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Anyone have any knowledge on how to escalate an issue with the specialised compliance team on AirBNB? I’ve been back and forth with them for a few weeks now and it’s like messaging an AI with even less thought process.
Long story short, the information they’re requesting me to provide in the Know Your Customer form which is very specific to our business does not fit into any of their categories. They have acknowledged this that it’s a form limitation issue which they hope to be fixed in future, but insisted I still enter it into the form in the meanwhile in another incorrect category, which would make my answers on the form incorrect.
Bear in mind I have provided all this information to them already in the support thread when they started to request it a few weeks ago so they have it all on file, however they insist it needs to also be in the form, even though the form doesn’t have the correct fields for it which they have conceeded. I have also stated I would be more than happy to add this information to the form if they could add the required correct field for me to do so!
They have suspended payouts as of a week and a half ago insisting I put this information into the form in the incorrect category, and have stopped responding to me in the support thread a few days ago when I requested confirmation in writing that they were asking me to lie on the form and put an incorrect answer to one of the fields.
I have phoned support multiple times this week, and after hours on the phone, even after escalating to supervisors get referred back to the compliance team message thread as they say this is the only specialised team who can deal with this and they are not qualified to assist me further. They say they’ve also raised internal review flags with compliance to escalate this on their end but still nothing. They have all said there is no way for me to be transferred to the compliance team over the phone.
I have found this exceedingly disturbing, as I am extremely uncomfortable with what they are asking of me, to fill out a documented form which will go on record incorrectly. I never imagined such a large company (who I’ve always thought was the most professional of booking services) could be this sketchy. The fact they have conceded their form is limited and doesn’t have the fields it should, and then withheld funds to attempt make me fill out that form incorrectly is almost beyond belief.
Does anyone know anyway to actually speak with someone on the Compliance team in a situation like this? I did not think it possible for a company of this size and repute to behave this way, so if you’re having trouble believing this you’re not alone.
Thanks everyone for responses so far! I believe the Know Your Customer form might just be for companies as this is what most of its questions seem to be geared towards.
They want me to put one of the related parties in the company as a Beneficial Owner on the form, as there is no other place on the form to put their name. This person is not a Beneficial Owner of the company. If I put this person as Beneficial Owner which they are absolutely not, I would be submitting false information about the company ownership on an official form. Again I have sent them all of this persons information and identification documents in the support thread so they have it all. But they insist their name needs to be on the form even though there is no correct category to put it in without making the form incorrect.
AirBNB have said they acknowledge their form is limited and that it should be changed in future but still insist I fill the form out incorrectly now.
It blows my mind that they are effectively asking me to provide false information on an official form, and holding all payments hostage because I have not been willing to do so.
Debthecat I’ve done the extra stuff on BDC for that as well, this does not appear to be related.
Easter Europe host here. Save your business and fill that form with bullshit, for instance “Incomplete Formular” instead of name, and keep proofs about how the form is designed right now (screen captures, screen recorder, etc… you should choose a tool available on your OS). This will allow you to temporary solve your money flow, and give them time to redesign the formular. If you are a business, you maibe work with an attorney… If so, involve him.
I might be paranoid, but I suspect Airbnb to start blocking money from Europe companies by delaying to understand how to properly design that Formular… Save the e-mails containing your chat with them (the chats can dissapear in certain circumstances )
I wonder why I cannot publish links in this forum… Try to ask for help here, also: secure single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu
They might try to say that the form was designed by AI which is the perfect sinner, and the perfect rug to put over your trash
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