AirBNB
Queja 192651 Detalles

We were also victim of the already many times mentioned type of AirBNB frauds and scams. A beautifull apartment in New York for 10 days was on the website. We started to exchange the usual information, ON the AirBNB website. Then the "apartment owner" gave his Email address, and told us the details. Very soon after that we received an automated mail:

Payment

Payment of 3.021.00 $ must be sent by bank transfer. Required payment details for this transaction:
Amount Insured: 3.021.00 $
ACCOUNT: Air Bnb London
BANK: Barclays Bank Plc (All U.K Offices)
ADDRESS: 2 Victoria Street, Westminster London, SW1H 0ND
Sortcode 20-92-63
Account No 03483657
BAN GB63 BARC 209263 03483657
SWIFT CODE/BIC (Bank Identifier Code): BARCGB22
The payment must be made within 24 hours. In opposite case, your reservation request will expire.
Once the payment is sent, email the host at [email protected] the following information:
1) A scanned copy of the wire transfer and/or the receipt:
2) Total amount of wire transfer and the date when the wire was initiated:


We did the payment, and upon arriving in New York, the phone did not reply, and we were without apartment and 3100 US$ loss.
AirBNB helpdesk "did not find anything", although they must have had traces of this apartment in their system!

Back, I googled this apartment, it is an existing apartment, coming from another website. The sad thing is that with this apartment it is visible the fraud already appeared multiple times: (Google)


1. Manhattan-2 Bedroom Apartment in New York
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/804536
This apartment is at 6th Ave. & 32nd Street in a stunning new apartment building. It islocated just one block from Penn Station, a short walk from... ... It is located just one block from Penn Station, a short walk from Macy's, Madison Square ...

2. 2 Bedroom Apartment-Manhattan in New York
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/811805
This apartment is at 6th Ave. & 32nd Street in a stunning new apartment building. It islocated just one block from Penn Station, a short walk from... ... It is located just one block from Penn Station, a short walk from Macy's, Madison Square ...

So I thought, ok just ask what they have from this apartment. Obviously theu do zero checks, even this one is very basic, like was there a previous fraud with this apartment...

Answer from Airbnb:

Our apologies for the delay. Any user that would like information would have to request it in writing. We are based in California and we require any civil subpoena to be domesticated in CA and service to be made consistent with CA law. Our address is 99 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. We are sincerely sorry that this happened to you. This is not what Airbnb is about and we are continuing our investigation into this type of fraud.

This answer cama only after I started to complain that I continue to receive automated answers from them with "Safety Tips".

The story is simple, AirBNB does not check what is on the site, they do not take any responsibility for it, and if you ask for the info they should have (I am sure not), they start talking about a California subpoena.

Do not use this site! It is not safe.