BEWARE OF INSTANT BOOKINGS BY GUESTS FOR NEXT DAY

[Jeff69]

I have had to turn OFF instant booking recently because of a serier of similar incidents.  Over the past couple of weeks, I have had 2 next day instant bookings, "to visit family in town", which I did not think much about, until the second guest arrived.  He was verified through Airbnb and lived in Santa Maria California with a CA phone number.  

Yet, he had no luggage, he was in a black Escalade with totally blacked out windows, and FL plates - so you could not see the other guests, and rental companies don't provide cars like that.  I told him, the dryer was broken and I would have a service person look at it, and I would text him the wifi password.  He proceeded to give me a local phone number.  When I questioned him about the phone number, he said he used to live here, which is why he is returning to visit friends.  

While in my car, texting him the password, the back door of the Escalade opened, then immediately closed, and they remained in the car for (no exaggeration ) 10 minutes while I sat in my car watching them, after which they drove off without exiting the car.  My front door is a key pad door lock which registers each time the door opens and closes.  That evening, feeling very uncomfortable with the guests,  at 11:00pm I checked my computer app for the door history, and the door opened 77 times between 2pm and 11pm.  Absolutely, unusual for guests coming to town to visit family and friends.  

Next day, I made the excuse that I needed to see the dryer, and there were 2 different cars in the driveway.  I texted the guest, and he said NO NEED, I WON'T BE USING THE DRYER".  I told him I was just down the street, and no problem if he was not home, I had a key. I politely knocked, and heard shuffling in the house, and after knocking 2x and then getting ready to open the door, a different man answered the door, while another closed the bedroom door and another closed himself in the bathroom.  Total count - 4 men.  

So I decided to ask where was the host - JOHNNY... (who's name on Airbnb was different).  One guy said he was showering in the bathroom, never asking "who is Johnny".   

MY REAL CONCERN IS THAT PEOPLE ARE USING AIRBNB AND OTHER VACATION RENTAL SITES TO RENT HOUSES FOR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.  Since yesterday - I have had 3 more "NEXT DAY" requests to book, and in researching the guest further, found out they have local phone numbers or IDENTICAL phone numbers.   

I reported this activity to Airbnb, who I am sure will take measures, but I think the HOST COMMUNITY needs to be aware that criminals are wising up and using alias' to rent properties for short periods of time and running illegal activities out of the house.

BE CAREFUL - BE SMART - BE SAFE.  

Jeff - Tampa Florida USA

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

Yikes!  Scary indeed.  Glad you alerted Airbnb.

[Blagoje0]

Good that you alerted Airbnb and write your experience here. I do not know whether you had bad luck or I had good luck, but I had a few instant bookings by guests for next day and in my case all of them were great guests. Mostly it was a group of young independent people traveling through Europe.

[Jeff69]

I have been a host for almost 5 years, and had wonderful experiences.  And I have room rentals in my house as well as 'entire houses'. My problem is with the whole house rentals.  Most recently (until I cured the problem) I received multiple last minute - late Thursday evening instant bookings for Fri-Sun.  When I would respond with a thank you for booking, I see the guest area code is the same as mine.  I immediately send a question as to 'why are you booking my place in Tampa, if you live in Tampa?' and I kept getting the same response - I used to live there and I am returning to visit friends.  This of course made sense, so I accepted. 

I am not sure what illegal activity they were commitiing, but I found out because my front door registers every time the door is open and closed.  The door jammed and sent my cell phone a signal.  I looked at the history of the door and in 4 hours, the door was opened over 200 times - no exageration.  

Airbnb told me, unless I have proof they are doing anything illegal, there is not much I could do.  So I let the weekend go by, and strangely, the following weekend I had the exact same request that I declined.  

That was followed by an Instant Booking from a woman on the east coast of Florida - who also had a Tampa area code, for her and her neice.   I accepted, and then received a call from the 'nephew' stating he was going to be staying there instead of the Aunt.  I declided his request and immediately thereafter received a phone call from the Aunt stating she could not make it, and the nephew as going to stay instead.  I refused her request as well. They proceeded to call me all kinds of things, and I proceeded to report them to Airbnb.

