But overall airbnb has been an overwhelming positive experience.
This sounds horrifying. You were so brave! I wonder how many others have tried to pull this same trick and have gotten away with it?
But overall airbnb has been an overwhelming positive experience.
Wow, what a story, thanks for warning. Did you call police? They could be arrested for trespassing. I don’t under stand his they didnt think that someone else’s could book appartment right aftre they cancelled
Sorry, that is horrific. Another reason too turn InstaBook off, and screen every single booking yourself.
omg…
Thank you for telling us your story. Please, could you tell us how did those men leave your place? Have you called to police?
Once they realized I was the owner they made off quite fast, they were no aggressive just kept blaming airbnb for the mistake but it was obvious they realized they should not be there. It was a kind of rabbit in the headlights moment for them. It could have been a lot worse but I would have called the police if I felt threatened in any way.
Thanks for sharing this! So the guests initially made an instant book, but Airbnb detected some kind of fraudulent activity was happening? Did they detect a fraudulent card was being used so decided to refund?
So glad no one was hurt. Do you have three apartments? - One you live in, one the girl was staying in, and the one the four men were partying in?
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Holy crap… I’m a single woman renting out two rooms in her home, I use instantbook… this story utterly terrifies me!! So these guys got access to your house because the manual had entry codes in it? Trying to think if I have any vulnerability for something similar… I always give key information directly to guests prior to their arrival, maybe that helps. Good grief.
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I think they are targeting empty apartments gimbha. i hardly think they are planning to turn up and party hard in rooms in your home while you’re up there trying to sleep 
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The thing I find weird is the fact that they were in their underwear. Who parties in their undies?
But sorry to hear about this invasion Ben. I bet that was quite a fright. I do believe that criminals will find many ways to exploit airbnb, and we are just at the tip of the iceberg as it comes into the awareness of the mainstream public. Obviously this is something you could never have seen coming. Sharing it here is a good way to alert people to the scam though.
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Yeah, I thought the same thing about the underwear. Were these tightie whities or all of them sitting around in their boxers with no shirts on? The former would just be plain creepy!
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Wow, im sitting here in complete shock and the pit of my stomach is turning - this is very scary! this time it turned out ok but as a woman i couldve been easily over powered! so the take aways here are not use insta book (airbnb notified me that my place was eligible and i declined on a whim -thk god!) and no publishing of codes in house rules? i’ve been giving my wifi code via email, should i not? also, i will be using a lock box soon and i was thinking about just giving them the code right before they check in (after paid and transaction has gone through.
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I never use instant book, because I don’t want psychos in my house. Even so, if I were I would be pissed as hell that my information had been revealed when a transaction hadn’t gone through. What the heck kind of glitch is that? Crazy.
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Ben_Way - Wow oh wow, please keep us updated on how this turns out. And thanks for the warning.
I actually had a dream the other night that I came home from church to find multiple rooms in my home (that I don’t have in reality) FILLED with sleeping Russians - rows of and rows of cots of Russians. The ring-leader handed me a stack of Russian currency. I was telling her everyone had to go, etc., that they did not have a reservation, and she kept handing me Russian currency (which in the dream I knew was worthless). Finally they all packed up to go. In the dream I remembered that I’d read of a scam that people find out where airbnb places are and then crash them. I asked the ring leader how they knew what houses had airbnb rooms and she said she just followed people walking with the 'little wheelie suitcases".
When I woke up I thought it was weird I’d dreamed there was a scam, but now, in a way, here it is - someone booking and getting the address and then showing up.
btw - this dream is in no way intended to offend any people from Russia - I’ve had guests from Russia and they were wonderful, wonderful guests. Nor do I mean to offend Russian currency - it was a dream!
Thanks again, Ben_Way - do keep us posted with how it goes getting it resolved.
(So, they came into the apartment where you were sleeping, and had gotten down to their underwear and were smoking and you slept through it? Trying to get it right in my mind).
But overall airbnb has been an overwhelming positive experience.
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Ben, good reason to turn it off and keep it off. The disadvantages far outweigh the pluses!