Tips for Steering Clear of Airbnb Scams and Finding Genuine Vacation Rentals Online

In a perfect world, vacations would flow effortlessly, from snagging a budget-friendly flight to enjoying a picturesque hotel or vacation rental with a comfy mattress. Yet, seasoned travelers know this isn’t always the case. Weather, technical glitches, or political turmoil can throw a wrench in plans. Sometimes, you may even encounter a sophisticated scam. There are subtle ones, like misleading TripAdvisor reviews nudging you toward a mediocre restaurant, and serious ones, such as hacking your frequent flyer account to swipe your miles. The worst case? Arriving to find your vacation rental doesn’t exist, leaving you stranded and potentially losing hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

In October 2019, Allie Conti, a former Vice staff writer, shared her story on Vice.com about being ensnared in an Airbnb scam, resulting in her recovering only $399 of the $1,221 she spent on a listing she never saw. Just moments before checking into a Chicago apartment, her host called to say there were plumbing problems at the original listing but offered her another property he managed. After agreeing, she discovered the new place was more of a 'flophouse' than a home and opted to stay in a hotel instead. That same month, CNN reported a British couple losing nearly $12,000 for a nonexistent two-week stay in Ibiza, where someone had simply stitched together images from a condo complex’s website for the fraudulent listing.

Following these incidents, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky announced a new Rebooking and Refund Policy along with a verification system for hosts and homes in November 2019. Chesky described this initiative as 'the most significant steps in designing trust on our platform since our original design in 2008' in an all-staff email to the press and a post on Twitter (now X).

A company post on the same platform emphasized, 'The trust of our community remains our top priority. We’re implementing measures to enhance trust on our platform, including the Airbnb Guest Guarantee, a 24/7 neighbor hotline, and our goal of 100% verification of all homes by 12/15/20.'

In 2022, the company expanded the verification requirement to all users, whether hosting or booking, mandating a photo ID, legal name, address, and in some cases, an additional selfie. As outlined on the webpage, 'We implement measures to ensure that everyone feels secure knowing that guests and hosts on Airbnb are authentic. That’s why we have systems in place to verify our users’ identities.'

While Airbnb doesn’t disclose the precise percentage of fraudulent listings, it claims that fraudulent issues 'are incredibly rare' among the millions of guests who check into Airbnb each night. Meanwhile, Vrbo, a part of the Expedia Group which also owns HomeAway, asserts that it keeps fraud rates 'closer to zero than 1 percent of all bookings' by employing a combination of technology and human review to identify fraudulent listings.

Nonetheless, here are some tips to ensure that the vacation rental you’re booking is legitimate, along with details about Airbnb’s guest guarantee system.

Reserve a pre-approved home

The vetting and verification process for most online rental homes is relatively basic, placing the responsibility on travelers to report fraudulent listings to the platforms. In response to issues highlighted in 2019, Airbnb pledged to verify all 7 million listings on its platform by December 15, 2020. According to a statement released to the press on November 6, 2019, every home and host was to be verified by Airbnb for 'accuracy of the listing (including photos, addresses, and details) and quality standards (including cleanliness, safety, and essential home amenities).'

Instead of relying solely on in-person inspections by Airbnb, this verification process is 'essentially a blend of company oversight and community involvement. We will leverage technology and the insights of guests to establish a competency score,' Chesky stated at the New York Times’ DealBook conference in November 2019.

You can currently check if a host’s identity has been verified by Airbnb on their user profile page. However, it remains unclear from a listing’s page whether it has received official verification from Airbnb. The company did not respond promptly to inquiries about whether all listings had been verified by its self-imposed December 2020 deadline.

For homes that have undergone an in-person vetting and verification process, consider premium options like Airbnb Plus and Airbnb Luxe, or the external company Onefinestay, which features high-end rental homes managed by Accor Hotels. Properties must be inspected in person by representatives from these services for quality and comfort before being designated as Airbnb Plus or Luxe, or included in Onefinestay’s exclusive collections. According to Onefinestay, only 1 in 10 homes meets the criteria. While affordable options may be limited in these collections, you can book with assurance that the listings are legitimate and guaranteed for cleanliness.

Review the host’s profile

Airbnb verifies both hosts and guests through various means, including government IDs, email addresses, and phone numbers. Always check the host’s profile to ensure they have uploaded these documents, which can be found on the left side of their profile page. Airbnb states on its website that 'completing this process isn’t an endorsement of any host or guest, a guarantee of identity, or an assurance of safety in interactions.' However, it's less likely that scammers would leave a trace with their real names and IDs on Airbnb, making verification a positive sign.

A positive indicator is the presence of a Superhost badge on Airbnb, signifying that the host has maintained an exceptional rating of 4.8 or higher out of 5, completed at least 10 stays in the previous year, boasts a cancellation rate of under 1 percent, and responds to new messages within 24 hours at a rate of 90 percent. Similarly, Vrbo and HomeAway offer a reliability system called 'Premium Partner' for dependable hosts.

In 2023, Airbnb rolled out a new feature called the Host Passport, allowing guests to learn more about their hosts. This feature, visible on Airbnb Rooms listings where travelers share a home with the resident, provides a detailed biography to help guests gauge compatibility with their hosts. Besides essential information such as their birth decade, pet ownership, and spoken languages, the Host Passport also includes quirky details like their favorite high school song and what title they would choose for their autobiography.

