Anyone else have a surge in foreign scammers the last 5 months on Airbnb? Why can't Airbnb get a handle on this?

[Aaron1351]

They always send an inquiry asking if the available dates are open, and always want to stay for exactly 1 month.  Most of the time they want a video of the property.  they all are on Airbnb for less than a month.  

I bet i have 10 of these to every one legitimate booking.  The way Airbnb has it set up you can't report them until they meet certain criteria.  And if you decline them right away it will affect where you stand in the algorithm.  I should be able to decline these inquiries and report right away without wasting 45 minutes of my day trying to get them to get to the point where they want you contact them off platform.

This should be an easy fix for this within the company vetting process

[Shelley159]

Hi @Aaron1351 

Do you mean you exchange messages with them until Airbnb adds an automated note to ask whether you're uncomfortable with the enquiry?

[Aaron1351]

Yes or until they ask me to communitcate off platform, then I decline and report.  But according to the fine print you can't decline without cause or it affects your algorithm

[Joan2709]

@Aaron1351 

Yes...lots of Hosts reporting an increase in these.

You don't have to hit the "Decline" button on an inquiry. Unfortunately, Airbnb doesn't make that clear and shows 3 buttons to a Host. It makes it seem like you have to choose one of the buttons...you don't. Since you don't have to hit decline, it won't affect your decline rate. 

Respond to An Inquiry

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/241

Only a trip request requires your to accept, decline or send special offer.

Flag the Message

Just answer the original inquiry within 24 hours to maintain your response time. Once you realize they are being evasive, or ask you for a video of the property, just respond and say that is not permitted due to Airbnb's Policies and click the 3 dots on the message and then "report this message" (flag icon). Choose I think I'm being scammed.

Reporting the message stops any further communication (and waste of your time). In a few days, you see this in the message thread:

[Joelle43]

Hello @Aaron1351 

As others have said, yes there does seem to be a new and annoying new trend in these type of time wasting enquiries😡

There is a guide on the subject on how to respond to enquiries and how they affect your position with the algorithm if you want to take a look?

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Community-Guides/GUIDE-Handling-Enquiries-and-Bookings/td-p/1895...

But it doesn't change the fact that as hosts we have to waste time communicating with these so called "guests" until they finally get to the point where they ask us to go off platform or ask for a video to be able to report them!  Because you never know, it might be a legit request! 

[Aaron1351]

@Joelle43 Thank You for the responses, and the link has some good information in it as well.  I am just frustrated because it seems there should be a way for Airbnb vet these users better, and I feel like I am doing their job for them, esp after the the amount of fees that come out of a booking.  I have on average 4-8 of these inquiries a week, alway asking for 30 day stays, and my place is a 99% weekend only booking, so these are 100% atypical bookings.  At least now I know that as soon as they ask for a video I can stop wasting my time.