While not every Airbnb is made equal in quality and service (or the occasional outlandish cleaning fee), Airbnb has created new and often improved accommodations for people or groups traveling who want a little more than a small room with a mini-fridge.
But, as with any new and exciting service, it sadly didn’t take long for scammers to scheme up ways to take advantage of travelers who are simply looking for a place to stay. And while the company has worked hard to remedy these issues, scammers have only gotten more sophisticated in the types of scams — which range from the classic bait-and-switch to full-on phishing — they run on the platform. So, if you want to enjoy all the amenities that come with booking an Airbnb, but want to make sure you avoid dealing with extra headaches, look out for these common Airbnb scams.
1. Bait-and-Switch
When you book an Airbnb, there’s always an element of blind trust that has to occur. Guests are booking based on photos and brief descriptions, banking on both of those things being honest and accurate. That unfortunately opens a window of opportunity for any dishonest hosts to use misleading or deceptive photos (think of it like the Airbnb equivalent of catfishing). This leads to travelers unwittingly showing up to their booking, only to discover a dirty or subpar house.
Even if the pictures are fairly accurate, some seedy hosts will lie about certain amenities that are supposedly included in the booking. Whether it be a hot tub that doesn’t exist (or is often just broken), AC that’s actually just a standing fan, or any other lie or half-truth, bait-and-switch listings are high up on the common Airbnb scams.
The worst part about bait-and-switch scams is that you often show up and have no choice but to stay and deal with the situation. While that’s never fun, try to contact the host to see if there has been an honest mistake, but if not, contact Airbnb immediately to try to rectify the issue.
How to Stay Safe:
- Be extra wary of listings with under 100 reviews (especially if they’ve been listed for an extended period of time).
- Look up the address. While housing information sites or even Google Maps aren’t always up to date, you can use these types of services to confirm certain details, or even just get an idea of what the house/street looks like.
- BONUS: If you do unfortunately fall victim to an Airbnb bait-and-switch, report the issues to Airbnb so you can potentially get some form of compensation, and also to help protect future guests.
2. Multiple Bookings
You’ve likely heard the horror stories; guests open up an Airbnb, only to find it already occupied with a different set of guests. And just as terrifying for people on the other side of the door, they’re staying at their Airbnb when the door opens and a group of complete strangers comes pouring in.
Multiple booking scams are a way for seedy Airbnb hosts to cash out on a listing in one go. They’ll list the property on as many sites as possible, hoping to collect on as many bookings as possible. Every once in a while it can be a genuine mishap with Airbnb’s booking service, but either way, always reach out to Airbnb immediately should this happen to you.
How to Stay Safe:
- Search the address before and after booking. Doing so should uncover any other sites that may have the same address listed, and if they remain up after you’ve booked for specific dates, contact Airbnb and find a safer listing.
3. Bogus Charges
It’s no surprise that some hosts find themselves burned by guests who abuse the Airbnb booking terms. While it’s often minor things, like smoking in a non-smoking listing, there has been no shortage of incidents such as guests throwing parties that cause significant damage.
For the host, claiming damages is a time-consuming process that involves submitting several forms of proof to the Resolution Center and admitting claims specialists to conduct a review. Sadly, that doesn’t stop some crafty hosts from applying bogus charges for damage or breakage that wasn’t the guest’s fault. If this does happen, you are entitled to see receipts for any cleaning or repairs, and you cannot be charged a cleaning fee after you have left.
How to Stay Safe:
- If you notice something broken or seemingly out of place, alert the host immediately. Creating documented communication can come in handy later should you find yourself facing unwarranted damage charges.
- If you feel like you’ve been hit with unfair charges, demand receipts for the repairs. Also, request documentation of the damages (such as pictures or even security footage).
4. Requests for Off-App Payments
As with many things in the digital age, ease of access plays a big part in the services we use. Airbnb is no different. One of the highlights of Airbnb is how straightforward the service is. You go on the App or desktop site, find a place, and book directly through them. Easy as that. That’s why any communication or request outside of the app regarding booking or payment (such as a request to communicate via email or messaging service) should immediately register as a red flag.
