Fake Roaches Trend

[Fernando1358]

Hi everyone!

I have seen an increasingly large amount of guests using fake (plastic) roaches to push for a full refund.

The scam goes like this: the guest checks into the listing, and the day of checkout sends you a message saying they were very busy with moving to different places since they had to leave your listing the day of check in due to bugs and roaches.

They take pictures of the plastic roaches, send them to airbnb and BAM! They get a full refund, and stayed at your place for the entire reservation.

Anyone experiencing this? Mitigation techniques? 

[Pat271]

Ideas:

1) Monitor your front door.  Footage from a front door monitor would have verified the in-and-out activities of the guest, and would have proven that your guests were lying about how long they stayed.  

2) Take photos after every cleaning.  It’d be unlikely that many roaches would suddenly appear in an area that was pristine hours before.  

3) Ask Airbnb to ask the guest where they stayed the last few nights.  This may not matter, though; I’ve read situations where the guest stayed the entire length of the reservation, didn’t say anything during the stay, and still received a full refund due to roaches. 

4) Spell out in your House Rules that finding bugs does not constitute a reason for a refund.  I have the following in my House Rules:

Guest also understands that Hawaii is located in a tropical climate, and that insects, rodents and lizards flourish in this environment. Although Owner will use its best efforts to hold to a minimum your interaction with these pests during your stay, Guest understands that any contact by Guest with such a pest within or outside the unit does not constitute a breach of this Agreement or give Guest any right to any refund or rental adjustment. 

My House Rules also have the following paragraph:

Any issue that Guest has with the Unit shall be immediately reported to Manager via the phone number listed in the rental Unit’s directions and entry instructions. Guest understands that Manager and Owner shall have a reasonable amount of time to restore the Unit to acceptable conditions, and that any issues presented to Manager by Guest not preventing reasonable and habitable occupancy of the Unit shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or give the Guest any right to any refund or rental adjustment.

This last point (#4) may prove to be the most protective - I’ve seen several cases in which Airbnb upheld a particular host policy because it was explicitly spelled out in the host’s House Rules.

[Fernando1358]

Thank you so much very helpful. I will try to add this to my listing. I swear I've had so many issues with this lately...

[Stephanie1275]

I'm going to do this. Thank you so much for the advice. 

[Ute42]

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@Fernando1358 

Plastic roaches are a lot easier to photograph as they don't move.

[Fernando1358]

Absolutely! And they are also portable lol

[Stephanie1275]

I'm in South Florida, and I just had a guest do this yesterday. The previous guest (that checked out THE SAME DAY as the problem guest checked-in) left me a glowing review regarding the cleanliness of the property. In my case, the problem guest wanted me to offer her money for the "inconvenience" of a "roach infestation" (there is no roach infestation). 

[Fred13]

Makes me think of the moronic 'Pet Rock' craze of a few years ago; today could be the 'Fake Pet Cockroach', that hustling guests carry around and use it to change places or get out of not paying for stays.

[Laura2592 · Accepted solution]

I would ask them to squish one and send a pic. Just say "I am so sorry to have to ask you to do this, but Airbnb has warned hosts that there is a proliferation of guest requests for refunds using faux insects. In order to process this for you (with my sincere apologies) I will need to send a photo of this bug "squashed." I appreciate your understanding!"

I have an online business and people will often try to tell me something arrived damaged to get a refund. I always just apologize and ask for photos in order to "process the refund". (I sell fine jewelry. Hard to damage jewelry especially the way I pack and ship it.) Typically dries up the request. 

Everyone wants something for nothing. If all this mental energy was put toward solving problems like curing cancer, these clever minds could change the world!

[Fred13]

@Laura2592 Imaging the new and improved version of the Fake Cockroach made of a material that can be squashed long enough to allow for pictures, but then slowly comes back to original form and then can be used on the next unsuspecting host. The Renewal Fake Cockroach, will undoubtedly promise to be a great seller with some guests.

[Laura2592]

@Fred13  brilliant idea! I call dibs on the patent.  

[Leo2558]

it happened to me today! I am always very careful with the cleaning and when this guest arrived asked me if I could stay an extra day, I replied that no, because there would be another guest after her! ok she got home and right after she told me that there was a dead cockroach in the fridge, I had just left the house and checked everything, I answered and she didn't answer me anymore! I found this situation very strange because the way she told me it was certain that she would not stay at my house, well this morning I decided to contact airbnb explaining what happened and the airbnb people said that I would contact her ! After airbnb sent me a picture of the cockroach inside the fridge! In other words, it only manifested itself because I called airbnb, so I forced it to manifest itself before the check out day! She asked for a refund and I said I could give her a refund if she left my house immediately! Before leaving she sent me a message "I'm leaving your house full of cockroaches" I spent the whole day thinking about what happened, I went back to my house and she enjoyed the night she stayed! so now at night I did a search on the internet “cheap cockroach trick to not pay airbnb” that's when I found this post! by the photo now reading this post it is clear that the Cockroach was fake, detail that she does airbnb also that made me even sadder! Well she left my apartment I didn't receive it but I learned a great lesson I feel sorry for her!

[Kim901]

I have a current guest that booked a 35 day stay. After arrival, they wanted to reduce the stay to 23 days. After they were told they could not receive the 30 day rate for a 23 day stay, they found a roach and sent  two pictures of it to AIRBNB. They have not chosen to leave (guest mentioned they have bugs in their house).

Instead, AIRBNB has given them the option to stay and receive a 50% discount if they see another bug during their stay. I fully expect them to stay 22 days and, then, find a bug. 

My listing now forewarns guests that they may see an insect during their stay. According to AIRBNB, this will negate the 50% discount offering for insects. 

[Sarah977]

@Kim901  If I were you I would get these scammers out of my house immediately. Cancel the rest of their booking, refund them, and suck up the Airbnb penalties.

This booking will come to no good. 

[Emiel1]

@Kim901 

Shorten the stay ("change option") on the first date possible, it gives them opportunity to have a refund for the unused nights. Additional message "Airbn has informed me you are unhappy with your accommodation etc..."