I`m a former Employee of airbnb and I can warn everybody who likes to travel not to use `the service` of airbnb. I worked in the trust&safety Department of airbnb and checked new listings and hosts on a daily base. The interesting fact I approached there is the low security standards airbnb put on potential new hosts and jeopardize the safety of all guests. If you want to host airbnb guests you can grab any pictures from the internet like a nice five star villa or a beautiful castle and declare yourself as the `official owner` of this listing, you do not need to provide any form of ID or Proof of Ownership like a Utility bill of the listing. This means in fact that almost more than 50 Percent of the listings on airbnb are fake or put from drug dealers or other criminals to make `the easy money` with the dumb tourists. Trust&Safety just work this way, that they take a look on the Pictures of the listing and declare them as genuine or not. There is no background-check put in place what kind of host you can expect (even serial-killer or Drug Dealers could be hosts at airbnb) . And if the host need to provide a ID they can easely fool the automated security system by providing any kind of Photo ID, the automated system called Jumio accept even Library ID`s . I discussed this issue with my Manager who is responsible for the Security of the listings and he replied to me back that airbnb don`t want to put much restrains on new hosts to register with airbnb (!!!) Sorry, every banking institution or Gambling Website has better security measures in place to prevent Criminals to do their illegal activities but on airbnb every Criminal is warm welcomed to register as a host without hassle to be security checked. You don`t believe it? Try to register yourself at airbnb website as a host with any `funny Name` and put the `Oval Office` as your listing, you will be surprised how quick you are `approved` and go live with this `listing` . Sounds funny, but what will happen when a Hannibal Lecter will be the next host inviting guests to stay for Dinner or even worse. Welcome to airbnb
I had an extortionist and airbnb let her leave a bad review and she continues to use the site with no photo. Also, if you are a group of 6 criminals, and one has no criminal record, the one with no criminal record will be the one to provide the ID. Just because someone got away with crimes in the past does not mean they or the other members of their party are not criminals.
Thank you So much for your post.
Been a very organized host since early 2011. Did my own research of guest and had met amazing people, had a great time the last 3 years.
Recently Airbnb begun anonymizing potential guests – around the same time… our (few of us friends host on Airbnb) happy Airbnb hosting begun to turn sour.
Lost our only line of safety we have to balance desire to host against and with our intuition.
Shortly after the souring of the quilts of the guests, came the damages. Inconsiderate, disrespectful, negligent
people are coming out of the woodwork at the host expense and the Airbnb HOST GUARANTEE is a JOKE!
Have anyone read whats the app can have access to? Holly hell ! T think we are ready to look to other means of renting. In the last 5 months we lost $2400.00 in damages – due to Inconsiderate, disrespectful, negligent guest Airbnb failed to make accountable.
i had same experiences, being a great , clean and friendly host only to later find strange, noisy, messy and dirty people. What about OUR safety, these guys have my address and home key! and they send requests with no picture, no reviews nothing! they could be serial killers too!