Recently Malaysians have been going travelling almost every weekend with their families after being stuck in their homes for the past two year. With number of cars on the road, there’s no doubt that hotels, homestays and Airbnbs around Malaysia are fully booked and earning again after so long.
It is good to see their businesses booming again but the bad thing is that people are using this period to scam travelers who are looking for a place to stay.
Recently, a family member of mine booked an Airbnb and even paid for it. Then, on the day they were heading to the location, they contacted the Airbnb host to get the address to the property, but the host was unreachable. Phone switched off, no reply on Whatsapp and even email.
Thankfully Airbnb agreed to refund the money in full, but my family members were stranded in a different city with no place to stay for the night.
When things like this happen, you realise that you’re properly not the only one in this kind of situation. There are probably others too who have been scammed by Airbnb hosts.
So, here are some tips to avoid getting scammed by Airbnb hosts:
1. Make sure on you’re on the right website
If your intention is to book an Airbnb then make sure you go directly to the Airbnb site or app. Avoid using any third party apps to book an Airbnb stay. This is their website: https://www.airbnb.com/
Always double check the url and make sure that there isn’t any random alphabet or number in it that isn’t supposed to be there.
2. If it’s too good to be true then maybe skip it
So, you’re looking for a property to rent for the weekend and find a beachside property with private pool, bathtubs, 6 rooms, projector for movies and even a jacuzzi for only RM 260 a night. Should you book it? I’d say skip it!
How can someone list a property with that many facilities and in a good location for only RM 260? It is too good to be true. Sometimes, it is true la but it is always better to be safe rather than sorry.
3. Read the reviews
If you’ve found a listing that you think is perfect for you, always remember to read the reviews first before booking.
The hosts can make the photos and property sound and look as pretty as possible but only someone who has actually visited the property and dealt with the owners will be able to give you a proper account of the reality of the situation.
Go through the reviews, bad and good, and then make your choice.
However, be careful of listing with only a few vague and short reviews. Some hosts use fake accounts to write fake reviews about their property.
4. Take time to read and understand Airbnb’s terms and policies on refunds and cancellations
Before booking any stay, go through Airbnb’s terms for guests and if you have time, read a little about what is expected from the hosts and what rights your have as a customer.
You can easily do that, by clicking on this link.
This information might come in handy if you are cheated or scammed by your Airbnb host. Knowing your right and knowing what a host is supposed to provide will ensure that you can get what you’re supposed to get in the situation.
5. Properly check your host
Before clicking on the reserve, visit your host’s Airbnb profile. If they are a superhost, then it is definitely a good sign. It means that they’ve maintained consistently high ratings at 4.8 or more out of 5, completed at least 10 stays in the past year, have a cancellation rate of less than 1 percent, and have a 90 percent response rate to new messages within 24 hours.
Airbnb verifies users (both hosts and guests) through government IDs, email addresses, and phone numbers. Click on the hosts photo and it will take you to the host’s profile then, look at the left side of the profile to make sure that the host has uploaded these things.
6. Do not make contact or payments outside the Airbnb site
Airbnb has a strict policy forbidding hosts from contacting customer and vice versa on any other app or platform besides Airbnb. Try not to share your private information like phone number, address and even email address to the host.
You can do everything from asking questions to your hosts and paying for your stay through the Airbnb platform. So, if a host is asking you to pay the money directly to their bank account then that is a huge red flag.
Also never pay in cash! There will be no proof of your payment!
7. After booking your stay, keep in contact with the host
To be on the safe side, always contact your hosts through the app even after you’ve boked the property. Contact them again a few days before your stay and again the night before your stay to confirm that everything is in order, if they suddenly don’t reply at all, then you can immediately contact Airbnb and inform them about the situation so that action can be taken immediately.
Also, on the day of your stay, contact your hosts and inform them when you’re leaving to go to the property, when you’ve reached and also after your stay when you’re checking out.
Happy Travels! Stay safe and follow all the SOPs!
