Suspicious inquiry

[Diane1760]

I received an inquiry from a male who looked to be based in Nigeria. He complimented my property then asked if I wanted help with managing it. I have heard of many scams coming out of Africa, so I blocked further communication and reported the inquiry to AirBnb. But now the algorithm is asking me to accept or decline. 

My questions:

1. Who am I responding to and who is actually seeing my response when Airbnb asks, "What else would you like AirBnb to know?"  (if I have to accept or decline) 

And

2. Is it actually safe to accept or decline when an inquiry looks suspicious? I am afraid to even click "send and decline" because  it may somehow perpetuate contact with the person I just blocked. 

I don't want to be penalized for not responding to an inquiry, but I also don't want to continue contact with someone who appears to be phishing. 

Thanks for any clarity on this topic! (I did see other threads but none seemed to answer this particular concern).

Diane d

[Shelley159]

If it's called an "Inquiry" you don't have to accept or decline @Diane1760. Once you've responded with a brief message, that's enough.

Only decline if it's called a "trip request". Declining too much counts against you, so avoid doing it in cases where you don't need to.

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Diane1760 

There’s no need to accept or decline if it’s just an inquiry, but you do need to respond. If the potential guest sends you a link, avoid clicking it and report the message through the Airbnb inbox right away.

[Joelle43]

Hello @Diane1760 

As others have said, you only have to reply ASAP to maintain your response time when you receive an enquiry and you don't even have to pre-approuve, accept or decline. You will continue to receive for about 2 days reminders from Airbnb to make a decision but only that first response time to the enquiry is taken into account and if you are certain that it is just an enquiry you can leave it at that.  An enquiry is different to a request to book where you have to either accept or decline.  Flagging this type of enquiry is always a good idea.  If you want further information there's a guide on the subject:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Host-guides/GUIDE-Handling-Enquiries-and-Bookings/td-p/1895831

All the best
Joëlle

[Diane1760]

Thank you all for your feedback. I suppose I panicked a bit, as it felt like a blatant solicitation from someone in another country who couldn't possibly "manage" anything. But I now see the difference between an inquiry and a request to book.  

It is troubling that there may be folks out there who fall for these messages. 

One last question: Once I've declined, there's no taking it back, is there? 😕

I'll be sure to temper my responses in future.

Happy Hosting, everyone!

Diane d 

[Diane1760]

Ps.

FYI: I do not use "Instant Book." So any inquiry about my listing involves asking about a specific trip/dates. Plus the word "Reservation" was at the top of the screen.

Here is a copy of the message I received:

"Hey Diane, such a beautiful unit, plus the location is spot on 👌.
Would you perhaps need hands in managing this listing?

I will help you get ranked and booked, with a 100% success rate.
Working with my company means :

* Less stress for you, I handle the marketing and ranking stuff

* Your listing goes up on Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking com

* You stay in control while I manage the day-to-day

No burdensome deals, we operate on a fair 80/20 split.
Please feel free to reach out anytime."

The name of the person was Emmanuel. Lives in Lagos, Nigeria. 

It is weird, correct?

Dd

[Joelle43]

@Diane1760 

I'm like you - no IB possible and yes even enquiries have to come with dates albeit for a pretend trip so that is normal and I'm really glad you flagged him as it is against Airbnb's T&C's to use the platform in this way.

No credit card needed to send a host an enquiry and no-one touting for business is going to send a trip request because if you accept they get their card debited unless they are a complete novice of course 😉

[Joelle43]

Hello @Diane1760 

If we decline an enquiry then this "normally" prevents the guest from sending us a booking request (request to book)  Now I say normally because I too declined an enquiry from someone that made me very uncomfortable but hey ho! they were still able to send me a few minutes later a request to book😱 My gut feeling was totally right about this person. 

I actually wrote a post about this incident as I had just made the guide you probably read in my reply to you  and was concerned that I was giving out the wrong information to other hosts.  

I contacted CS about this irregularity and back then I had a lovely senior manager from the US  contact me by phone to say that the guest shouldn't have been able to send me a request to book as I had declined their dates and they assured me that this was a one off!

If you decline a trip request and you have a change of mind, then you can message them to ask them to send you another request to book or alternatively send them a special offer.  As I'm sure you know, sometimes guests don't get back to us within our 24 hour allowed time to either accept or decline a booking so we have to decline the booking until we are happy that they have accepted our house rules or whatever but it needn't be the end of the road.

But yes there are people contacting us to offer their services and who have absolutely no intention of staying with us and I agree it's really annoying.  Someone made a post on this subject too a few months ago!

Wishing you a great season,
Joëlle

[Diane1760]

Merci mille fois, Joëlle! 

Comment est le temps chez vous? (although américaine, I spoke only French to mes deus fils quand ils étaient petits). C'est un plaisir de parler un peu la langue. Il faisait trés chaud hier mais au'jourd hui it pleut.

Bonne journée!

Dd

Translation added by Community Manager

Thank you so much, Joëlle! 

How is the weather where you are? (Although American, I spoke only French to my two sons when they were little). It's a pleasure to speak a little of the language. It was very hot yesterday but today it's raining.

Good day!

