Company Details
AirBNB
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AirBNB Summary
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Information about AirBNB was first submitted to Scambook on Apr 29, 2014. Since then the page has accumulated 55 consumer complaints. On average users reported $4997.47 of damages. Scambook's investigation team reached out to this company a total of 10 times, Scambook Investigators last contacted them on Sep 10, 2013.
Company Information
- Address:
- 99 Rhode Island St
- Floor 2
- San Francisco CA 94103-5233
- Website:http://www.airbnb.com
- Phone:(415) 800-5959, (855) 424-7262
- Email:
- Additional Employees:
- Brian Chesky CEO
- Nathan Blecharczyk CTO
- Joe Gebbia CPO
- Outdated Info? Add company information suggestion
- This Company Page started on April 29th, 2014.
- Is This Your Business?
Company Rating
Company Statistics
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Complaints Unresolved
55
- Unresolved Reported Damage $274,861.03
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When I went to my bank to report the fraud they told me that when you don an international bank transfer, all thatt matters is the bank account number - there is no check on the account holder name, so it could be that the "Airbnb" name is not even that used to open the bank account with Barclays.
Yet I am shocked that
A) This is a such an elaborate scam that Airbnb does not show specific warnings on their website - I think they are not doing it to scare people off to use Airbnb at all
B) Barclays bank is possibly co-defendent in this case since this is a case of a client who acts criminally using their bank. When you open a bank account in the UK, they must do a thorough KYC Know Your Customer check. They are possibly liable if they did not do it.
I am based in Germany, where are all the other victims based? Is there anyone based in the UK to help deal with the Barclays side of things?
I really think we have a possible class action suit in sight if only we are ready to spend the time, the energy, and the money on it.
If I get a sense of how many people got scammed into this, we should think of creating a user group on FB for example.
Comments welcome.
Here is the reply from Airbnb
"My name is xxx and I am a member of the Trust and Safety Team here at Airbnb. We are truly sorry that you encountered a host using Airbnb improperly. Under no circumstances should you proceed with this reservation or contacting this host, for that matter. We have removed their profile from our site.
I see that, after responding to the host’s request to communicate via a private, external web address, you transmitted payment via bank transfer. We urge you to contact your banking institution and halt this transfer, if at all possible. All legitimate payments on Airbnb will take place on our website. You should not receive a paper or PDF invoice from a host asking you for payment (...)"
This is what I further replied
"1. There was never any external website. The fraudulent host used yours, Airbnb.
2. I did contact the host by email as it is the policy from Airbnb to do so to to confirm availability of the property.
3. The (fraudulent) host told me to wait for an email from Airbnb with payment instructions.
4. I received an email from Airbnb.com with payment instructions to a legitimate Barclays account in London with the account holder being Airbnb.
I see the following security breaches
1. The fraudulent host can send email from your Airbnb mail server.
2. Barclays bank is having a client with the same name as yours, which is an International brand
3. You should be working hand in hand with Barclays now to make sure all their accounts under your name are blocked, sealed and available to refund the victims"
I am seeing my lawyer after the New Year and we sould think of the next steps.
Now i suggest you take the following steps urgently (i did them at least):
1. Call YOUR bank and inform that you are scammed and that they have to inform Barclay bank immediately that their account is used by criminals! And that you want to cancel your payment. You normally have 30 days officially to get a payment back. Put as much pressure on your bank and maybe ask if someone knows someone high positioned in your bank to speed up their internal process.
2. Since you paid to a UK account report the fraud to the UK Fraud Intelligence Bureau ik UK - Its UK police:
http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
3. Contact your local Police and file a report maybe you are insured.
4. Do not accept that Airbnb replies and say that there is nothing they can do. DONT STOP until you have their support! Write on facebook, write on other complaint website, inform the whole world about what happenend. We need to start warning people because Airbnb doesnt do that themselves. Today i found much more scammers on their website, so this business is still going on!
Now, some questions: Did you have contact with the host by sms or phone? Did you double check in accomodation exists? Did you pay by credit card or bank transfer?
I wish you all the luck, dont give up for trying to either get money back from Bank or Airbnb. Maybe take a lawyer? Maybe then Airbnb will help you?
And yes, next time, NEVER pay anything over bank transfer, use credit card so that you are insured. Never book anything online from a host that has NO references or proof to be a real person. Its a hard lesson i had to learn :( :(
Is there ANYTHING we can do to recoup this money? Why can't bank go after the bank this was transferred to?
Here's the e-mail that duped us (and AirBnB takes no responsibility for other people using their site to fraud others)
From: "Airbnb" <[email protected]>
Date: November 29, 2012, 2:31:45 PM EST
To: ---
Subject: Reservation confirmed -Brie Miranda Bryant- Stunning Ocean View
Reply-To: [email protected]
Sign In
Hello --,
You’re going to Phuket, Thailand ! Please review your trip details below and contact your host, Joanne Baylis immediately to confirm the payment. We have approved this transaction and we are offering you full protection.
Thanks for using Airbnb
Itinerary
CONFIRMATION CODE: NSPBCC
December 30
2012
Flexible check in time
Check In
January 2
2013
Flexible check out time
Check Out
3
Nights
5/6
Guests
Stunning Ocean View
Payment
Payment of 3.187,00 USD must be sent by bank transfer.Required payment details for this transaction:
Amount: 3.187,00 USD
Amount Insured: 3.187,00 USD
ACCOUNT:AIRBNB INC
BANK NAME : BARCLAYS BANK PLC
SORT CODE: 20 29 41
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 33 57 73 41
IBAN: GB47BARC20294133577341
SWIFT CODE/BIC (Bank Identifier Code): BARCGB21XXX
HOLDER ADDRESS: 8, Fairfields Crescent, The Hyde, London, NW9 0PS ,United Kingdom
BANK ADDRESS: 1 The Broadway, Stanmore, Middx, HA7 4DB ,United Kingdom
The payment must be made within 24 hours. In opposite case, your reservation request will expire.
Once the payment was sent, email the host at [email protected] with the following information:
1) Scanned copy of the receipt;
2) Amount and exact time the wire was made.
Cancellation Policy
Strict: 100% refund up until 1 week prior to arrival, except fees.
ACCOMMODATIONS
3.000,00 USD
AIRBNB SERVICE FEE 187.00 USD
AIRBNB CONCIERGEBETAPREMIUM GUEST SERVICES
Free
TOTAL
I have no been victim, like yourself I wish I saw this website before I was stupid enough to be reeled in. I'm devasted! Ive lost £2700. How did your husband get on with claiming back the money?
Kind regards Emma
I think it would be a really good idea that we all step together and demand rights from Barcley, from police, from Airbnb. Maybe together we can achieve something, but this money is something we will not see again i believe;(
This Comment was edited by the System Administrator for listing personal information. For a full list of our Terms of Service, please visit: Terms and Conditions
This Comment was edited by the System Administrator for listing personal information. For a full list of our Terms of Service, please visit: Terms and Conditions
This Comment was edited by the System Administrator for listing personal information. For a full list of our Terms of Service, please visit: Terms and Conditions