send it back. 

Do not take long reservations. Really bad idea for a new host and also for most hosts since guests then fall under landlord/tenant laws. Also, you want shorter bookings in order to build up reviews.

Take any complaints guests make with a grain of salt. This doesn't mean you should be unresponsive, but you don't send pest control out simply because a guest complained about "a bug". How could there be bedbugs in your listing, anyway, if this was the first booking and no one had slept in that bed before, unless the guest brought them with him? 

Don't throw money at guests for complaints. It's a really bad precedent to set and we don't want to give guests the idea that any little thing they find wrong, even if they're lying, will get them a refund. You can't ward off a bad review by doing this, either. Scamming, lying guests leave bad reviews no matter how much you try to accommodate them.

Of course, if there's a legitimate reason to compensate a guest, like the electric went out at 8pm and didn't come back on until 8am, meaning the guests were in the dark, and sweltering hot all night because the AC and fans couldn't function, that would be deserving of some refund. 

But for less serious matters, sometimes just a "I'm so sorry" and maybe dropping off a bottle of wine is a better strategy than refunding. And it's always better, if you really think some refund is warranted, to offer before the guest demands it, because as hosts, we need to disabuse guests of the idea that they can demand things.

And if a guest asks if they can use your address, tell them no and suggest they get a post office or mailboxes box.

[Gina1456]

All good points. Thank you so much!

[Cathie19]

@Sarah977 , @Rajan2 , @Shreya28 , @Mike-And-Jane0 

@Gina1456 , I’m so sorry for your experience. Most hosts have some story to tell.......

Personally, I’ve always made it a rule to not allow any mail to be sent to my address. But this is me..... No exceptions. It’s so easy to stay firm when you realise the repercussions that can happen. If you allow it, the guest gains mail and has evidence of an address and can apply for other legitimate documents as they have a “residential” address: YOURS!  Besides scammers, you don’t want any illegal activity or dubious businesses being set up with your address, for the law to come and investigate!

============

This is in my listing details, under “other things to note”

Mail:
Sadly, we do not allow any mail/parcels to be delivered using our AIrbnb address. As “Short-term rental guests, any mail you want to receive, can use the “Poste Restante” in the city, for delivery. Any unexpected mail will be returned to sender.

Most central post offices / Poste Restante can be used as a forwarding address.

=============

***** Here’s a sample of what I’ve used in an AIrbnb message in the past:

[Good evening “Xxxxxxxx”.

I hope your day has gone well....

I’m sorry, but as part of my mitigation of risk, I need to ensure our residential address is not inappropriately used as a base for any commercial business registration, government or other financial transactions. Although this is not your reason for asking, I must stay true to our policy, as it appears in our listing. All unexpected mail received, if not ours, is returned to sender.

As an alternative, mail can be marked and addressed to the nearest post office for collection. (Poste Restante) However, I’m unsure of “Amazon policy for shipping, when your account address would clearly be at “xxxxxxxx”.“

Our nearest post office is “XXXXX” post code “XXXX”, approximately 2kms away; which offers a seven day service - although limited hours across a weekend.

“Blah, blah blah, (specific guests request.)

Sorry again “Xxxxxxxx”.

🙂

Cathie]

[Debra279]

Wow good thing you went through Air bnb! I have had guest wanting a refund because they changed a light bulb, without calling or notifying air bnb something is amiss. I I am right down rd , as says It in listing to assist and make it right.Many guests just looking for a free stay. Air bnb does back you up on this issue if they do not give host a chance to repair or fix. Always go through Air bnb

[Ann72]

@Debra279   That's terrible!  I hope you're able to stand firm.  To heck with him if he gives you a bad review.  Make sure he threatens you with a bad review in the Airbnb messaging system, though!  Then it will be taken down because it would be against terms of service to use extortion.  🙂