Post by High Priestess on Dec 11, 2015 3:49:22 GMT
Kathrine shared Dec 10 2015
Host with 144 listings'
Hi guys
Searching my local area for listings i came across 2 host profiles that seemed a bit odd to me and i would really appreciate your input ! i have only been an AIRBNB host since september this year so maybe this is normal AIRBNB practice i hope some of you experienced hosts can enlighten me a bit ;
So one of the hosts has 144 listings and the other one has 104 listings they both have instabook on almost every listing but the price they have set for instabook is 100 times the price of what the normal nightly rate would be in this area. They both have an xtra strict 60 days cancellation policy ( wasn't this policy choice an " invitation only" one ? ) . Both hosts have started hosting on AIRBNB this November, one has zero reviews and the other one has 2 automatic cancellation reviews. Their profile names seem to be business names but doing a Google search nothing comes up.
So is it normal for holiday- home agencies using AIRBNB as a platform for doing business on this scale ?
I am renting out our family holiday home that we inherited from my grandmother in 2011, although i do not live there fulltime at the moment it is a very personal space for me and filled with memories, that was exactly why i chose AIRBNB as the platform for hosting,i liked the idea of connecting with people from other countries and having them experience a place that i cherish so much. Hosting on AIRBNB has so far been a wonderfull adventure, we have helped a german guy with arranging his proposal to his girlfriend and had another german/ american couple stay as they where getting married in Denmark. I was just wondering if the future of AIRBNB includes all the big holiday agencies using this as an advertising channel and no real connection between owners and hosts? Might be a great economical choice but the thought makes me quite sad.
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Clare
Clare8 hours ago
It is not unusual for vacation rental managing companies to list on Airbnb, sad but true. If you look at Honolulu, most listings are managed by companies, not the homeowner. That said, 144 listings sounds like a lot. Can you provide the URL for one of them. I'd like to take a look. Thanks!
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Kathrine
Kathrine7 hours ago
www.airbnb.dk/rooms/9729649?guests=1&s=cpPM-Rsd
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Kathrine
Kathrine7 hours ago
Thanks Clare, i had not seen it before on AIRBNB so i was a bit flustered. Hope the URL works
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Clare
Clare7 hours ago
Yes, the URL worked and I can see why you are uneasy about it. My gut says that it's a scam...$9,999 per night? Super Strict Cancellation Policy? And the spaces don't look like they're worth more than $200 per night. Plus the "host" doesn't have a verified id badge. And last, but not least, the 2 reviews are Airbnb's automated cancellation notices. I'm going to flag them...
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Clare
Clare7 hours ago
I flagged one of them... will follow up to see if it's still there in a couple of days.
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Kathrine
Kathrine7 hours ago
Thank you so much for taking the time to have a look... The nightly rate is just insane, we charge around $100 a night.
Clare
Clare7 hours ago
Well, yes! My guess is that if anyone is stupid enough to make a reservation, then wants to cancel, the "host" gets close to $5,000 under the Super Strict Cancellation Policy! Not bad. Even one or two across 144 listings could provide more income for nothing than I make in 6 months! It will be interesting to see what Airbnb does!
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Clare
Clare7 hours ago
Oh, and by the way, the "host's" domicile is INDIA!
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Kathrine
Kathrine6 hours ago
I hadn't even noticed that !!
Clare
Clare6 hours ago
Hey Katherine, here's another one: www.airbnb.com/rooms/9649121
This one has 104 listings! Same set up. Will flag depending on what Airbnb does with the first one.
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helga
helga5 hours ago
The price is so crazy: can this be a money laundering scheme?
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Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Found another one in Germany. It's definitely some sort of scam. Don't think it's money laundering since one has to use a credit card to book. Credit cards are traceable. But I get your suspicion because of the $9,999. The one in Germany has 197 listings..with same set up.
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Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Wait! Maybe the "guests" are using hacked credit cards! By cancelling, the host gets 50% or nearly $5,000. Whoopah!
Reply Like 2 replies Delete
helga
helga5 hours ago
The host gets paid only if the guest cancels. They have host cancellations on te listings.
