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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

#61

Post by wisty »

VladRussian wrote: post #58
dlss wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 kn…

>Um, this is incorrect. Hotels are vandalized all the time... that is the point why they take down your credit card data before giving you the keys. Your vandalizing after that is just an entertainment your card will be charged for. >The security measures you suggest won't stop that sort of attacker. so you think the attacker has perfect credit history and there is absolutely no sense in checking it?

I'd expect they used a stolen card (or a stolen card number, more likely). There's almost no way anyone could be stupid enough to do that with their own card.

Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned

#62

Post by darklajid »

prof wrote: post #8

I cannot believe he did not meet them in person first. And left valuable things behind. edit: or she..

How is that relevant? Apart from the fact that valuables were locked in, I don't get the point:

- You cannot take everything with you, you have to leave stuff at your _home_ (all the documents mentioned for example).

- I won't try to claim that I can speak for the author, but I'd guess that the valuables lost are less a problem. The violation/emotional troubles seem to be worse.

- Giving the nature of the destruction (it seems so much on purpose, so carefully done) I don't even know if 'did not meet them in person first' would've helped. At least the author would recognize these guys again on the street, but I don't believe that it is proven that you would've sensed something that wrong.. It kind of reads like someone enjoyed a dark fetish by destroying random stuff.

Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned

#63

Post by speckledjim »

wisty wrote: post #61
VladRussian wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Um, this is incorrect. Hotels are vandalized all the time... that is the point why they take down your credit card data before giving you the keys. Your vandalizing after that is just an entertainment your card will be charged for. >The security measures you suggest won't stop that sort of attacker. so you think the attacker has perfect credit history and there is absolutely no sense in checking it?

I'd expect they used a stolen card (or a stolen card number, more likely). There's almost no way anyone could be stupid enough to do that with their own card.

Probably a stolen card from their last airbnb rental/trash/steal creditcards.

Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned

#64

Post by benmccann »

_cbsz wrote: post #6
justhw wrote: post #4

She trusted them and left for the weekend?

That struck me as odd too -- is this a normal use case for airbnb?

Yeah. The one time I used it, my brother sent a phtocopy of his driver's license to the apartment owner and she sent him the keys in the mail. I was a little nervous about it all working out, but all the hotels in the area were booked or were $600+/night. It ended up being a pretty good experience for us, but it did require both sides to be pretty trusting.

Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned

#65

Post by wisty »

morganwarstler wrote: post #42

Airbnb should willingly do MORE to verify users than CarFax, Paypal, Facebook, etc. Screw your bizmodel. Run a credit and criminal background check - and charge 4%.

Simple - first time users submit scan of a photo ID, and a picture of themselves. AirBnB checks the ID, and publishes the photo. After booking, the owner can use Skype to see if they match the photo.

Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned

#66

Post by dools »

"I certainly cannot and do not blame the agency for what has occurred. If anything, I blame myself"

Yeah no shit. You let strangers stay in your house for a week and all your valuables were still in the apartment?

I guess Airbnb could have a "safety" section but this type of warning would be similar to the "Caution! Hot!" they're forced to put on coffee cup lids now.

Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned

#67

Post by prawn »

Looks like a couple of reporters have already hit the comments area looking for more info for a story. It goes far, far beyond a basic theft or incident of vandalism and could easily blow up internationally and do a great deal of damage to the AirBnB brand.

I don't know the blogger in any way at all, but have to admit that my first thought was to wonder if this might've been arranged by a competing industry or service at all. Sounds a bit over the top to be a pre-conceived plan though. Doubt various hotel associations would be desperately unhappy to see this story though, you have to admit.

Between Google and AirBnB, I'm sure the police could have IP addresses of the perpetrator(s) and track them down unless they were particularly smart (and if they are particularly smart, they'd be picking bigger targets...).

Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned

#68

Post by imaverickk2 »

It begs the question, what would be a good verification system for online identities so that sites like AirBnB can leverage? Also, will your property insurance cover this or would this be considered albeit rightly to some extent a carelessness on your part. Come to think of it, like any other insurance industry, providing insurance (dedicated?) for such people for an additional X% wouldn't be a bad start - though it might need more volume for it to be profitable.

Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned

#69

Post by mbreese »

Luyt wrote: post #13

How is this: "... emphasize that the customer service team at airbnb.com has been wonderful..." reconcilable with this: "...My next call was to airbnb.com - I tried their "urgent" line, their email address, their general customer support line. I heard nothing - no response whatsoever - until the following day, 14 sleepless hours later, and only after a desperate call to an airbnb.com freelancer I happen to know helpe…

Customer service was apparently wonderful... after they were able to get ahold of them.

One of their suggestions was that airbnb add immediately a 24/7 customer service line, which would have fixed the initial delay.

Re: Violated: A traveler’s lost faith, a difficult lesson learned

#70

Post by Creyels »

I like the (security) services offered by Onefinestay http://www.onefinestay.com/hosts

Everyday someone checks your home and cleans it.

Additionaly they actually turn your home into a more hotel-like experience - so guests are provided with towels etc. At least for higher priced accomodations a good choice.

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