Hi @Laurie772
I have been told this is a known scam when guests know they won't get a refund if cancelling, as they are now outside your cancellation policy window. They request to change the reservation to some future dates, then cancel within the 48hr cancellation period to receive a full refund. You can search the community here for more info on that. Just search "scams". So guests sometimes use this "loophole" if they find a better deal at another property and want to book it AND get a full refund from the original host. However, some cases are legitimate and the Host can offer some alternatives.
Hosts who are wise to this, explain to guests they are unable to change the dates of the reservation. They inform the guest they will have to cancel and re-book to the future dates. The Host can then offer to refund them minus the Airbnb fees, taxes and Host fee if they are able to rebook the dates cancelled. If you have to lower the price to get the dates re-booked, you of course will have reimburse them at that lower rate. Remind them, that if the dates are re-booked, the new stay must be completed and funds paid to you for the new booking before you can refund them. Some scams include friends or buddies of the original guest who booked the dates they cancelled and then the buddies of the original guest cancel within 48 hours and receive a full refund. For this reason, don't refund the original guests until the new booking is complete and you have received the funds for the new booking in your account.
Sad that Hosts have to deal with these shenanigans 😥
