Airbnb scams: how to spot and avoid them

Airbnb is one of the world’s top vacation rental websites with over 8 million listings in 200+ countries. Of course, with the mind-boggling 1.5 billion stays booked so far, it’s bound to be a popular target of criticism. People complain about high booking fees, furniture that has seen better days, noise, self check-in issues, lack of toiletries, or uncomfortable beds. But a real problem is the Airbnb scams that run rampant and affect thousands of users worldwide.

Read on to get all the information you need to protect yourself from getting scammed on Airbnb, including the most common scams, their red flags, and Airbnb’s available protection policies.

Common Airbnb scams

Scams on Airbnb aren’t new, but they constantly evolve. Despite the company’s protections and regulations, scammers continue to exploit loopholes in the system, and both hosts and guests are paying the price.

Fake rental listings

Perhaps the biggest Airbnb scam, fake listings take many forms. Malicious actors can set up fake host accounts with properties that don’t exist or duplicate legitimate ones using stolen photos and fake reviews. Their prices are usually too good to be true, so more travellers fall for them. 

In case where a guest arrives and can’t access the property because it doesn’t exist or is unavailable, Airbnb will assist with finding a comparable place to stay or issue a refund. But if the reservation was made or paid outside Airbnb’s platform, the guest unfortunately forfeits protection under Airbnb’s refund and support policies.

Bait-and-switch rentals

Unscrupulous hosts run bait-and-switch scams, where they lure in travellers with a top rental at a reasonable price, only to surprise their guest on check-in day by saying the property is no longer available. They typically offer a last-minute switch to another accommodation of theirs, often of much poorer quality. Stuck with nowhere to go, guests are more likely to agree, even when the accommodation is clearly not worth the price they paid.

If this ever happens to you, don’t agree to such a questionable deal. Instead, ask the host to cancel your reservation or report the issue to Airbnb so you become eligible for rebooking assistance or a refund from Airbnb.

Multiple duplicate listings

Scam hosts list the same property multiple times, accepting simultaneous bookings at various prices and choosing the guests who go with the highest one. This behavior is more likely in listings where host approval is required. In some cases, all of these listings are fake, and “landlords” only collect payments off Airbnb, such as through an instant money transfer, to avoid responsibility.

When considering an Airbnb property, try changing your price filters to see if there are any duplicate listings for the same property.  

Fake or photoshopped images

In these Airbnb scams by hosts, images are manipulated to make you think the property is better than it actually is, or to list non-existent apartments using fake, AI-generated, or stolen photos. Bad hosts may also use misleading, doctored, or stolen images that fail to represent the actual condition of the property. 

To avoid falling for this scam, try reverse-searching the images to see if they’re used at other addresses or stolen from elsewhere.

Fake reviews

Fake listings are possible because of scam host networks and review-swapping groups that help each other populate fraudulent listings with fake positive reviews.

While it’s impossible to identify a fake review with 100% certainty, fake reviews are typically overly enthusiastic, sound generic and robotic, are posted within a short timeframe, or come from users with brand-new profiles. Try to read between the lines and look for balanced, well-informed feedback.

Off-the-platform payments

Requests to pay outside Airbnb may come from both hosts and guests. To encourage such payments, hosts may offer special deals and discounts, and guests may offer to pay off-platform to “avoid host fees.” Such requests often disguise a larger scam scheme, like a Venmo scam or a Zelle scam, that exploits the irreversibility of instant payments. Sometimes, these requests come with phishing links redirecting to spoofed payment pages created to steal the user’s payment card data. 

Only handle payments through the Airbnb platform, and never enter your payment details via links shared by other Airbnb users, as these may be forged.

Hidden cameras

Hidden cameras installed in private areas of rented apartments remain a well-known problem. In the past ten years, Airbnb is said to have received thousands of customer support tickets related to hidden surveillance discovered in rentals. Even though Airbnb tries to remove reported hosts and listings, and in some cases, hosts are criminally charged, the problem still persists.

