It's yet another tragedy of the commons. As AirBNB becomes more popular I expect this is going to happen more often. Unfortunately I think this is only going to have to happen a few more times before people start to seriously question the wisdom of inviting a relative stranger into their homes.
Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
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Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
#32This is not the first story like this I have heard about AirBnB. They have just done a good job keeping them hush hush and talking people out of going to the cops. Obviously stories like this are horrible for their reputation and AirBnB have a big incentive to try and take care of issues on their own.
Have you any links for this? Those sound like pretty big accusations to be making without citations.
No links. Just first hand stories from people I trust.
Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
#33Always bound to happen. Up next, the host who fits spycams in his shower and posts pics of his naked visitors to porn sites.
Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
#34Sorry for you.But,this post has brought to light some serious loopholes with Airbnb. Now its up to them to come up with a fix for these kind of issues not to repeat. Probably they need to do some background checks,referrals,FB connections,SSNs etc. Its a lesson for any host also to ensure that they keep their personal things safe before renting it out.
Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
#35After someone has copies of your passport, birth certificate, social security card, etc, what do you even do? Isn't your identity compromised forever?
Not really. Often copies or stolen birth certificates, SS cards, and passports are sold to forgers that can use them to make fake passports and identities. So it isn't to necessarily impersonate you (although it can be used for that).
You can get a new SS number, and you can get a new passport which makes the old ones null - but as far as a birth certificate goes - I'm not too privy on the security features of those documents. I do know though that they are rarely used to impersonate and more often used as forgery material.
(please correct me if I'm wrong)
Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
#36This is not the first story like this I have heard about AirBnB. They have just done a good job keeping them hush hush and talking people out of going to the cops. Obviously stories like this are horrible for their reputation and AirBnB have a big incentive to try and take care of issues on their own.
Have you any links for this? Those sound like pretty big accusations to be making without citations.
If there were links, wouldn't that disprove his point?
Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
#37AirBnB can be used without issues if you own a property and you're willing to operate it like a hotel: you're present on the premises to check in the guests, you have a room or a reception-like place from where you can monitor the situation, and you're able to inspect the place when they leave. Operating a property remotely via AirBnB implies all sorts of risks, which makes me think that it might be an unsustainable…
Um, this is incorrect. Hotels are vandalized all the time... having a "reception-like place from where you can monitor the situation", and "inspect[ing] the place when they leave" doesn't prevent people from trashing your room/apt.
It sounds like the person who trashed the OP's apartment /enjoyed/ trashing it -- it didn't sound like someone inconsiderate, or in a hurry; it sounded like someone who deliberately and knowingly ruined the place. The security measures you suggest won't stop that sort of attacker.
Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
#38It is unfortunate that stories like that could really harm AirBnB's reputation. I am sure that there are plenty of vacation rental stories of people trashing and burglarizing properties, but the difference is that this was not a vacation rental. I hope that thieves do not make a trend of preying on AirBnB hosts to gain access to their private residences.
AirBnB's policy of "disallowing the exchange of personal contact information until the point in which a reservation is already confirmed and paid for" seems like it makes this kind of story inevitable.
Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
#39I cannot believe he did not meet them in person first. And left valuable things behind. edit: or she..
1. Sounds like a fairly thorough email screening happened
2. Locked closet
Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned
#40This sort of thing is bound to happen when you have helped over 1 million stays between two people who are usually strangers. I think what's more impressive is how long it took for something this big and this public to happen. Human beings act in strange ways and you take a risk anytime you interact with one. I feel awful that this happened to this woman but I don't think it means Airbnb has a flawed business model or needs to dramatically change the way they sign up users.