Examine the reviews

It’s advisable to select a listing that boasts all positive reviews from past guests to ensure it’s accurately represented online. If a property lacks reviews or has several negative ones, it’s wise to avoid it. In addition to checking the reviews, ensure that the Airbnb you’re considering meets the following criteria before making a booking to guarantee it’s a quality option:

• Managed by a Superhost
• An overall rating of 4.90 or higher
• A flawless 5.0 cleanliness score

Fortunately, we’ve curated a selection of our favorite destinations for you. All the Airbnbs featured in the following roundups on Dinogo meet the previous criteria at the time of publication:

• 23 Cozy Airbnb Cabins Perfect for a Tranquil Escape
• 14 Airbnbs You’ll Want to Reserve Just for the Pool
• 11 Best Airbnbs for Stargazing Equipped with Glass Roofs, Telescopes, and More
• 8 Airbnbs in Sedona for Your Desert Getaway

Ensure the listing isn’t too good to be true

A five-bedroom penthouse in New York City for just $100 a night? That’s likely not legitimate. To assess how a listing’s price stacks up against nearby options, scroll through the results or navigate the map to compare prices in the same neighborhood during the same timeframe.

If you’re still uncertain, perform a reverse Google image search to check if the listing’s photos appear on stock image sites—a clear indication that the property may not exist. To do this, visit images.google.com and click the camera icon next to the search bar to upload the photo in question (or drag images directly from your desktop into the search field). If it matches other images online, you’ll see the source from which the photo was likely taken.

Avoid contacting the host outside the vacation rental platform before confirming your booking

It's essential to reach out to the host before booking to ask relevant questions and assess their demeanor (for instance, are they okay with kids or do they seem overly strict?). However, ensure all communication is conducted via the platform’s secure messaging system in the app or on the website. After booking, it's also wise to keep discussions within the app to manage check-in and stay connected during your trip if any issues arise.

Do not share your email address or phone number with the host until your booking is confirmed. If the listing requests that you email or call the host directly to secure your booking, consider it a warning sign. One common scam involves fake hosts providing links to other 'listings' they supposedly manage on look-alike sites that aren’t actually Airbnb (more on this below). Keeping all communications within Airbnb’s platform ensures that outside links are blocked, minimizing your risk.

Ensure you’re on the official airbnb.com (or vrbo.com, etc.)

Before finalizing any booking, carefully examine the URL you’re using. Numerous scam websites mimic the genuine ones but are not authentic. Confirm that you’re actually visiting https://www.airbnb.com or a specific country URL like https://es.airbnb.com or https://it.airbnb.com if you're browsing internationally.

According to Airbnb’s website, 'If you click a link that directs you to a page resembling Airbnb but doesn’t begin with this address, it’s a fraudulent site, and you should exit immediately.' The site also provides a list of valid email domains from which you might receive correspondence.

You can also download the Airbnb app to book directly, reducing the risk of encountering scams.

Avoid making payments in cash or via Venmo

Always make reservations using a credit or debit card through the rental platform’s website. If a host requests payment outside of the Airbnb or Vrbo site or app via cash, wire transfer, bank transfer, or Venmo, it’s likely a scam.

According to Airbnb, 'With few exceptions, the entire cost of your reservation is collected by Airbnb. If you paid any portion outside of Airbnb, it could be fraudulent.' They add, 'These fees must be clearly stated in the listing description and included in the price breakdown before booking, typically charged before your stay, at check-in, or within 48 hours after checkout.' Exceptions might include security deposits, resort fees, incidental charges like parking, and local occupancy taxes.

Vrbo emphasizes that the safest method to book a vacation rental is by paying directly through its website.

'Paying directly through the Vrbo site protects you against fraudulent activities,' stated Melanie Fish, Vrbo’s travel expert, in an interview with Dinogo.

If your host requests payment outside the platform or through another service, report it immediately to the company. On Airbnb, there’s a small 'flag' icon on each message sent through Airbnb.com that allows you to report suspicious communications. You can contact Vrbo directly through help.vrbo.com.

Understand your rights

In the unfortunate event that you fall victim to a scam on a vacation rental site, here’s what you need to be aware of.

Travelers who book through Vrbo and HomeAway are safeguarded by their Book with Confidence Guarantee. When you reserve through these platforms, you gain access to 24/7 customer service for assistance with:

• Protection against payment fraud
• Access to the property if the host is unresponsive or missing
• Help with rebooking if your reservation is unjustly canceled at the last minute by an owner or manager, or if it was significantly misrepresented
• Security deposit protection to assist in recovering a wrongfully held deposit
• Additional customer service for any issues or inquiries related to your stay

Airbnb’s Guest Refund Policy, which was launched on December 15, 2019, addresses travel-related issues, including:

• Reservations canceled just prior to the intended start date
• A host not granting access to the property
• A listing that significantly misrepresents the size, location, special features such as pools, and whether the booking is for an entire home, private room, or shared space, as well as if another party, including the host, will be present during your stay
• A property that is unclean, poses safety or health risks, or has undisclosed pests or pets

If you bring any of these concerns to Airbnb’s attention, they may, at their discretion, either refund the amount you paid through their platform or assist you in finding and booking comparable or better accommodations for any remaining unused nights of your stay.

This article was first published in 2019 and was last updated in 2023 with the latest information.