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Yes, Helga, I saw that too and its a wrinkle in the theory, but they could have just been testing the system to see how it works.
Kathrine
Kathrine5 hours ago
At first i just thought they set the price so crazily high as a way of using the instabook feature to get more visibility in the search funktion, no one in their right mind would book at that price... But i must say " the plot thickens".....
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helga
helga5 hours ago
What would they do with unused visibility. Guests won't write: I like your place can I book for 120 instead of 10 000?
Hassen
Hassen5 hours ago
And the host may benefit/be the guest who booked
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Yes, can't wait until tomorrow to see what Airbnb does. Katherine, I think you've really stumbled across something here. More convinced since I found 2 more hosts with all those listings. Stay tuned!
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Kathrine
Kathrine5 hours ago
I will! SO curious to find out what its all about... A thing i don't get though.. Some of the properties have the exact adress written on the listing, where do they get the information from ?
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
OMG Hassen! Yes, it's the perfect scheme!
Reply Like Delete
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Kathrine, this is the result of host's profiles being hacked, I'm sure. If you ever get an email purporting to be from Airbnb asking you to log in or respond in any way, don't do it. Here's some info: community.airbnb.com/t5/General-Hosting/Tips-on-avoiding-scams-and-fraud/m-p/7430#M1317
Reply Like Delete
Clare
Clare4 hours ago
Found another one! 297 listings.
Reply Like Delete
Andrew
Andrew3 hours ago
I encourage everyone to flag these profiles. They're quite obviously fraudulent, but it would be easy for an inexperienced Airbnb user to look at the listing and not realize that it's a fake. It's ludicrous that there's no maximum number of listings per profile, more so that there's no process by which a human vets a listing before it goes live. A proliferation of profiles like these will harm all of us, as they undermine the legitimacy of all listings and the trust that our business depends on.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Clare
Clare2 hours ago
Super Strict (30 and 60 day) settings are only allowed by Airbnb by invitation. So they must be aware of these listings.
Host with 144 listings'
Hi guys
Searching my local area for listings i came across 2 host profiles that seemed a bit odd to me and i would really appreciate your input ! i have only been an AIRBNB host since september this year so maybe this is normal AIRBNB practice i hope some of you experienced hosts can enlighten me a bit ;
So one of the hosts has 144 listings and the other one has 104 listings they both have instabook on almost every listing but the price they have set for instabook is 100 times the price of what the normal nightly rate would be in this area. They both have an xtra strict 60 days cancellation policy ( wasn't this policy choice an " invitation only" one ? ) . Both hosts have started hosting on AIRBNB this November, one has zero reviews and the other one has 2 automatic cancellation reviews. Their profile names seem to be business names but doing a Google search nothing comes up.
So is it normal for holiday- home agencies using AIRBNB as a platform for doing business on this scale ?
I am renting out our family holiday home that we inherited from my grandmother in 2011, although i do not live there fulltime at the moment it is a very personal space for me and filled with memories, that was exactly why i chose AIRBNB as the platform for hosting,i liked the idea of connecting with people from other countries and having them experience a place that i cherish so much. Hosting on AIRBNB has so far been a wonderfull adventure, we have helped a german guy with arranging his proposal to his girlfriend and had another german/ american couple stay as they where getting married in Denmark. I was just wondering if the future of AIRBNB includes all the big holiday agencies using this as an advertising channel and no real connection between owners and hosts? Might be a great economical choice but the thought makes me quite sad.
19 comments
Follow
Like
Delete
Hide
Clare
Clare8 hours ago
It is not unusual for vacation rental managing companies to list on Airbnb, sad but true. If you look at Honolulu, most listings are managed by companies, not the homeowner. That said, 144 listings sounds like a lot. Can you provide the URL for one of them. I'd like to take a look. Thanks!