The fact it happened multiple times in a row, indicates to me that the 'criminal element' is now fully aware they can rent a house for a weekend, us it as a distribution center of sorts and the police would be none the wiser as that property would not have a history of illegal activity.

My reason for the thread is to make all hosts of 'entire house' aware that there are people out there taking advantage of local hosts to use their property for illegal activity.  So be careful of last minute bookings from your local area code.   Cheers  Jeff

[Blagoje0]

Through Airbnb platform it is possible to minimize and prevent such events that Jeff had.

Host may require that only those guests who have verified goverment ID have the right to instant book your accommodation.

Airbnb platform allows that each host can require that only those guests who are highly rated by other hosts, during their previus say, can make instant booking.

More requirements can mean fewer reservation, but it is only up to you how will you set your requirements.

As Jeff said BE CAREFUL - BE SMART - BE SAFE I would add to that and to READ all the booking options that Airbnb platform provides.

Happy hosting!

[Inna22]

@Jeff69

I did have proof- a police report  filed by the guest's guest, so not even me and Airbnb proceeded to tell me that they do not get involved with legal/illegal. The guest remained on Airbnb and nothing was done. It made me so livid that I called several times. One agent told me that he spoke to the guest and it never happened. So that route is a waste of our time

[Jolanta1]

Unfreakin’believable!!!!!!

Me, While interviewing potential guests, I start hinting them that I’m NRA member and my property is protected by 2nd amendment of US Constitution! Ha-ha! It weeds out all bookers with ‘funny intentions ‘ right out ! 

Higly recommend 😉 

[Blaise-and-Kami0]

Love this proactive response!

[Jolanta1]

Had very similar experience... ‘wife’ books and can’t make it until couple days later, but ‘husband ‘ will check in instead... wife- NYC number! Husband- Atlanta, GA

Learned fast! No more instant booking, no more ‘weird stuff’ . Now everyone goes through my interview. It narrowed down to Microsoft and Amazon interns 😉 Very safe choice 

[Carole97]

Thank you. I'm new at this hosting. Good information

[Lawrene0]

Wow. Thank you for warning us, and I am particularly appreciative that you added the steps you took - "needed to look at the dryer", checked the door use, turned off instant book, reported it. My favourite stories on this forum have wise protagonists. 

[Robin4]

@Jeff69 Thanks Jeff for posting your experience on the forum. It's people like you who take the time and effort to warn other hosts of their negative experiences that makes the whole concept safer for everyone.

You are right with regard to the prospect of criminal activity becoming a problem for Airbnb hosts, and this is possibly because criminals are becoming aware that very little (if any) 'positive' identification is required in order to gain access to a hosts property. 

We have in recent weeks read of a really serious fraud using fake ID material that slipped through Airbnb's system which another host managed to expose in minutes!!

It is after all the safety of our property, not Airbnb's, that we are dealing with here and the verification process appears to lacking the proper processes.

Thanks again Jeff for alerting us to your problem....cheers....Rob

[Momi0]

@Yen-and-Robin0
I just posted my message on this thread when I saw your reply as well! I had no idea there was a fraud identification documentation being used... That's a bit unnerving. But I can also tell you what can't be faked, is my ability to vet every guests.
I asked questions that give me vital information AND THIER PHONE NUMBER, which are used to verify that person on my own.
With a child in my home there is no way I would risk letting anyone coming to my house that I haven't verified on my own... Best $9.95 I ever spent! Haha -
Love your post. Hope you are well my friend.
I wrote you back a while ago, but never heard from you. Did you get my message that I wrote saying the International Market Place has reopened? Mixed feelings for me as a Native Hawaiian but it is BEAUTIFUL!

[Naomi44]

Hi, 

i just read your response on the community forum. Can you tell me what company you use to verify your guests. I would like to do this as well. As a single woman alone in my property, I want to make sure 

[Naomi44]

Thank you!