Guest Identity verification

[Ann487]

I am a host who is so upset! I just found out that Airbnb did away with the green checkmark on guest photos to indicate their identity is verified. Then to make things worse guest are able to “verify” their identity with Facebook instead of a government ID and there is no way for a host to know that unless they ask directly “Did you verify with a gov’t ID”.  WTF!
Everyone knows how easy it is to set up a fake FB acct! 

Anyone have a way to deal with this awful change?

thanks, Ann

[Viktoria91]

I also think that this is an awful change. Using Facebook is not an option for me. Except for asking my guests to show me their ID, I use whoeasy sometimes, especially if a person looks suspicious. I looked through the reviews this site and I know that a lot of people use this platform for finds out the name, address, and location of a phone number. It provides at least some more information.

[Mick-And-Kellie0]

Agreed... did you ever get an answer from Airbnb? I have guests called "john" .......... if theyve got nothing to hide then they can provide their bloody details! privacy my ***... they are staying in my home!

**[Content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Emilia42]

Well @Ann487 you were right . . . I was skeptical but I just helped my sister booked an Airbnb stay. She requested to book and the host quickly messaged back and told her that she would need a verified profile in order for her request to be considered (completely understandable.) The host offered to "walk her through the steps." But it was as simple as going to her profile and clicking a "get the Verified Badge now" button which verified her in about 3 seconds. No ID required. Instantly her profile showed that she was good to go. She messaged the host back and was accepted in seconds. This is very concerning. I am sure that this host thinks she uploaded her Government ID and clearly she did not have too. I don't even know what Airbnb used to "verify" her. Probably just her Facebook/Gmail credentials which were logged in on her laptop.

CC: @Debra300 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Emilia42 

How can that ever be "verified" ?

Home Hosts will be hosting completely unverified guests whilst being conned that the guest has been through some verification procedure, and allowing them into their own homes! 

That's more than just dangerous.

[Debra300]

@Emilia42,

It's my understanding that the government ID requirement for booking is only available for Instant Book.  It is not a apart of the standard Airbnb verification requirements.  Since you submitted a booking request on behalf of your sister, the host shouldn't expect that her verification was a government ID.

When I looked at my Airbnb profile, there is a link below all of the confirmed account items, and it pops up with this message.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Debra300 

It's my understanding that the government ID requirement for booking is only available for Instant Book.

The biggest concern here is that, from reports of how many in home hosts operate, IB would not be their chosen method of booking, so they would not necessarily be accepting guests who are government verified, only.. FB or Google or ‘third party’ verified. That’s a massive difference.

[Emilia42]

@Debra300 I agree with you on the instant booking requirement. I have the government ID box checked and I have had a few guests message me because they get hung up in the process of adding an ID. I do believe that they have all added a govt ID as their booking got through to me.

But in my sister's case, her profile says she has "Identity Verification" which Airbnb describes as "by reviewing government-issued documents, like a government ID . . " (taken from your screenshot) This is clearly not the case. She never uploaded an ID to her profile yet her identity has been verified. This is very deceiving on Airbnb's part. 

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

[Debra300]

@Emilia42,

The screenshot says identity verification through third-parties OR reviewing government ID.  Airbnb's Verified Identification process does not list government ID as a primary form of identification: https://www.airbnb.com/press/news/airbnb-announces-verified-identification

[Emilia42]

@Debra300 You're right . . . it does say OR. 

That means that as long as a guest is logged into a Facebook or Google account their identity can be easily "Verified"

I also noticed that "confirmed Government ID" is no longer visible on our profiles. My sister and I both have the same confirmed/verified info yet only one of us (me) has uploaded an ID. 

Wow, Airbnb is fooling A LOT of hosts with that new move.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Emilia42 

The problem with this verification is  when something goes wrong. 

Should something go wrong, will the blame for inadequate guest Verification then be made the responsibility of Facebook or Google?

We often hear on this CC that AirBnb decline requests for the address details of guests, I always thought that was a privacy issue, but the reality from this verification process is that no address details are likely ever to be held.

How anonymous do AirBnb need guests to be when they unilaterally deter ID checks of guests by Hosts?

@Debra300 

[Emilia42]

@Ann487 Also, do you have this box checked?

https://www.airbnb.com/hosting/requirements

[Rick4645]

Yes, but when the verification process is clearly a joke, what good does this do?
This is why I absolutely require guests to provide me with their ID, AirBNB's rules be damned. I will know who is staying with me in my home.

[Ann487]

Yes I just did, thanks! But trouble is that their profile says verified but you don’t know what abnb used for their verification unless you ask guest directly. 

[Emilia42]

@Ann487 Where did you find this info? Everything I am reading/seeing says that government IDs are used to verify. 

[Ann487]

Hi Emilla here is the story:

 Also now Abnb is accepting Facebook accts in lieu of govn’t ID/selfie. I found out last week from a guest, by accident. Completely randomly I asked the guest if she verified with an ID. She replied “ Oh no, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with that! I used my FB acct.”

so I called CS and they looked it up and acknowledged that she did verify using FB but they couldn’t tell me why guests can verify with FB. The kicker is that you can click on the “Verified” badge on their profile and you won’t be able to tell how they are verified!

I know about using ID verification on instant book but due to Covid and my state’s very strict traveler’s restrictions, it was too difficult to get pple to agree to requirements or to cancel if they didn’t agree.

I am checking into joining another short term rental site, any suggestions? 

[Emilia42]

@Ann487 

It seems strange, I don't know the answer, maybe it is a glitch? I know that requiring guests to verify their identity makes us all feel safer. I require it as well. But what does it really do for us? Airbnb will never give over that information and it certainly doesn't mean that the person who verified their identity is going to show up at your door. The only way around it is to check the ID of the person yourself at check-in. I am in Maine as well and I have still been able to use instant book with success. Definitely go here https://www.airbnb.com/hosting/requirements

and check to see if you are requiring all guests to go through verification. According to the help pages "verification" means a government ID. 

[Ann487]

Hi Emilia

That’s what I thought too! Definitely a mysterious glitch 😞

[Debra300]

@Emilia42,

Here's the link to Airbnb's 2013 announcement of their Verified Identification program: https://www.airbnb.com/press/news/airbnb-announces-verified-identification.

[Debra300]

@Ann487,

Airbnb's Verified Identification system was launched back in 2013 to address situations where people may not have access to government IDs, such as in developing countries.  However, hosts still have the option to require their guests have a verified government ID by checking the box under Guest Requirements on the Booking Settings tab.  The caveat is that it is available only if Instant Book is enabled.

[Ann487]

Thank you, I had instant book for 2 years but covid has made instant impossible for me in Maine, too many restrictions for travelers I have to educate pple about ugh!