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My credit cards were hacked in the Charlotte airport. I thought my card wallet was RFID protected. Apparently not. I had a debit card, personal credit card, & work credit card.
They knew what they were doing. All were used and had questionable charges by people in NYC while I was on plane. When i landed my phone blew up with texts from my card providers. The thieves had a 4 hour spree. I found myself in Canada with no working cards. That was great fun ;-(
No one needed my ID to access my accounts.
It makes me wonder why people are so protective of driver’s license.
I had something like that happen on Christmas Eve a couple years ago. I checked out of Whole Foods and later found 2 charges to my debit card that happens literally a minute after I used my card. They tried a third time but didn’t have another $500. I got all the money back by talking directly to the companies that said this happens all the time. Shipping to Florida.
Found out there are these devices that people can attach to card machines that get the credit card numbers. I read it happened at gas stations a lot. Don’t remember what they’re called and don’t know if that was what happened here but the coincidence was a bit much.
Card readers. Scammers put them in ATMs. Those of us who live in Mexico (and it might be a good idea to practice everywhere) know it’s risky to use a free-standing ATM machine, as opposed to one attached to a brick and mortar bank.
Awful—This is soooo common. A friend used a free standing ATM at a farmers market. Almost immediately there were charges/withdrawals for $400 (she had withdrawn $100, her daily cash limit was $500 so they attacked for as much as they could)
Another friend, nightshift RN, used her card to purchase gas on the way home. Her checking account was set to text alert of transactions greater than $400. Her savings was set to cover checking overdrafts. While she slept, thieves had $2,000 worth of withdrawals. She awoke to find her accounts drained. The bank eventually refunded her accounts.
My cards were never out of my bag. I guess my bag was scanned. Appears my little RFID proof turtle shell failed. Threw it away and purchased a brand name product.
The credit card thing has happened to us about 4 or 5 times a year for the last few years, almost always from a gas station. In the last year we haven’t gone anywhere so it hasn’t happened in awhile. I’ve also had a debit card spoofed or whatever twice and most or all of an account balance cleared out.
My husband had his identity stolen when we lived in NY, we think it was from a job application that requested his SS#. We had recieve a couple of credit cards in his name in the mail, for places like Staples and some other charge account but hadn’t thought anything of them because it’s not uncommon for places to send you a card in your name hoping that you’ll sign up. We found out about it when we ran our credit reports for something. Someone had gotten about 9 or 10 different cards in his name and had been spending on them. It took the better part of an afternoon but we got it all sorted out.
I almost didn’t get financial aid for my first year of college because the government had flagged me for not registering with the Selective Service. Females don’t have to have register and my name is very girly so I’m not sure how it happened, but that took 7 or 8 months to get sorted out.
Anything with a bank or credit card isn’t really that big of a deal. Everyone I know has had something like that happen and no one loses any money on it. It must have been 20 years at least since I’ve had to show my driver’s license to someone other than at an airport, I don’t understand what someone could possibly do with my driver’s license, other than get verified at Airbnb.
I’m still getting carded for alcohol purchases. I had to show my ID to get my over 21 wristband at the Marfa music fest and the Whole Foods driver is now asking to see it. At first they just asked for my birthdate but now seem to be more serious.
Also have to show it along with my vax card for admission to concerts.
Yeah that makes sense. I am sure they asked for my ID last time I bought alcohol in person. Definitely when I’ve made a beer run at Fenway, they actually scan the ID. That’s the last time I’ve been anywhere like that. Hubby is a Booze Chef so he buys all the alcohol otherwise. But since the pandemic started everything just gets delivered.
Wow. I haven’t seen a single driver in person. The liquor store just drops the booze on the porch and drives off. We don’t have beer or wine in grocery stores here, so Whole Foods isn’t an issue. Damn Puritans.
I haven’t used my vax card anywhere yet but that makes sense that you have to show ID.
What could someone else do if they had a copy or a photo of my ID? There seems to be some suspicion about providing it to ABB or hosts, but I don’t know what the fear is. It doesn’t seem like you could do much with it.
Seriously, my ID won’t even get me through an airport anymore. It’s been awhile since they made new rules about state IDs but mine is one that is not a “Real ID” and without a Real ID, I can’t get on a plane. I have to use my passport.
I’m in the middle of this right now with a guest checking in today who doesn’t want to give his ID.
This is the fourth or fifth person to balk at taking a pic of their ID to put in the messaging system. ALL of these people state that “Air has it” and have 0 reviews and have been members since 2016 or thereabouts. When I explain that Air doesn’t give that to us, they start arguing. Some are new so I get that reticence but when I explain it’s an insurance requirement and that a hotel asks for ID upon checking and scans it into their system, they withdraw their request/inquiry/reservation.
It’s driving me nuts. This guy is going to get a message stating that he can cancel penalty free if he doesn’t.
I want to be booked. I want heads in beds BUT I’m a woman living alone (well, #withcat) and it’s a room in my home. I’m allowed to make my own rules that are clearly stated all over my listing and initial messages.
And then there was this beauty:
Just curious on if this place will be available to book for a week tomorrow I’m a younger quiet guy keep to myself while I’m there don’t do hard-core drugs just looking for a peaceful quiet place while I’m in town visiting family and friends.
