Guest Fake Identity & Lack of Support

[Matthew1198]

I am concerned that Airbnb does not have basic standards to manage their guest's identification. As a Host, I have less information about a guest in my own home than a Hotel gathers on guests. This is been an issue I've dealt with before (ex: using cartoons as profile pics and such... no idea who I should be expecting to walk in the door).

In a recent example, I just had a guest book under the name "Oregon Outdoorsman". The account had zero stays, zero reviews, and no listing of where the person was from. The name (Oregon Outdoorsman) was not a real name. Even though it said is identity was confirmed.

I contacted support for this concern. Sure, I was able to cancel... BUT this counted against my "penalty-free" cancellations. I don't understand why this is a Host's fault when a guest is allowed to create a profile using a fake name/information. Why is the burden on a Host to cancel a stay when the guest uses a fake name?

I would never be able to book a stay at a Hotel or resort using the name "Oregon Outdoorsman".... I am not sure why it's any different here. Airbnb needs to figure out how to ensure that Hosts are protected and comfortable.

Not sure if others have this experience as well? And, do you just take the penalty for canceling - or is there any way to advocate Aribnb consider requiring guests to have real profiles to use the Platform too?

[Joelle43]

Hello @Matthew1198 

Agree with you 100% on this issue and cannot understand how Airbnb can on one hand tell us that the guest identity has been verified when they have a Mickey Mouse name AND that we have to take the hit for cancelling their reservation.  How can we feel comfortable having someone to stay in our listing when clearly they are keen to hide their real identity?

So whilst there is a policy in place that says that anyone who doesn't have a real photo of themselves, eg an Avatar or picture of a landscape, we are able to cancel WITHOUT penalty (as long as we have ticked the box of course requiring this on our listing), I don't see a box that can be ticked that requires that they have to use their real name when booking, as they would if they were booking a hotel, flight or pretty much anything really.

Joëlle

[Maria17833]

Yes totally agree with you  and it's becoming more prevalent.  Exactly the same zero stays zero reviews  and no introductory message.  Iam very uncomfortable with the whole thing.  I have had alot lately so much so that I am considering leaving Airbnb.

[Mela0]

Totally agree with you. It is horrible. 
we had a guest with a name “Princess Princess” book our property.  Instant book. No reviews. 

We have self check in, so we never met them. After check out 2 barstools go missing. Nothing expensive, just your average Homegoods barstools of about $80/piece. 
We contacted Airbnb, showed them pictures of those barstools prior to guests’ arrival and explained the situation. Airbnb says: we need a police report if you believe that the guest stole them.
Ok, no problem. 
Me: I will file a police report if needed. Can you please send me the guests’ full name?

Airbnb: sorry, that is against our confidentiality policy and we are unable to share that with you. 

WHAT???

[Matthew1198]

Wow! Exactly the issue. What if something happens, such as stolen items or worse. Law enforcement is not going to be able to do much providing a fake name. The lack of support from Airbnb to Hosts is disappointing.

They sure want us to all host people in our own homes without providing us any confirmed identity of the person. Maybe I would feel more comfortable if I knew Airbnb had our back when we reported issues like this - but I never have had that experience!

[Jay-and-LaRita0]

I used to host but stopped back in 2019 because of numerous guest causing damages and having parties and Airbnb saying we had to ‘file a police report’ rather than making the guest pay for the damages to our property as was per their own guarantees.

Recently, my daughter asked me to co-host and I conceded hoping that Airbnb would have changed for the better over time and that through research I’d be able to prevent her from such issues as the ones that we’d had. Issues like what you are describing. But that clearly, that is not the case.

Recently, a guest requested that we block a same-day-request-to-book until she could go back to retrieve an ID that she'd left somewhere. Once provided, she was never heard from until two days later, after she went home. She then said that she never stayed at the property and blamed it on not being able to locate it. How? We were in constant contact prior to her booking but she never attempted to reach out and she never responded when we reached out to see if she needed assistance during her stay.

Guess what rating she gave us? You know it, ONE STAR!

Airbnb suggested that we return her money! The audacity! How can Airbnb justify their lack of support? This is unconscionable. Our ratings and reviews are much too weighty on this platform... want to have her review redacted as I think that she was a fraud. What do you think our recourse could be? 

[Ken-And-Desrae0]

Spot on Matthew. The dice is weighed so heavily in the guests favour. Blank profiles with no requirement to place even some basic information in that space. Contrast that with Hosts who are virtually required to "put it all out there" in terms of personal detail.

And AirBnb should strongly encourage guests (dare I say, make it obligatory) to provide some info about why they are travelling. When I get a "I'll be visiting" enquiry I do ask for more info, politely saying that the airbnb is on our our residential property and we like to know more about our guests. I don't need to know every detail, but it's an important common courtesy. And transparency should work both ways.

Of course, guests can make something up, but I am far less inclined to accept a "I'll be visiting" enquiry, especially with a zero-stays / zero-reviews profile.

[Chris-And-Nicole0]

Report those guests profiles immediately!  I see this all the time and have been forced to turn off instant booking due to airbnbs lackluster identification verification. Beyond what was mentioned, I've seen unclear profile pics and incomplete profiles that are still being allowed to book. Then these guests (even ones with reviews and as a host themselves) will steal, damage property, not communicate, and leave unwarranted low reviews to be callous. Likewise, I am in the South (US) and have dealt with a lot of discriminatory and racist ignorant Karens. ABB needs to improve their security measures. Unbelievable how unsafe and disheartening this is for all hosts everywhere!