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Check with Kay and Burton as he suggests. They wont say anything overt for legal reasons but they should let you know of any reservations they have. And call them rather than emailing.
This guy sounds weird to me,too. Not the sax but all the other unnecessary information. He might be fine but I would check all his references.
Maybe during his gambling jaunts he invites the guys over and they smoke cigars, maybe he stays awhile and then invents bogus reasons to leave and gets a charge back in his credit card.
To say nothing of perhaps acting like an entitled celebrity…Just someone who mentions a sax would have me running the other way… it’s just so much trouble coming and so many red flags, it could be a Communist rally. If he’s such a hotshot, why not book the Ritz or 4Seasons? Why is he slumming it on Air?
Had a strange guest I posted about awhile back, who booked 14 days days but was not very forthcoming with what he was doing in town.
Well he never showed up despite a number of attempts by us to contact him (thankfully after advice on this forum, I made sure I made all attempts to contact him through the AirBnb system)!
After the 14 days days were done, he later got in touch on phone claiming that he had had no internet access, but he couldn’t explain why he hadn’t called in the same way he was calling now. He said he had also been abit unwell or something (in response to why he couldn’t just have called)!
Anyway, he was hinting at a refund which we politely advised was not possible. He seemed ok about it then went ahead to request (on phone) another 14 days at a discounted rate. He sounded so reasonable and friendly that I was considering it, but took heed of what I had read on here, and asked him to message me via airbnb putting the request in writing. He did, but I was reluctant, and asked that we meet face to face first to confirm if we were the right fit. He then went silent again, and later called again and I told him it would not be possible!
Fast forward a few months later and I receive an irate message from the guy claiming that hebisngoing to report me to booking.com (where we don’t even list and he was even using the airbnb system) for having left him stranded and done nothing for him despite having received money!
We were completely shocked. The guy seemed schizo as he appeared to be referring to a conversation we apparently had with him, which we had never had.
I write to AirBnb who confirmed they had received a complaint but that I shouldn’t worry, as they could see that I was trying to make contact with him throughout the duration for the stay! I mean if we were terrible hosts as he claimed (despite us never having even ever met or he ever having stayed at our place) then why would he have asked for another 14 day stay?? Crazy!
Moral of the story:
Gut instinct should not be ignored. If you feel somewhat is acting fishy from the get go, then listen to your instincts, especially when this is a long stay request as opposed to one or 2 nights
Take payments through the airbnb site. If I had accepted any money from this guy off the airbnb site, I would now be looking at a crisis and he no doubt would’ve been blackmailing me and threatening to get me booted off Airbnb altogether.
Telephone conversations should be repeated on the Air messaging system. It was very helpful, that my attempts to contact him were through the site, as was his request for an additional stay. You can be sure, if the evidence wasn’t there in the Air system, the guy would have denied ever having made any such request, or us ever having tried to reach him.
This is my first ‘crazy’ I’ve had to deal with since we began hosting, and glad it ended well!
You came out ahead in the end. You didn’t have the nutcase on your property yet you collected his cash. I’ve had some no shows as well. If they don’t show after a day or so and don’t answer correspondence then I have to assume they changed their mind.
Hi guys.
Perhaps I need to learn to be more trusting… however something seems a bit off about this booking request too…
I first received this message:
Hi,
How are you? I am traveling from the United States to Paris to play at Roland Garros. My father has decided to come last minute to watch and I am just looking for a nice apartment for him to stay in close to where I am. I would need it starting Monday the 25th until the following Saturday. Please let me know if it is available. Thank you very much.
Rajeev Ram
Which seemed odd because they weren’t the dates that was requested, and my apartment is not in Paris.
I then received a follow up:
Sorry…that was the wrong message. This is what I meant to say:
Hi
How are you? I am traveling from the United States to Melbourne to play at the Australian Open. I would need it starting Tuesday the 12th of January until the following Saturday. Please let me know if it is available. Thank you very much.
Rajeev Ram
He is verified… and his display picture weirdly is his license, but also a stock photo from his Facebook:
Wikipedia shows that this person is number 85 in the world at Tennis.
Does this seem odd to anyone or am I being too sensitive? I guess what first seemed odd was that he got the dates wrong… as if he was sending the same message to a few different people. I also get nervous that someone who could probably afford something much nicer is slummin’ it on Airbnb.
Would love to hear your opinions. I clearly need to be more open (especially being an Airbnb host!) but just learning what to look out for.
You can’t be sure in any business 100%, but I prefer not to rub myself of opportunity to make much more money instead of just be safe and rent it for quarter of the price. Quarter of the price I can make even with a few days of rental.
NO… you are right to think there’s something off about this… His profile pic now shows his Indiana driver license??How odd.
The Paris review was for right around the time of the French Open. You would think as #85 in the world, he’d have accommodations taken care of? I also would think it was so odd to receive an inquiry about Paris when he meant the Australian. I don’t know about this guy. Can you write to the Hakim host and verify further? Did the guy stay and was he OK?
Yeah I found that Odd to. I clicked on Hakim but I get a page not found error. I think I’m going to give him a miss.
I probably shouldn’t have, but I sent a Facebook message to “Rajeev Ram” (whether that’s him or not) and hopefully get a response.
If he is not who he is says he is… why do people do this? Is there anything in it for them? Airbnb takes the money there and then doesn’t it? I’m struggling to see what’s in it for people if they aren’t actually who they say they are.
I’m not sure where you are located, but in many states in the U.S., 30 plus days converts them from vacation renter to long term tenant with all the rights that status grants. You would have to go through the proper process to evict, say if he decided to stay longer than his agreed upon time period. Google AirBnB Palm Springs squatter guest to read more.
Truly bizarre. I’d say the guy was playing you for something and that’s a red flag. Maybe he’s got a bunch of negative reviews and decided to travel on someone else’s identity? someone famous so you’d agree to take him. How far from the Open are you located? It would only make sense if you were next door or something? Not sure!!!
I am actually pretty close to where it will be held so it would make sense if someone was booking it for the Open. I’m curious if it isn’t him how he managed to get the license picture? It looks legit!
What if he stole this guy’s wallet and is posing as him?? Who on earth would use this as their profile pic. Call Air and alert them. They want to know about strange things. Or flag him.
Post his supposed FB page so we can check him out!!! I bet the real guy doesn’t have to stay in an Air! The tournament has a sponsor hotel no doubt that puts up all the players. Very weird!
Wow… check this out: http://rajeev-ram.com/philanthropy/
He is wealthy enough to do charity events, but needs to book an AirBnB? for the French and the Australian? I’m not buying this.
Your Rejeev seems like a fraud. Flag him.
You trusted your gut though, and that’s key in this business!
Remember that old phrase: “If it talks like a duck, squawks like a duck and walks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.”
If he’s such a hotshot, why not book the Ritz or 4Seasons? Why is he slumming it on Air? 
