Suspicious booking requests

Dalene3
Level 3
Banham, United Kingdom

Suspicious booking requests

Over the last couple of days I have received three requests ALL from new accounts in mostly non identifiable languages interspersed with bits of English ALL asking for the same dates and ALL asking me to contact them outside of AirBnB.  I declined for obvious reasons.  I also reported these accounts. I am having a lot of problems communicating with ABB about these, emails do not answer my concerns but just contain platitudes about reaching out to me.......... two telephone conversations have been so distorted I cannot understand what they are trying tell me - other than I think that others are having the same problems!  Am I alone in wondering if the verification of new accounts is not taking place/checking of exisiting ones following reports as so many staff have been let go and is my safety being compromised?  I am seriously debating removing my listings.  Is anyone else having the same problems/requests?  Wonder if these declined bookings will have an effect on my superhost status - not that that means anything much anymore I am coming to realise.........

16 Replies 16
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Dalene3 These are usually inquiries not booking requests. As such you don't need to approve or decline but rather just respond. Responses don't even need to be very polite.

If you also report the user then Airbnb usually take them off the site within a few days

Yes I know this @Mike-And-Jane0 as a host of many years standing, btw these were not enquiries, but my point is that AirBnB do not appear to be acting responsibly

@Dalene3 , I think requests are treated the same as inquires isnt it?  Ive done 400 or so bookings in the last 4 years and never declined "officially," until Im comfortable with that request, it sits in limbo after my last response.  A couple, I actually had Airbnb cancel for me (one showed up with a pet, we dont do pets), Im not getting dinged for cancelling one in progress unless its my fault. 

 

Airbnb's systems are being reset and reformed, just like everywhere, they are overwhelmed.  I think best practice at this point is to make them communicate through the message system. Report them if they get abusive or continue to ask you to subjugate the systems that are in place and disregard any your not interested in once you've responded with a message and you've done the best you can for the situation, stay well, JR

@Melodie-And-John0  Requests aren't treated the same as Inquiries in that there is no requirement for an Inquiry to be either pre-approved or declined- just messaging back once to an Inquiry within the 24 hours fulfills your obligation without getting dinged. But you have to either Accept or Decline a Request within 24 hours unless the guest withdraws the request before the time runs out. If you don't click on one or the other with a Request within 24 hours, your response rate gets dinged. 

@Dalene3 Declining inquiries and requests does not affect your superhost badge because Acceptance Rate is not one of the criteria.

 

Lately, there have been aot of spam inquiries running off of scripts with what appears to be robot accounts (I have so far only heard about Inquiries along these lines, rather than binding Reservation Requests). Since Airbnb has never required a verification process for new user accounts, this has always been a weakness in the system, ripe for exploitation. So far Airbnb has not publicly announced an update to fix this - I'm guessing they're more concerned about adding friction to the account creation /booking process than about compromised security for hosts. 

Dalene3
Level 3
Banham, United Kingdom

Thank you @Anonymous frankly this was the straw that has broken this particular camel's back and  I have had it with Airbnb............their prime concern is revenue not their hosts, who generate the revenue I am pulling my listings

Melodie-And-John0
Level 10
Munnsville, NY

Hosts beware!!!!!!

 

You said a mouthful @Dalene3 !  I have gotten 3 myself in the last 2 days, they are more local but no history, new accounts and asking one liner questions easily answers if you actually look at the listing.  The one I received last night tried to take discussions of a longer term booking offline.  A couple sounded like kids looking for a place to party (NOT HERE!!!!), the last sounded like a con one way or another-

 

"Hi, I am interested in long term reservations, from 2,5 weeks. I would like to discuss some details of convenience. Please write me on my Woutsap
+1, (Six, Three, Nine) 3, Nine, Eight, Six, Five, Three, Four"

 

I responded to him with one of my new stiki-note messages

 

"Hi Eliot, Thanks for checking with us. The rules for being an Airbnb host are very clear, we are not allowed to communicate outside of the messaging system before a booking occurs. According to your profile, this is your first Airbnb booking . These are a bit different times so I had a couple questions about your inquiry, what brings you to to our area? Also, did you read our entire listing including the rules and do you agree to them? Lastly, this is a 3 bedroom suite and we charge extra per person over 2 people, are you planning on staying alone as the inquiry states? We hope to hear back from you soon, thank you again for checking with us, John"

 

If I have any questions about an Inquiry, I won't accept or decline until they respond, hacks almost never respond so they time out without my concern. Ive sent this with minor differences 3 times without a single response, it seems to be doing its job for now!   Beware Hosts, the scammers and home wreckers are looking to screw your day up.  Stay well, JR

@Melodie-And-John0 

 

You really believe your reply will be even read?

 

This scam is someone looking to get hosts on to a whatsapp conversation, so in the percentages game they play, they will send out as many messages as they can. It's a waste of time to read or engage with hosts for scammers.

 

You might as well reply with single dot or letter and forget about the 'request'

 

 

Actually @Elena87 , I really dont care if they read it,  it satisfies Airbnb's requirements to reply and quickly and then Im done if they dont write back, I'm still at 100%  after four years and 400+ bookings and I would like to keep it that way.    Just for the sake of the possibility that someone is actually just not that tech savvy, bright, English speaking or literate at all, I give them a chance to reopen the conversation.  I have picked off a few that were great bookings even if they started out rocky. Stay well, JR

Dalene3
Level 3
Banham, United Kingdom

Thank you @Melodie-And-John0  I think , though I am not sure 'a mouthful' was very complimentary!  I have had enough of Airbnb to be honest for a number of reasons, not least of which is their stupid recommendations as to what would be a good rate when I have no bookings, this was the last straw!

 

You are welcome @Dalene3 , A mouthful meaning lots of truth with only a few words.  Im sorry you have had such bad luck with Airbnb, until covid came to town I didnt have a thing to complain about but most of my woes are the nasty virus not the company we keep.  JR

@Melodie-And-John0 Cultural note - A 'mouthful' in the UK usually  means 'a mouthful of abuse'! Hence @Dalene3  may have taken offence, where none was intended, being new here, & not recognizing you for the gentleman you are! 😉

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

Hi @Dalene3 Have you reported these users? If so, and Airbnb take action, what more do you expect them to do?

@Mike-And-Jane0 My whole point is that I have reported these but the responses I have had have been less than adequate!  Strangely as a host I do expect them to take action..........