Scam inquiry with link

[Laura2592]

I just got an inquiry from a guest for March, max number of guests, max days we permit (so it was a lucrative booking.) Guest had just joined in November 2020 and had no verifications or reviews. 

They claimed they wanted to book the listing but said it was listed elsewhere for less, and sent me a link to the supposed listing asking where they should book and what the price would be. It was some kind of Facebook post with a picture of our cottage advertising it at half price. I couldn't see the whole profile or more information because I am not registered on FB and they only give you a preview before the question comes up to register or sign in. 

Airbnb sent me a message asking me if this looked suspicious (it did) so I got a pop up to decline and I did. 

So are people just stealing your images now and creating fake FB pages with lower prices to try and get you to honor them? This is a new one on me. 

[Charles224]

@Laura2592 

Thanks for sharing this. Other hosts have identified the same scam, and the more we share the less success (hopefully) the scammer will have.

[Laura2592]

@Charles224  my scammer was called Fabian. Hopefully this helps others!

[Carl-and-Pandora0]

@Laura2592  Not just FB, in September we were alerted that someone stole our photos and copy and posted them on Craigslist as a fully furnished long term rental for $1000 a month. We reported it to the FBI and flagged the listing.

[Sarah977]

Change your password ASAP!  And check all your settings and payout info. That scam email, which I'm surprised you hadn't read about here before gets you to click on a link, but it's a phishing link- they can apparently get all your account info, change things and get payouts sent to them. Report to Airbnb ad ask them to check that your account hasn't been compromised.

@Laura2592

[Laura2592]

@Sarah977I already had done all of that. Don't worry 🙂

[Debra300 · Accepted solution]

@Laura2592,

Like @Carl-and-Pandora0 mentioned, the other scam is to take your listing details and photos, and create a fake listing.  Then when non-Airbnb members see the listing, they make reservations, and lose all of there money.  The more frequent one that I've seen mentioned is usually for longer term stays, and the "host" tells the rube that they need to pay a deposit directly to them, and that the monthly payment will go through Airbnb.  Guests pay what they think is customarily a security deposit, but soon after find out that they've been duped, and Airbnb will not help them.  

[Pete69]

"They claimed they wanted to book the listing but said it was listed elsewhere for less"

So, the person inquiring would be the scammer or are they the unsuspecting person about to get victimized? I don't understand why a scammer would even contact you via Airbnb if they're doing their dirty deed via Facebook and a victim. Seems like the last thing they would want to do is alert you.

[Sarah977]

The person who sends the inquiry is the scammer. They send a link to this supposed other listing, but if you click on it, it's a phishing scam and then they can get access to your Airbnb account. As Laura said, the link took them to "some kind of Facebook post" but I'd suspect it is a fake look alike Facebook site, just like the fake Airbnb look-alike sites that guests get scammed on. 

In other words, there is likely no listing "just like yours" at a lower price. It's all a scam. @Pete69

[Pete69]

So it's a ploy to get you to login to what you think is your Airbnb account, then if you fall it, they log your username and password? That right there would raise suspicion with me because I'm never asked to enter my username and pass.

[Sarah977]

No, it's a ploy to get you to click on a link that takes you into their phishing scam, it doesn't look like your Airbnb account, but they can somehow get into your account, or access your info if you click on their link. I'm not a cybercriminal, so I couldn't tell you how they set up these scams, I just know they're prevalent. @Pete69

[Debra300]

@Pete69,

Another scam is that the guest wants you to lower your price to match the fake listing's rate.  They will say that they still prefer to pay off-platform, because the Airbnb fees and the taxes would make the rate too expensive, and then pay for the stay with a stolen credit card.  While in your space, they steal or destroy items, and then disappear.

[Pete69]

That would be asking for trouble. I would never take payment outside of the Airbnb platform. It's a bargain to pay Airbnb the 3% or whatever they collect. The added layer of Airbnb insurance (on top of my own insurance via my homeowner's policy) is like icing on the cake.

Doing business with people who want to skirt around the rules and laws will only lead to trouble. I don't even want to deal with people who try to negotiate on my rate. Those people are often more trouble than they're worth.

[Amy974]

I’ve reported people who ask to go off of AirBB. It’s not like they can deny it, they ask me through the platform! 

[Wendy1168]

I just got a scam inquiry.  Here's the message:

-------------------------------------

Melanie3:15 PM

Hello, me and my husband would like to spend our 20 years marriage anniversary in your property.But i also had a few questions, why is your ad twice on airbnb? With different prices...

Here is the other listing:
http : / abn . app - host - list - ***** . casa

What should I rent?

------------------------------

(I replaced the number with *)

I clicked the link (dummy me).  Thank goodness, my browser recognized it as a scam website and wouldn't open it so no harm done.  Airbnb also recognized it as potentially dangerous; a warning and a link to click to report it showed up on the inquiry page.  The warning referenced only something about receiving payments outside of Airbnb, but I used the link to report it anyway.