Legitimate hosts will never try to have you pay outside of the app, even if they promise reduced fees to get around Airbnb’s cut. If a house has an email or phone number directly on the listing that they want you to reach out to, immediately start looking for a different option, no matter how enticing things look.
How to Stay Safe:
- Be on the lookout for listings that ask you to contact the host via an email or messaging service, rather than directly through Airbnb.
- If the host tries to communicate outside of the app, especially regarding payment, immediately stray away.
5. Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are one of the most common on the internet, and a site like Airbnb that processes sensitive payment information is a prime target for potential phishing scams. To keep it quick, phishing scams will present you with a link that seems to be legit, but is in fact a fake version that takes you to a website that looks identical to the intended site. When you enter your login credentials, it will feed the information you input into the site directly to scammers instead of logging you into your account. Once they have your login credentials, they may have access to your credit card information (if you’ve saved it to your account), and — if you use the same or similar passwords across multiple sites — they may have access to a whole host of sensitive information. (Which is one of the reasons why it is a good idea to always use unique passwords for every account you open!)
In the case of Airbnb, scammers will send you a link that appears to be a legit listing — or will try to convince you they have some other listing that’s a better deal you can view via the link — but the link is actually a trap.
How to Stay Safe:
- Only book directly through the official and secure Airbnb app or desktop site. If booking through the site, make sure you go to the website directly, and not through any links sent to you.
- Never click on links sent to you from potential hosts. If you want to see something, go directly through the app.
6. Fake Reviews
At the core of running a successful Airbnb listing is the ability to secure a large number of positive reviews (Superhosts must maintain a 4.8 average rating). While listings with high scores are typically a great way to pre-verify the quality of your stay, some hosts will try to artificially build their reputation with fake reviews. It can be hard to differentiate between real and fake reviews, so the best general practice is to find places with a lot of reviews. It’s hard to fake a large number of reviews, so listings with a lot of good ratings should be at the top of your list.
It’s worth noting that there are plenty of good Airbnbs that are newer, but it’s worth having an extra level of skepticism when booking these. Should anything feel out of place at any time, don’t ignore any signs.
How to Stay Safe:
- Look for listings with a large number of high reviews.
- Apply an extra level of scrutiny when booking a newer listing.
7. Hidden Cameras
Recently, Airbnb has made headlines due to people discovering hidden cameras during their stays. While it’s more likely than not that your stay will be safe from hidden cameras, it is something that seems to be occurring more than it used to. Airbnb does allow exterior security cameras and cameras in common spaces (so long as the host is transparent about the cameras’ presence), but never hidden cameras or cameras in intimate spaces such as bathrooms or bedrooms.
The intention of hidden cameras isn’t always clear, but it does open the potential for blackmail. Even if the footage isn’t used for gain, having one’s privacy compromised is still very unsettling and should never be acceptable.
How to Stay Safe:
- Look for lens reflections in private locations.
- Inspect any odd-looking gadgets plugged into outlets. They can potentially be cameras disguised as something else (like a charging block, air freshener, etc.).
- If you’re really worried or travel often, look into getting a hidden camera detector that can speed up the process of looking for hidden cameras.
Staying Safe With Spokeo
Most Airbnb bookings and stays go off without a hitch. Unfortunately, when something does go wrong, it can be a huge headache, and even an emotionally unsettling occurrence.
If you are booking an Airbnb that you aren’t entirely confident in, you can use Spokeo’s services to verify you’re dealing with the people you think you are. Reverse address searches may show you registered owner information, and further details about the address and owners. Things like neighborhood safety ratings can help you decide if a specific Airbnb listing is right for you.
Cyrus Grant is a writer from Southern California with a background in marketing, dispute resolution, law, and politics. When he isn’t writing he can be found deep-diving into the latest technology trends or simply spending time at the beach.