Visiting foreign countries can be mesmerizing – from impressive architecture to culture to some of the most amazing beaches, it truly is a place of wonder. Many people plan to go abroad to escape their routine or relax. However, to make your dream come true, you must find a place to stay during your vacation.
That is the not-so-perfect part of the experience. If you’ve decided to book a place on Airbnb, you need to be careful because there are many scams on the platform.
We have prepared some tips on detecting and avoiding scams on Airbnb to help ensure that you don’t get scammed and that your vacation planning goes smoothly.
How do Airbnb scams work?
Airbnb scams can sound like a dream come true. You find a place you like, make your booking, and that’s it. However, when you arrive at the scene, you will see a different location or might not even get a spot.
You may be greeted by some problems, such as water leakage at the place you’ve reserved and that you will be given another place. In other cases, the listing might not even exist or belong to people without any idea about it being offered on Airbnb. Such scams are thriving on the platform, which makes every new user nervous. Others are understandably angry due to other hiccups and inconveniences the platform creates.
However, Airbnb scams are the biggest problem, especially when many people cannot seem to get appropriate help from the service. You can save yourself from situations like this by thoroughly examining the listing you are interested in. Here are several ways to protect yourself from Airbnb scams.
How to detect scams?
Many little things help you detect scams on the Airbnb platform. To ensure your vacation will flow perfectly, follow the steps listed below.
Check the reviews
Nothing is as comforting as knowing someone has enjoyed their stay in a specific place before you. Most of the rentals you can find on Airbnb have been there for a long time and have collected enough reviews to become trustworthy. When booking your place, check all the reviews to ensure it’s not a scam.
If the place you’ve been eyeing has no reviews and they are new to the platform, think twice before cooking it. When traveling abroad, you must ensure that you are renting a place from someone with a good reputation, so checking the reviews is the key to avoiding Airbnb scams.
Avoid sketchy payment options
A trustworthy Airbnb rental will have the possibility of paying through Airbnb itself. Any other payment option should require some explanation from the renters. Furthermore, learn more about upfront or installment payments to avoid any surprises.
Airbnb has a policy where they will keep your money until you check out. That will prevent you from getting overcharged. Yes, there are many fees the host must pay to Airbnb, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Don’t pay directly to the host in advance – instead, opt for payments through Airbnb to ensure the listing is legit.
Avoid sharing too much data
When booking your vacation, hosts could ask for your identification card or passport to ensure you won’t scam them. However, there have been reports that people have received emails from their hosts asking for more than just their ID or passport.
If you receive such an email or a text, do not reply or share your data. Sometimes, the host does not need to require such documents. People booking accommodation already verify their identity through Airbnb.
Airbnb scams don’t have to be material – they can also be digital. You may become a victim of phishing, where cybercriminals might steal your data. Researchers have reported many fake Airbnb websites that look surprisingly like the real deal.
Not only will you lose your money, but you can also lose your identity, bank accounts, social media profiles, etc. It can be very damaging, so stay away from such sketchy content.
Do not use external services!
If Airbnb renters insist on using a different messaging platform, politely decline. It is always best to have all messages via Airbnb. For instance, some messaging platforms might allow scammers to remove the evidence. Since more privacy-focused options do not store chats, you won’t be able to retrieve them.
Secure visits abroad
When traveling, you need to be more cautious. Scammers already look for potential victims in the airports. One scam might be that a person approaches you and asks for money to provide you with documents necessary for traveling.
Another scam is that fraudulent people will set up fake hotspots to lure people into connecting. So, imagine arriving at the Atlanta International Airport and looking for a free network on your phone. You find one, but it belongs to scammers. Then, they might see what you do and what data you submit online. In this case, you needed to ensure that the Atlanta Airport Wi-Fi is legitimate, offered by the airport. Of course, using apps like a VPN further ensures that your data travels safely online.
Conclusion
Booking your dream vacation can be very easy – you find a place on Airbnb you like, book it, and that’s it. However, there might be some complications you can run into.
To avoid these complications and scams, do thorough research before you book the place you’ve been checking out, as mentioned above. Now, you can enjoy your mesmerizing trip and be worry-free during planning.
