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I just realized that “Identity Verified” does not mean ABNB actually required guest to upload an ID. This is the least they do and maybe all that they do. We have no idea who actually created the profile.
" Legal name and address
When we ask for your legal name and address, please provide the first and last name you see on utility bills (like your electric bill). Airbnb works with third-party databases that collect info like this. These databases help confirm that you’re really you.
Yep. Been that way from Day1. What they really mean is “data (true or false) collected”. Didn’t you remember giving your own data to them to create your account?? There is no required scan of an ID, just what you write.
One of our house rules is that we have the right to require identification for anyone that stays in our home. We don’t usually ask them for it, but it’s there in case something seems odd.
Our Airbnb fees would more than likely be a lot higher if identities were verified. As @KenH says, it’s been that way from day one.
This sounds so strange. When I verified my ID, I had to send in 2 different pieces of identification. My cousin had a lot of trouble getting her ID verified because she had changed her quite dramatically after her driver’s license photo. I often assist new users in getting their IDs verified and they always mention something about scanning IDs and taking photos. There’s always someone on reddit complaining that the photos didn’t match well enough and that Airbnb is making hard to verify their ID.
That is true when I created my account, but years later I was cued to verify my ID and that’s when I had to take photos and scan in different forms of identification. My profile did not say verified ID until I did all of that. Does your profile say verified ID but you haven’t done the photos and ID stuff?
“Verified Government ID” is a form of identify verification that Airbnb has, but “Identity Verified” does not necessarily mean that a guest provided their government ID. They’re doing verification automatically through data mining. Airbnb has changed the terminology in the profiles and it’s intentionally vague. As far as I can tell, the setting that allowed hosts to require verified government ID for instant-book has also been dropped.
Wow. I just looked it up. You’re absolutely right. It just says identity verified everywhere, even on my own profile when I know I verified govt ID. I guess it doesn’t really matter anyway, but they certainly didn’t say anything about it. They do list the ways that they verify and they are all normal ways to verify someone, still legit for anyone worried. They are typical of how landlords (including myself) verify tenant identity and are just as good.
I looked at the IB requirements on my listings and it still says, “require guests to submit government ID…”.
This might be yet another reason a host might get a RTB from someone who appears to meet their IB requirements. I do require govt ID for IB and had one of those holds on my calendar this summer saying that it would be held for 12 hours for the guest to verify his govt ID. I thought it was strange because his profile already said, “Identity Verified”. So it sounds like they may still be upholding the IB requirement for it to be govt ID verified and not just verified.
I’ve said this before is that I don’t really care about the govt ID, I just want some hoops to have to be jumped through. I don’t care what the hoops are as long as it takes a modicum of effort. At the minimum, Jokey Jokerson can’t say he lives on a beach in Arizona unless it is an address of record.
Yes that is totally correct.
Thoughts on requests to book from folks that do NOT show ‘gov’t id’; if I ask someone to upload to airbnb their missing gov’t id, does it show up on their profile when they do? Is there a delay? For example, they say “ok” to uploading, and then say they did it… will I see it?
That is why everyone should require a signed contract with real identity verification. I would never rely upon Airbnb when it comes to my largest assets.
I get a lot of new users with nothing on their profiles. I guide them through the govt ID verification by sending them them the appropriate links and letting them know that it will make it easier for them to book on Airbnb in the future as well. Sometimes I say it’s required by our insurance. I also offer to answer any questions, etc. And then they go do it and it pops up on their profile right away. I have only had one person refuse out of hundreds and she told me that she didn’t want to do it and withdrew her request. It’s a really great way to welcome new users to the community and support them as they get initiated.
You’re right. It’s there, just not in the same place it was the last time I remember.
Neither guest nor host profiles show “Government ID” as a verification anymore. They just say Confirmed “Identity” which doesn’t necessarily mean government ID. Assuming it still works, the only way to find out if a guest has govt id would be if the guest can successfully book your listing when Instant Book and Government-issued ID Required are both enabled for your listing
