suspicious potential guest behaviour

[Min19]

Hi everybody,

I have received a request from someone declaring that he is french ("fr" under his name means that he is french, right ?) and I have answered his questions in french but he keeps responding in english (though my french is quite good because I am french !)
Besides, he asks me to book for a taxi to pick him up at the railway station, to book for a boat to visit some islands... but he has not confirmed yet, which is quite unexpected.

Other problem, I see that there are "8 adults" but only one room for 2 adults has been booked. Though he wrote they're gonna be 8 people. 

First question : I try to "report" this person because I think it is strange that he pretends to be french and does not seem to speak french (and does not have a french name - that happens, but in these circumstances... and moreover only his phone and email adress have been verified and he has no record of any other guest), but Airbnb does not propose me to explain why I report someone. Why ? Did I miss something ?

Second question : Airbnb does not check any lack of logic between the number of booked nights and the number of guests ?

Thank you for your answers !

[Lisa723]

@Min19 this doesn't really sound all that suspicious to me. Maybe he lives in France, but is not French... I'm not sure what motive anyone would have to impersonate a French person.

Regarding the guest count, your guest needs to correct the count in the reservation. You can ask him to do that, or do it yourself. Whichever of you does it, the other will have to approve.

[Marie21]

@Min19 i think it is because he register for the 1st time on ABB while he was in France.

I had a similar case someone booked from Canada so i though it was Asian/Canadian by the look at his picture, sent him all info in English and try to talk to him in french also but when i met him he could barely speak english or french so i told him i though he was Canadian he said no he is Korean but used ABB for the 1st time while he was in Canada so he profile stayed Canadian

[Min19]

Oh, thank you Marie, this makes sense ! I should check on my own ID because I used airbnb the first time when I was in US. Maybe I am registered as american.

thanks !

[Min19]

Thanks for your answer, Lisa, I hope you are right.

So I understand that there is no check done by Airbnb between the number of rooms and the number of people, which is not good for Airbnb because the extra rooms will not be declared to Airbnb. So be it !

Being french and living in Thailand, it would never occur to me to say that I am thai when I travel, let's say, in Indonesia. Especially because I don't have a thai passport and I'll have to show my passport when I arrive at the hotel according to the local laws.

Besides, if you come from an poor african country, you better say that you are french than from Sierra Leone for example for obvious reasons. Because you will be given more credit.

And for sure, it makes more sense to say that you are french than english or US citizen, because not so many people can speak french and understand that you don't know the language of the country which is supposed to have delivered your passport.

Anyway, that was not my question. Which was the procedure of reporting someone without explaining why. Because reporting someone without explaining why does not seem fair to me.

[Ange2]

@Min19 

Have you accepted the reservation? If not you can still decline,  you can also click 'report' on his profile and there are options to choose as to why you are reporting the guest. 

If you have accepted and it is IB you can still cancel but you need to call Airbnb so you don't get penalized. 

If you cannot cancel without being penalized send him a message saying only guests listed on the reservation are allowed access and he needs to upload a Government ID or Passport,  and then add all of that in your rules. I have done this and most guests are willing to oblige if they are bona fide.

btw: I have had a few guests like @Marie21 different country from nationality even incorrect (no longer valid) phone numbers and e-mails. 

[Elizabeth429]

@Min19,

1. You can always ask your potential guests to finish their registration with Airbnb.
2. Guests come from all over the world. I have had guests from Canada, but registered in Italy and living in Australia. Not such a big deal. If it is something you feel uncomfortable with, you can add as a house rule for the guest to provide a copy of their ID when their reservation is confirm, that way you will be certain that the person making the reservation is the same showing up at your door.
3. The number of guests is an easy fix, if this is a first time Airbnb user, they might need some guidance as in how it goes.
4. The only thing I find concerning is how demanding this guest seems to be. Asking you to book services for them even before you have met them, seems like they are expecting some sort of hotel style accomodation. THAT is worrying!!

[Min19]

Thank you all for your explanations and useful suggestions !

I guess I don't have to worry, except for what you wisely point, Elisabeth !