Hello fellow hosts! I have guests checking in for the last week of December (IB) and I have a concern. After dropping names in google, it appears the booking guest is an attorney, identifiable by her picture and phone number, however her guest keeps popping up as a recent felon…drug and firearm charges as of last July. I’ve searched as thoroughly as I could and she is the only person with this name in the given city. How would you approach this? I realize I can always call Air and cancel, however there is a slim chance that the guest isn’t the felon. Should I approach the booking guest with my concern?
Maybe something like “As a security measure, and since you’ll be living at my home were I stay with my family and I always run a search on my guests names. I have discovered that there’s a similar felon that goes by the same name as your guest. Would you mind clarify this?”
Before doing this I’d call Airbnb and talk to someone about this approach. Last thing you want is AB giving you hell for doing this. I think it’s a fair concern.
Since you don’t know for sure if the companion is a criminal, you cannot make accusations.
Quite possibly tell the guest that you need ID on the partner. Just say it is your standard policy. Don’t tell them you stalked them already! 
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- I doubt your guest is the felon, unless the attorney fell for a felon
- You said ‘charges’? If no conviction, tread carefully as innocent until proven guilty
- I actually wouldn’t be as concerned about these kind of offenses but fraud, theft, ID theft, arson, burglary- that would make me cancel
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As a guest I’d be creeped out if someone researched me on the web this way and would cancel my booking.
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I know what you mean but don’t many of us generally vet guests if we have some basic information? I do, though I never divulge it.
A new friend who I met while playing golf invited me for dinner. Her husband surprised me with some information that I knew I hadn’t mentioned so I asked how he knew that. He said his wife Googled me.
Creeped out is right!
I didn’t hang around her much after that.
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I’ve never vetted a guest or searched for them on social media.
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Did they find your golf score? 
That is positively creepy, and I would have ditched those friends the moment they disclosed the stalking. Weirdos.
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Clearly, not everyone vets their guests, especially with shared spaces and shorter stays, but many who have longer stays in separate units do.
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That’s what I surmised. The table got kinda quiet when he said that and his wife looked embarrassed.
It’s okay for me to vet guests though…
Besides, if she looked me up and still had me over, I must have passed.
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You are sooooo funny! Promise to stick around here? We love you! 
️:heart_eyes:
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Yeah, today you do…but what about tomorrow.
It’s a fickle bunch here… 
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Is this a whole home? If so, I wouldn’t be as concerned with those charges. But I guess it depends. Was the guy accused of robbing a convenience store at gun point, and then cops found a pound of cocaine on him?
Or was he pulled over for not using his blinker. Cops asked to search his vehicle and found an unregistered gun and a joint?
Any idea if the attorney is a defense attorney, and they are both traveling for some type of court appearance or something?
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I had a BF who had a creepy ex GF who stalk-searched me on social media, or so she thought. She found someone by the same name, in my city, who is much more attractive and a highly successful lawyer. She got all worked up about hating the wrong person. 
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Now that’s too funny! Creepy, yes, but pretty funny also.
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No, it’s a suite in my home. It is actually a she, not a he. I don’t know the details of the hows, but I do know that she was booked overnight on 8 serious counts and released on $85k bail. The drugs and firearms were found in the midst of her committing a “violent” crime. She is 39 years old and was arrested just 5 months ago. At the very least, she displays exceptionally poor judgement. I would rather pass on the $$ than risk damage to my home or worse, liability if she hurts herself on my property.
They are coming for vacation, not sure what type of attorney she is.
Is there any possiblity she and the lawyer are traveling together for a court appearance?
Thank you Oded, I decided to call Air and received support and excellent advice. As felons are not allowed on their site, he recommended that I contact the booking guest and ask her to verify her guest through Air. He assured me that they truly do screen accounts for these types of crimes. He also informed me that as the guest had only booked for one rather than two, I would not have been covered if the felon did something to my property. It’s a little confusing to me why that would be, but in contacting the guest, I was able to shift the concern from me to Air. Stay tuned!
Emily, thanks for the response. I agree with your first 2 points, however it’s the violent crime charge that makes me not want this person in my home.
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I get that, it would feel weird. However I’m more weighted towards protecting my home and family than I am towards potentially offending a guest. If she cancels, I’m good with that also…the money just isn’t worth my peace,