[Joelle43]

Quel dommage qu’on soit si loin l’une de l’autre, car on aurait pu se retrouver autour d’un café mais si jamais vous venez à Cannes faites moi signe! Il fait très beau ici sur la côte d’Azur et j’ai beaucoup de chances je trouve de vivre ici😊

J’espère que vos garçons n’ont pas oublié leur français?🇫🇷

Belle journée avoid aussi Dd😊

Translation added by Community Manager

What a shame we're so far apart, because we could have met up for a coffee, but if you ever come to Cannes, let me know! The weather is beautiful here on the French Riviera, and I feel very lucky to live here.😊

I hope your boys haven't forgotten their French?🇫🇷

Have a nice day avoid too Dd😊

[Diane1760]

Joëlle,

Quelle gentille message! Et d'entendre la langue... c'est formidable. 

Oui, de pouvoir s'installer dans un café pour bavarder et boire un p'tit coup... cela me manque tellement.

Un peu plus sur moi...

Il y a longtemps j'ai commencé ma carriére de chanteuse à Paris, et souvent devant les cafés—avec un saxophoniste et guitariste—et après à Grenoble en ville. C'était un rêve réalisé.

Si vous voudriez m'éntendre chanter, vous pouvez chercher sur Youtube sous dianeduceymusic - YouTube. J'ai plusieurs videos—du jazz, originaux, etc. 

Et sous le titre "Simple Songs That Teach French - Children's Music, vous pouvez voir mes efforts pour faire apprendre le français aux petits! Mon mari a arrangé la musique que j'ai écrit et c'est moi qui chante! 

Merci pour cette petite conversation en français! J'espère retourner en Europe (un autre rêve) dans un an ou moins. On va voir... 🙂

Et ben, bonne journée. J'ai des invités à ce moment-la—venus pour assister à un mariage! Si vous voulez parler un peu des choses qui vous rendent la vie joyeuse et pleine, j'écoute!

Ciao, 

Diane

Translation added by Community Manager

Joëlle,

What a lovely message! And hearing the language... it's wonderful. 

Yes, being able to sit down in a cafe to chat and have a drink... I miss that so much.

A little more about me...

A long time ago I began my singing career in Paris, often in front of cafes—with a saxophonist and guitarist—and later in Grenoble, in the city. It was a dream come true.

If you'd like to hear me sing, you can search on YouTube under dianeduceymusic - YouTube. I have several videos—jazz, originals, etc. 

And under the title "Simple Songs That Teach French - Children's Music", you can see my efforts to teach French to little ones! My husband arranged the music I wrote and I sing it! 

Thanks for this little chat in French! I hope to return to Europe (another dream) in a year or less. We'll see...🙂

Well, have a nice day. I have guests over right now—coming to a wedding! If you want to talk a little about the things that make your life joyful and full, I'm listening!

[Joelle43]

You are so clever and have a beautiful voice @Diane1760.  The song "Wake Up" is very powerful and something that our political leaders should urgently listen to😉 Bravo!

[Diane1760]

Bonjour Joelle -

Vous avez répondu à une de mes questions il y a quelque semaines, et je vous remercie pour ça. A ce moment-là, tout se passe bien avec mon "hosting" et mes invités semblent être très content d'avoir rester chez moi.

Alors, j'ai deux questions de plus.

1. J'ai décidé de créer deux listings pour mon espace: appartement une chambre et appartement deux chambres. C'est la même espace vraiment, sauf que j'ai ajouté l'autre chambre si le groupe est 4 et non seulement 2.

Depuis que je les ai crées, je vois deux choses: a) On ne peut pas trouver le listing sur Airbnb pour appartement deux chambres. Est-ce qu'il y a quelque chose que j'ai oublié à faire? Ou peut-être puis qu'il n'y a pas de revues pour cette espace,  ce n'est pas haute dans le algorithm? J'ai 11 revues pour l'autre listing (tous 5 étoiles, yay)!

2. Je vais écrire cette question en anglais. 🙂

I am interested in coming to France but I want more of an immersive experience and not just take a tour or a cruise or whatever. I love the train and to be independent and mobile. So if I wanted to rent an airbnb for a month, where might you recommend I look where I can get the train and get around easily to other parts of the country and maybe even Italy or Germany? I lived in Grenoble for a year long ago and am somewhat familiar with Lyon and La Côte, and I recall being able to drive into Italy relatively quickly from Grenoble. Anyway, I would much rather "live" among the people and enjoy the adventure of walking out the door to destinations unknown.

Do you have any advice or recommendations on what city or region would be a good home base from which to launch my adventure?

Je vous remercie en avance!

Diane pd 

[Joelle43]

Hello @Diane1760 

Lovely to hear from you Diane and for the second part of your conversation, I'll send you a private message with some ideas.

I made a search for the new two bedroomed listing in private mode for 3 people and it came up on page 2.   So not bad considering that rumour has it that Airbnb is no longer giving new listings a boost.  I regularly change the order of my photos and my cover photo to see if one photo attracts more clicks - have you tried this?  Also updating your description also wakes up the algorithm in our favour.  Checking our prices regularly in relation to comparable listings is also useful as the algorithm favours listings with low prices!

I would also add the Airbnb link to your bigger listing on the one bedroomed version and mention that there is a larger version available.

Speak soon!

Joëlle

[Diane1760]

Wow, thank you for that info! 

Is there a specific way to add a link or do I just do the old "copy/paste from google?

I am taking your suggestions and jogging along with them (no running anymore, ha ha... a little joke)!

Diane d