Upon arrival at a rental property, take time to inspect private areas visually for unusual objects and two-way mirrors, or use network scanning apps and radio frequency detectors to check for hidden cameras. If a hidden camera is found, report the issue to Airbnb within 72 hours to be eligible for their rebooking assistance or refund.

False damage charges

Bad hosts invent or exaggerate property damage to extract money from guests or claim reimbursement from Airbnb’s AirCover for Hosts program. To do this, scam hosts may use fake or misleading photos, claim pre-existing wear and tear as damage, use photos from another time, or fabricate cleaning issues. 

Guests should take extra care to document the state of the property with timestamps right after check-in and just before checkout to avoid falling victim to such unscrupulous hosts.

Airbnb account takeover

In this type of Airbnb fraud, scammers may use phishing links, data breach dumps, or credential stuffing to steal your Airbnb login credentials and take over your account as a host or guest, to use it in further exploits. 

Be wary of phishing links that imitate official Airbnb web pages but are slightly off in terms of URL spelling, colors or wording. Scammers often impersonate Airbnb support, sending malicious links in fake tech support emails about “account verification,” “suspicious activity detected,” or “a problem with your booking,” to trick you into submitting personal details. 

This type of scam  may involve phone numbers and email addresses obtained through data brokers and people-search websites. Use Onerep to check if your personal information is present on these websites, increasing your risk of targeted scams.

Fake or unauthorized guests

Can you get scammed on Airbnb as a host? Yes, and fake guests are one of the most common scams going around. 

Bad actors use stolen or fabricated identities to set up fake guest profiles and place bookings using stolen credit card details. Such bookings are often disputed by the legitimate cardholder and charged back. Fake guests may also wreck havoc on your apartment and disappear, or negotiate an extended stay off-platform and then disappear without paying.

Remember to stay on Airbnb for all the bookings and transactions to be eligible for AirCover damage protection, and watch out for new guest profiles with no reviews.

False issue reporting

Scam guests may also fabricate property issues to get a refund from Airbnb and stay at the property for free. These scammers abuse Airbnb’s customer protection policy by staging fake or exaggerated issues, ranging from bug infestations to faulty plumbing or heating. The host often  learns about the complaint only after Airbnb is contacted and becomes involved in the cancellation and refund process.

The only way to protect yourself against such unscrupulous guests is to document everything before and after their stay as proof of your property’s condition.

How to tell if an Airbnb listing is legit

Telling whether an Airbnb listing is legit can be tricky, especially as fake listings have become more sophisticated, but it’s not impossible. 

Legit hosts and listings should have the following: 

• Verified host identity, with full name and clear profile photo.
• Previous reviews and booking history.
• No listings that look identical or copied.

Red flags for host scams on Airbnb include:

• No reviews or overly generic or glowing reviews.
• Price that’s too good to be true considering the location and season.
• Requests to negotiate a better deal off Airbnb, via email or messaging  apps.
• Demanding payment via Airbnb gift cards, cryptocurrency, or instant money transfers like Venmo, or Cash App.
• Pressure tactics, such as claiming the price will increase in an hour.
• Coercion, threats or urgency.
• Claiming you need to “confirm your identity” via a special link.

Tips to avoid getting scammed on Airbnb

With digital intermediaries like Airbnb, it’s always better to avoid a scam trap than to try getting out of one.

It’s important to know that despite the many policies and support channels provided by Airbnb, there’s still no direct or immediate assistance like you would expect from a hotel front desk. Airbnb relies on automated support bots and outsourced call centers to process customer requests and complaints, and there might be no real-time help available. Some users reported Airbnb failed in assisting them as stranded tourists, while others may be discouraged from pursuing a refund due to Airbnb’s difficult support process.

If you’re a guest, you can protect yourself from an Airbnb scam in the following ways:

• If possible, choose Superhosts with a consistent history of successful stays.
  
• Confirm the property address, find it on Google Maps, and match the building and surroundings to the photos in the listing. If you notice a mismatch, report the listing and move on to a safer option.
  
• Be cautious with listings that have zero reviews. 
  
