I does happen. I’m not sure who they target or if it’s random but there was a surge of such inquires during the pandemic. I got 2 or 3.
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Thanks, good to know. Never had it happen in my previous STR. Now I’m aware. Just thought it rather scary that this person could maybe get into my personal information/bank account.
Was it obvious this was a scam when it happened to you?
Yes. But it was a certain boilerplate text, a foreign guest and a longer stay than usual.
Any message that wants to operate outside my normal rules (pay outside Airbnb, book partial on Airbnb, pay the rest cash, hold the place while guest does fill in the blank) puts me on alert. I have instant book and a certain typical kind of guest. So if someone messages me instead of just booking, for any reason other than they have a dog, that alone is unusual.
I’d post what their requests said but I flagged their accounts and Airbnb deleted them.
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The scammer wasn’t going to get access to your banking information.
This particular scam asks to pay you by check (usually their company pays), but the company sends a check for too much. They ask you to send them a check for the difference, but then the original check is found to be no good. You are out whatever you wrote them a check for.
This has been going around for many, many years.
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I am curious what specifically makes you see Booking.com as “dated”? They have so many bells & whistles like a hotel site, much more complex.
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