Possible Scam?

[Natalie1170]

I’m a new host and we have had our fair share of lessons learned, but that aside the experience has been great. However, recently someone reach out, telling me that they had accidentally sent a package to our home and would like to be contacted when it arrived. I’m aware that Airbnb does not share an address until a booking is confirmed so I figured that he had to be lying. Even when you google someone’s address, the fact that they host an Airbnb does not come up on the search. I also noticed that his account was not verified and he had recently joined. After looking a few other scam blog posts, I ended up declining the request and reporting the user. Did I go too far? Has anyone else dealt with a similar issue?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Natalie1170 It feels like you did the right thing. Just one thought - What can you find if you google your registration number + whatever entity grants it? I wonder if that exposes your address. Slightly frightening if it does.

[Natalie1170]

@Mike-And-Jane0  I’ll have to look into that, but what is a registration number? Is that something that Airbnb assigns? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Natalie1170 its on your listing. I assume it is a local authority licence number of some sort

[Natalie1170]

@Mike-And-Jane0 Yikes! I’ll have to check, thanks for the tip! 

[Helen744]

@Natalie1170 It is sometimes common knowledge in the area where you live that your home is an Airbnb , so it would be simple to arrange to have a parcel sent to that address.Then send a message via Airbnb directly to you. You have done the right thing and its always best to tell guests to use a post office box for any mail and not the house address.I would also alert your post office that all parcels be held at the post office with notification only being sent to the house. Make sure there is a lock on your letterbox and on the gate.... H

[Helen744]

and Natalie , no one 'accidentally ' sends mail to someone elses house they are not booked at ...????

[Natalie1170]

@Helen744 @ I agree! That’s why I reported it right away. It was such a strange message. No punctuation or anything, just a run on explanation. 

[Helen744]

@Natalie1170 stay safe Natalie.. H

[Sara6949]

You did the right thing.  I would have done the same but additionally, I would have reported this guest to Airbnb.  

[Natalie1170]

Yup! I did that too, but Airbnb is a little weird. It didn’t let me explain the situation properly. They had pre-set selections so even though I got through it wasn’t entirely accurate. I wish they would add an “other” field.