• Analyze available reviews for both the property and the host for signs of anything suspicious, such as template-style or overly positive feedback that sounds too generic.
  
• If you have a reservation issue prior to check-in, ask the host to cancel it—never cancel it yourself, or you may lose eligibility for a refund.

If you’re a host and want to avoid getting scammed by guests, follow these recommendations:

• Vet every guest and don’t accept their request automatically, especially if you’re listing a homeshare.
  
• Watch out for red flags in their messages, such as vague plans, overfriendliness, or urgency. 
  
• Never accept requests to pay outside Airbnb via other payment methods or in cash.
• Never move your communication to messaging platforms outside Airbnb.
  
• Document your property before and after their stay with timestamps to have solid evidence in case of disputes.
  
• Install a video doorbell, if possible, to monitor who enters and leaves your apartment. Be transparent about this type of video surveillance to avoid breaching your guest’s privacy.

What to do if you’ve been scammed on Airbnb

If you fall victim to a scam host or have been scammed by a guest on Airbnb, take the following steps:

• Stop all communication with the scammer.
• Collect evidence, such as screenshots of messages and payment confirmations.
• Report the user and the listing (if applicable) to Airbnb.
• Contact Airbnb’s support through the app or website to submit your issue.
• If you paid outside of Airbnb, contact your bank or the relevant payment service provider  to report the scam and attempt to cancel the transaction, if possible.

If you’re a guest and discover a serious issue with the property upon your arrival, document it immediately. If something seems off, especially regarding health or safety hazards, you may be eligible for a partial or full refund if you report the issue to the host within 72 hours. 

Airbnb encourages guests and hosts to resolve issues directly with each other. However, if that’s not possible or the host is uncooperative, guests can report the issue to Airbnb to become eligible for rebooking or a refund. When reporting, guests need to submit evidence, such as photos and videos, along with their claim. 

Find the details on how to contact Airbnb Customer Service or report an issue through their Resolution Center here.

Airbnb’s protection policies

Recognizing the sensitive and trust-based nature of short-term rentals, Airbnb has extensive policies and regulations regarding host and guest behavior, security, cancellations, reporting reservation issues, and refunds. However, these rules only apply to bookings and payments made through the platform, so think twice before taking it off Airbnb.

All Airbnb bookings are covered by AirCover for guests and hosts, which is the company’s umbrella customer protection program.

AirCover for guests is not insurance, but rather a guarantee of rebooking assistance and refunds in case of serious issues with a reservation or stay. It applies in the following cases:

• The host cancels the reservation before check-in.
• You can’t check-in and the host doesn’t respond.
• The home is significantly different from the listing (e.g., not clean, sanitary, safe, or healthy to stay in; key amenities are missing)

AirCover for hosts offers much broader protections, including $3 million in damage protection and $1 million in liability insurance.

To reiterate, Airbnb doesn’t allow off-platform communication and payments, except in limited cases like paying for small, disclosed extras that may be charged off-platform, such as Wi-Fi, breakfast, gym access, or a security deposit. The company is also aware of loopholes that some users exploit to abuse the system, so their policy prohibits abuse of the refund and chargeback process, including submitting false or misleading claims. 

FAQs

Are there scams on Airbnb?

Yes, you can get scammed on Airbnb whether you’re a host or a guest. There are many types of Airbnb fraud, including stealing funds or identities and taking over accounts via phishing or credential stuffing to impersonate legitimate guests or hosts for malicious purposes.

Can you get scammed on Airbnb as a host?

Absolutely. Airbnb hosts are vulnerable to scammers who pose as guests using fake or stolen identities, or who make fraudulent refund claims by inventing or staging property issues.

What are the most common Airbnb scams by hosts? 

Common scamming tactics by Airbnb hosts include fake listings, false damage claims, phishing links to steal personal data, and stealing funds via off-the-platform payments.

How to know if an Airbnb rental is legit?

Check for reviews and the host’s booking history, watch out for red flags during communication, and never take payments off the platform. Avoid using messaging apps outside Airbnb, and don’t fall for special deals or conditions meant to persuade you otherwise.