Reply Like Delete
Kathrine
Kathrine7 hours ago
www.airbnb.dk/rooms/9729649?guests=1&s=cpPM-Rsd
Reply Like Delete
Kathrine
Kathrine7 hours ago
Thanks Clare, i had not seen it before on AIRBNB so i was a bit flustered. Hope the URL works
Reply Like Delete
Clare
Clare7 hours ago
Yes, the URL worked and I can see why you are uneasy about it. My gut says that it's a scam...$9,999 per night? Super Strict Cancellation Policy? And the spaces don't look like they're worth more than $200 per night. Plus the "host" doesn't have a verified id badge. And last, but not least, the 2 reviews are Airbnb's automated cancellation notices. I'm going to flag them...
Reply Like Delete
Clare
Clare7 hours ago
I flagged one of them... will follow up to see if it's still there in a couple of days.
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Kathrine
Kathrine7 hours ago
Thank you so much for taking the time to have a look... The nightly rate is just insane, we charge around $100 a night.
Clare
Clare7 hours ago
Well, yes! My guess is that if anyone is stupid enough to make a reservation, then wants to cancel, the "host" gets close to $5,000 under the Super Strict Cancellation Policy! Not bad. Even one or two across 144 listings could provide more income for nothing than I make in 6 months! It will be interesting to see what Airbnb does!
Reply Like Delete
Clare
Clare7 hours ago
Oh, and by the way, the "host's" domicile is INDIA!
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Kathrine
Kathrine6 hours ago
I hadn't even noticed that !!
Clare
Clare6 hours ago
Hey Katherine, here's another one: www.airbnb.com/rooms/9649121
This one has 104 listings! Same set up. Will flag depending on what Airbnb does with the first one.
Reply Like Delete
helga
helga5 hours ago
The price is so crazy: can this be a money laundering scheme?
Reply Like Delete
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Found another one in Germany. It's definitely some sort of scam. Don't think it's money laundering since one has to use a credit card to book. Credit cards are traceable. But I get your suspicion because of the $9,999. The one in Germany has 197 listings..with same set up.
Reply Like Delete
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Wait! Maybe the "guests" are using hacked credit cards! By cancelling, the host gets 50% or nearly $5,000. Whoopah!
Reply Like 2 replies Delete
helga
helga5 hours ago
The host gets paid only if the guest cancels. They have host cancellations on te listings.
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Yes, Helga, I saw that too and its a wrinkle in the theory, but they could have just been testing the system to see how it works.
Kathrine
Kathrine5 hours ago
At first i just thought they set the price so crazily high as a way of using the instabook feature to get more visibility in the search funktion, no one in their right mind would book at that price... But i must say " the plot thickens".....
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
helga
helga5 hours ago
What would they do with unused visibility. Guests won't write: I like your place can I book for 120 instead of 10 000?
Hassen
Hassen5 hours ago
And the host may benefit/be the guest who booked
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Yes, can't wait until tomorrow to see what Airbnb does. Katherine, I think you've really stumbled across something here. More convinced since I found 2 more hosts with all those listings. Stay tuned!
Reply Like 1 reply Delete
Kathrine
Kathrine5 hours ago
I will! SO curious to find out what its all about... A thing i don't get though.. Some of the properties have the exact adress written on the listing, where do they get the information from ?
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
OMG Hassen! Yes, it's the perfect scheme!
Reply Like Delete
Clare
Clare5 hours ago
Kathrine, this is the result of host's profiles being hacked, I'm sure. If you ever get an email purporting to be from Airbnb asking you to log in or respond in any way, don't do it. Here's some info: community.airbnb.com/t5/General-Hosting/Tips-on-avoiding-scams-and-fraud/m-p/7430#M1317
Reply Like Delete
Clare
Clare4 hours ago
Found another one! 297 listings.
Reply Like Delete
Andrew
Andrew3 hours ago
I encourage everyone to flag these profiles. They're quite obviously fraudulent, but it would be easy for an inexperienced Airbnb user to look at the listing and not realize that it's a fake. It's ludicrous that there's no maximum number of listings per profile, more so that there's no process by which a human vets a listing before it goes live. A proliferation of profiles like these will harm all of us, as they undermine the legitimacy of all listings and the trust that our business depends on.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Clare
Clare2 hours ago
Super Strict (30 and 60 day) settings are only allowed by Airbnb by invitation. So they must be aware of these listings.