Scam Artist, Agent Provocateur?

I had a strange guest experience. I’m Instant Book, but this guy had one good review and one terrible one. I thought I’d give him the benefit of doubt. I wish I hadn’t.

He said his ETA was between 2-3pm. I received no word he’d be late. He arrived at around 6pm and muttered haughtily he’d had no signal. Ok, I thought.

They just wanted me out of the way and were very guarded, snooty, and non communicative and totally unfriendly. They did not go out or leave their room beyond going to the toilet very briefly. They didn’t shower.

I just felt something was off and so I checked his reviews again. O! M! G! The latest one was really damning and labelled him and his GF the worst guests ever! I just felt my spider senses going off. I was waiting for something. And then it came…

‘Everything was fine but then this morning I found a bed bug’.

And he wants a refund.

This is definitely a false allegation.

They are so tiny, I doubt anyone has ever found “a bed bug”.

A host friend recently had a guest complaining of bed bug bites and demanding reimbursement for cleaning and cleaning supplies used to get rid of the bed bugs. I think this happened close to check out

Guest didn’t realize the beds had very expensive “anti-bed bug covers”. Bed bug bites tend to be 3 in a row where the critter bites goes a new spot bites then goes to a new spot bites. So not like mosquito bites that are scattered.

She didn’t pay the “reimbursement” which was essentially extortion soI think (not sure) Airbnb did not allow the guest review.

My friend had an exterminator check the condo & he did a statement declaring the condo did not have bed bugs.

Yep, scammer.

The only time a guest said the word “bed bug” to me about a spot on his skin I said, “nope, not possible, but I’m sorry about the mosquito.” (He also mentioned staph…wtf?!) He must have realized I was right because he booked with me the next day for his return trip. But he didn’t have any bad reviews.

I’d just tell him “no way,” no refund and then deal via Airbnb. Hopefully they will see with his record that it’s him, not you.

Keep us posted.

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“I’ll give you a refund after you pay for the exterminator to come out today and PROVE that there is even one bedbug in this house”.

“ALL refunds must be handled through Airbnb.”

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I wanted to let you know that Airbnb made me call in pest control; they footed the bill, and the pest controller gave me a full bill of health.

I didn’t refund the guy and his terrible review saying if guests wanted a place to stay that was dirty and bed bug infested they should stay with me didn’t put people off, thankfully! Airbnb refused to remove it. I responded saying, ‘SCAMMER!’

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Thanks for the update. Glad it turned out OK for you.

The info about Airbnb paying for the pest control is a surprise to me, but excellent info for hosts.

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I had a time where I was told Airbnb would pay for pray control when guests infested my place with fleas and didn’t want to leave (they did support me in not allowing them to stay though). However because I slide died to get a regular service plan instead of just a one time treatment (they said it would take 2-3 treatments for them to guarantee the problem solved, it was so bad) I got nothing.

When a guest said he got body lice (aka “crabs”) from sleeping here with his girlfriend (who apparently didn’t have crabs), Airbnb offered to pay for a pest inspection. The inspection turned out to be no charge. They certified us crabs-free and faxed the info to Airbnb.

I had already reviewed the guest by the time he called us a day later to say he’d gotten crabs here. He either didn’t review us—or Airbnb deleted it. I never saw any review from him.

I think that young man had some explaining to do to his girlfriend.

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Oh Gosh, that’s funny. I wonder if she believed him

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I wish I know. We didn’t hear from him again.

Your autocorrect is the funniest!

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I’m sorry, I am sure this is just auto-correct but this is hilarious!

I imagine you huddled in your room, praying, while the rest of your house is infested with guests. :rofl:

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You should advertise ‘Crabs-Free’.
You might get some bookings from folks who think you mean: “Crabs. Free.”

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They might, indeed.

That’s the kind of ad that could bite us in the butt. :slight_smile:

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Let me chew on that for a while.

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You guys have just been itching to let loose with those crab jokes.

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Hah!!! The nice thing about bedbugs and dust mites is that you never have to sleep alone.

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Y’all have a biting sense of humor.

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Well, we killed a serious discussion (and did so at a blistering pace). I think our work is done here.

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Get the “airreview” extension for Chrome. Always look at the reviews after a booking is made - and see if there are any red flags.

If needed, you can use one of your “free cancellations” and prevent the bad guest from their stay.

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