I was looking for accommodation via Airbnb so I completed all the verification steps as requested including email verification as well as mobile phone verification, I then got the ”pay now” message, and I paid. I then was allowed to book a place and I have done so. Then AFTER I booked the place and AFTER I paid for the place, surprisingly I got a ”just one more” verification process is required, a Drivers Licence – message. I followed instructions, tried to upload a pic of my Drivers Licence but couldn’t, I tried (as per instructions on the screen) to place in front of the Web cam and again could not do so – for four (4) hours. So basically I lost my money.
I googled the review section of Airbnb and looks like losing money and time and being ”transferred” to another agent/department and other horror stories from Airbnb is common. With me it is only money gone to the garbage bin, oh and half a day attempting to upload a picture of the Driver’s Licence. I am not against the DL verification, I am against asking for it AFTER the payment is done – this is where I lost my money, if the verification request had been BEFORE the payment, I would never have paid – oh and there is nobody to talk to, nobody to contact. Smart Airbnb, tricked me into this sh@#t/ So after posting this, they suddenly got back to me with ”regarding your offline ID, our system was unable to accept it because the image you uploaded was a mirror image of the ID” Well, first of all you are missing my point, why the payment was made BEFORE completion of the verification process, payment should be the very LAST thing to do. Hasn’t your Web Master heard the term ”process flow”?? Deliberately and intentionally placing additional processes and verifications especially those that not possible to fulfill AFTER payment is done clearly indicates to me that those verification steps are there to avoid providing the services – just grab the money and run. So I was robed inside my own house in broad day light!
In regard to the process itself, well the web message was to ”place the ID in FRONT of the web cam” – and you DELIBERATELY asked me to create a mirror image – which your web ”can’t read” – in one word it’s called a ”scam”! There was NO mention or error displayed at the time stating that the problem was ”MIRROR” imaging, the only message coming up was to place the Drivers Licence in front of the Web Cam and take a shot – which I did for 4 hours continuously. SCAM SCAM SCAM!
I don’t think the Australian Government should permit this sort of Internet Scam to operate and a draft letter to key parliament members is now finished and is about to be sent – I will be requesting to outlaw Airbnb – DO NOT DO ANY BUSINESS WITH AIRBNB – THEY COULD BE FORCED TO CLOSE ANY TIME NOW!!!!!!
Sorry Airbnb. It started as a good idea. Decent guests should not be jeopardized for hosts to find renters and for Airbnb to make profit. Hosts take the responsibility of verifying their renters and the risk when they choose to rent out their property to make a profit. As with any long term rental, landlord checks credentials. Was a good idea but now too dangerous for all. My husband and I, both with impeccable credentials, will not continue with our planned booking through Airbnb.
This is absolute scam!!!
They take my money first and then ask me to provide my driving licence photo etc.
I don’t want to give them my driving licence details; but it’s too late having made the payment.
This practice/web site should be banned by the government.
They now have my telephone number, my credit card details, my personal details and my current photo. Disgusting@@@!!
I have been dealing with Airbnb’s ” Trust and Security team for almost 5 months, after my account was hacked and I lost access to my own account! I have asked them to cancel my reservation for almost 5 months now, with no resolution.. I have tried contacting the host to cancel on their end, but no luck there either.. Airbnb just says ” they are working on it”.. it’s all a bunch of CRAP!! They need to be shut down and forced to return money to all of us they have stolen from! I will definitely NOT be uploading a picture of my drivers license after my account was hacked and have explained this to them and asked them just to cancel the reservation.. I am going to dispute the charges on my end, and they will not be allowed to charge the balance due. I feel badly for the host; but, they can take that up with Airbnb, since I am not able to reach them through my account anymore.. my advice! AVOID Airbnb at all costs!!
To my fellow airbnb rejects. I have voted with my feet and booked a hotel for my forthcoming 3 day stay in Boston Mass. for which I was going to pay over £600 for 3 nights in a very tiny (but bijoux!!) let. But just to put the info out to you this is my comment to airbnb’s email to me today. (I am a retired professional with immaculate credentials!)
Dear airbnb,
Thank you so much for ‘reaching out to me’.
I think I prefer to make a booking with a proper hotel where I will be treated as a welcome customer – no way am I prepared to send details of my passport via the web, having already given you email, mobile phone, and access to my Google account. I object to your intrusive validation process; whereas I fully understand the criminal element who may use airbnb for their purposes, I do not wish to be made to feel like such an undesirable which is how your process has made me feel.
I am struggling with the idea of uploading an image of my driver’s license to someone I have no reason to trust, who will store it on a server that I have no way of knowing is secure. Since I really wanted to continue using AirBnB, I scanned my license and blacked out the license number and signature. They won’t accept it. If all they are doing is verifying my photo – I am the same person on my license…why do they need my license number?
Yes I had several problems
I was booking expensive stays in peak time
The properties said they were available on airbnb
I made booking and $5000 was taken from my account
Then the host rejected the booking saying its a very busy period
But airbnb said it was available – obviously host wants you to think its available to keep it in mind in case you want to change your dates
The problem is $10000 is disabled from my credit card
Hosts get around to declining in their own good time
I had to wait >7 days afterward for cash to be cleared to credit card so I had to cancel the holiday
Airbnb is the only booking system that does this
It is useless and a nightmare for holiday planning
Having major issues as well, made two bookings and both have been cancelled by Airbnb, with no notification sent to me – they are very quick to take cash, but not very quick in respomding!!!!!!
That’s crazy – why don’t they let you take a photograph and upload it from your phone? That would take about a minute. Using a webcam on a computer is very last century. Just about everyone I know uses their phone or iPad these days not computers. Why have a phone app if you can’t photograph your ID and upload it straight away?
Don’t worry, your reservation will be cancelled and your money refunded if you don’t complete the verification process. You might want to try once again the verification process at http://www.airbnb.com/verify .