I wish I had never heard of Airbnb!! With all of the identify theft happening in the world, they accumulate a data base of information surpassing none. I found an apartment in Paris titled “Montmarte With Love” and was all ready to rent. I attempted to book (side note-they don’t tell you ahead of time you will be paying the currency exchange) so I put my credit card information in their data base along with remitting a copy of both sides of my driver’s license, phone number and e mail. That was not enough. They wanted a Facebook, Google or LinkedIn account. I have none because I am a professional accountant and I see SO much identity theft and what people go through that I protect my information. They offered me the option of submitting a video saying I am who I am but their web site does not work and that didn’t go through so I wasted SO much time. They would not process my info and cancelled my request. I feel bad for the host because she probably lost the best renter she could ever have! It is impossible to contact Airbnb and now my information is stored in their database. I will be going to Paris and staying at a hotel like NORMAL people do. Their web site is so convoluted and all they do is advertise. I made a horrible mistake, but that is how we learn in life!!
Tag Archives: verification steps
Read this BEFORE you pay on Airbnb!
I was looking for accommodation via Airbnb so I completed all the verification steps as requested including email verification as well as mobile phone verification, I then got the ”pay now” message, and I paid. I then was allowed to book a place and I have done so. Then AFTER I booked the place and AFTER I paid for the place, surprisingly I got a ”just one more” verification process is required, a Drivers Licence – message. I followed instructions, tried to upload a pic of my Drivers Licence but couldn’t, I tried (as per instructions on the screen) to place in front of the Web cam and again could not do so – for four (4) hours. So basically I lost my money.
I googled the review section of Airbnb and looks like losing money and time and being ”transferred” to another agent/department and other horror stories from Airbnb is common. With me it is only money gone to the garbage bin, oh and half a day attempting to upload a picture of the Driver’s Licence. I am not against the DL verification, I am against asking for it AFTER the payment is done – this is where I lost my money, if the verification request had been BEFORE the payment, I would never have paid – oh and there is nobody to talk to, nobody to contact. Smart Airbnb, tricked me into this sh@#t/ So after posting this, they suddenly got back to me with ”regarding your offline ID, our system was unable to accept it because the image you uploaded was a mirror image of the ID” Well, first of all you are missing my point, why the payment was made BEFORE completion of the verification process, payment should be the very LAST thing to do. Hasn’t your Web Master heard the term ”process flow”?? Deliberately and intentionally placing additional processes and verifications especially those that not possible to fulfill AFTER payment is done clearly indicates to me that those verification steps are there to avoid providing the services – just grab the money and run. So I was robed inside my own house in broad day light!
In regard to the process itself, well the web message was to ”place the ID in FRONT of the web cam” – and you DELIBERATELY asked me to create a mirror image – which your web ”can’t read” – in one word it’s called a ”scam”! There was NO mention or error displayed at the time stating that the problem was ”MIRROR” imaging, the only message coming up was to place the Drivers Licence in front of the Web Cam and take a shot – which I did for 4 hours continuously. SCAM SCAM SCAM!
I don’t think the Australian Government should permit this sort of Internet Scam to operate and a draft letter to key parliament members is now finished and is about to be sent – I will be requesting to outlaw Airbnb – DO NOT DO ANY BUSINESS WITH AIRBNB – THEY COULD BE FORCED TO CLOSE ANY TIME NOW!!!!!!