Guest Changed Name and Photos on Profile after Booking

[Kalin-And-Marquis0]

I had a guest instant book a stay at my place. He had no reviews and appeared to be a first timer, so per the usual I reminded him that this is not an entire home and I would be around at times. He said ok and that he would be there soon. He called back about 15 mins later and informed me that he would be cancelling without giving a reason why.

The guest never showed up to the place and never cancelled the reservation. I then noticed that he at some point he changed his photo, his name, and all of the information on the profile. The money from the reservation has also yet to be paid and I was informed by AirBNB that the money is being held without being told why it's being held. The only thing I can assume is that maybe it was booked with a stolen card and the guy had some kind of ulterior motive for booking at my place (perhaps maybe to rob me).

I require guests to confirm their identification (with ID) with AirBNB  before booking, so if this was not the actual person I am unsure how he was able to go ahead and book the place.

Now I am worried about him slipping through the cracks and wondering what is really going on and am not really getting answers from AirBNB. 

[Debi1]

I think you need to ask different questions.  Airbnb cannot (or will not) tell  you about a guest.  Instead of asking them what is going on, ask them if  you are safe, and you can know that you are safe.  Address your concerns and make this about you, not about the guest, and you will like get some answers.  It's like being a medical advocate for someone ie. you can tell the doc what is happening with the patient (that is not you) but the doc can't tell you anything about this person.

[Kalin-And-Marquis0]

Thanks Debi I will do that. My main issue is how was someone able to book a stay if his identification wasn't confirmed as I require. The profile went from a guy named Javon in California to Bao Khanh Cheng from France. And it now has pictures of two different people in the profile and they couldnt be more opposite. 

[Jo56]

Definitely report them to Airbnb. This is a reasonable security concern. If you click on their profile, just under the users name and location will be a small grey flag and "report this user". Click on it and highlight your concerns. 

We had a similar issue where a guest requested to book for 6 adults...and then as the discussion went on, admitted the traveling party was 6 adults and 2 children. Our property is for a MAX 4 people. After declining their reservation, I received a new enquiry a few weeks later for 4 people, from someone I thought was a different guest. The profile name and photo had been changed (verified ID, which we require,  stayed on the profile, despite the name and profile change). 

It was only a week before their confirmed booking that I noticed that my email account had 'bundled' the emails from these supposed two separate guests together - ie. they were from the exact same anonymous Airbnb guest account. When confronted the guest refused to cancel their reservation, arrogantly telling me that they would force me to cancel and be penalised as a host for canceling. I called Airbnb and after a bit of convincing and referring them to the communication with the guest (thankfully all in writing within Airbnb), Airbnb cancelled the guests booking without penalty to me. They wouldn't tell me what they did at the other end, but the guests' profile was disappointingly not deleted/ removed.

These security issues could definitely be more serious than in our situation, and the simple fact is that it is a fraudulent representation, and contrary to Airbnb's ethos of community and openness.

[Soniya0]

They don't do anything to guests. I reported a guest for bringing home a prostitute and they didn't even communicate this to Him. He wanted to stay in one of my other rooms later as a long term tenant and I promptly said no

[Vanessa77]

The verify your id option is a bit flawed. They could upload an id of anybody , it could be a stolen id or simply a friends id and it would be accepted. As long as the id is a government issued id. they get verified. It doesnt matter if their profile name matches the id.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

Usually after 24 hours if your payment has not been confirmed the booking will not be a confirmed booking so your calendar will free up.

You will then receive an email saying it has not be possible to process the payment - or you will see it listed as a confimed booking in your reservation list.

If it is a confirmed booking then you can contact the guest and ask his reasons for being in town, reasons for not cancelling when he said he would, etc...