Didn’t answer any of my pre-booking questions and didn’t reply when I said “NO drug use tolerated.” So, pot head who would stink up my place by being covered in pot smell and a local. Ugh.
When I renewed my license a few years ago, the woman said “Oh, you’re cleared for a Real ID and it’s no extra charge. Do you want it?” I didn’t understand why she asked since it’s becoming a national requirement, but my recent renewal (via e-renewal) came through with another Real ID. Plus, I always have a passport.
TX offered this “upgrade” a year or two ago. I took it and my other driver’s license is good until the end of the year. I also have a passport, passport card (for crossing at MX and Canada border) and a Trusted Traveler card. I always have a spare ID/credit card stashed elsewhere when I travel in case I lose my main wallet.
People have to show their ID for a lot of things and have for decades. Anyone who doesn’t want me to see their ID is hiding something that doesn’t need to be hidden and I don’t need them staying in my home.
Exactly my point. FINALLY got my 11 day stay to take a pic of his license after he argued that he already gave it to Air. Yeah, as if Air has my back… . Oy…
I have all the IDs and travel like you do. It makes life easier for me to have backup, including that passport card, that made all my San Diego to Baja trips a breeze.
Why do you want guests to send you a photo of their ID? I can understand why guests wouldn’t want to do that. It’s one thing for them to upload it to the Airbnb site, but you are a total stranger to them, as they are to you. Would you send an individual you didn’t know copies of your ID? I wouldn’t.
Requesting that they provide a clear face
photo, and then asking to see their ID on arrival, (not photographing it), so you know it’s the same person who booked, and have their real name seems like a better way to go about it and one that guests won’t balk at.
I am also a single woman renting a room in my home and I’ve never asked guests to provide me with ID. They had clear face photo profile pictures and it was obviously the same person who showed up at my door.
And if you don’t allow pot smoking, or vaping, you should say that, not just “no drug use”. Pot isn’t considered to be “drugs” by a lot of people, it’s certainly not in the same category as shooting heroin or smoking crack, and if it’s legal where you live, then “no drug use” also literally means they can’t take a tylenol, or any pharmaceuticals prescribed by their doctor.
My two cents? I would add it’s unlikely Airbnb is going to alter anything based on host, or guest, requests. They’re still collecting incorrect tax amount from my guests. And on the guest’s side, I don’t know that I would trust Airbnb to have sufficient security in place to protect information if they were hacked.
Well, I don’t have the link to your listing, do I? Had you posted this on the Airbnb CC forum, where I can click on anyone’s listing before commenting, I certainly would have.
Unfortunately, when I moved to my state and was required to get their state license, they said, “we might start issuing Real IDs at the end of the year or early next year, you should come back and get one”. And then I never got around to it. And then Covid. And now it doesn’t matter right now. I do have a passport anyway.
Texas was at the very front of the Real ID thing, they started in 2016. When I left Texas I had a TX license that was a Real ID. But in New England, they were still figuring out their plan to do Real IDs, so I gave up a Real ID to get a not-Real ID in 2018.
Absolutely. I am a job-hopper and a multiple-contract-worker. I send a photo of my ID by email multiple times a year.
That’s fine. But why not? No one seems to be able to give an answer as to why not. I want to know, I can’t come up with a reason not to.
I don’t ask for guest IDs but if I wanted to, then I would expect anyone who wanted to stay in my very expensive investment with all of my stuff should be more than happy to provide their ID. They have nothing to lose but a host has everything to lose.
Please give me a reason, I can’t accept frivolous lack of cooperation or praise of unfounded fear. What exactly could happen if I had a photo of your ID?
I’m sure nothing would happen if I gave you a copy of my ID. And sending it to employers is different than sending it to a random stranger over the internet.
I’m sure you’re aware of these “Airbnb scams” where criminals post a long term rental ad on another site, giving responders some convoluted story about why they are renting the place, telling them that they will have the first month handled through Airbnb, that an Airbnb “long term agent” will show them the place and give them the keys, and that if they aren’t 100% satisfied, they’ll receive a full refund?
These scammers ask the victim to send copies of their ID. The criminals then use the ID copies as identity theft, changing the names they use, and sending them to future victims to prove they are legitimate.
Countless people have been sucked in to these scams, losing thousands of dollars, with no recourse.
Sometimes these scammers will throw up a real Airbnb ad, in addition to the fake one they get the mark to"book" through, just long enough to convince them they are legit. They pull it down again the instant the victim transfers money to them.
Like I said,because we don’t have criminal minds, we aren’t aware of the dangers that exist these days with online info transfer.
No one is talking about “random strangers on the internet”. A host is a property owner that you want to rent personal property from. Airbnb is the only place I have ever witnessed people renting property without showing an ID.
Why is it different to send it to an employer? (You certainly haven’t dealt with home health agencies like I have Do not put any faith in those people.) Besides, sending an ID electronically to an employer technically has more risk because it is unsecured email. At least it goes through the Airbnb website to a host.
Wait. Are you saying that airbnb scammers are sending an ID to guests, their own or otherwise? That makes no sense. And you can’t create an identity for identity theft from a driver’s license.
Give me one specific example of how you are going to be able to screw me over by having a photo of my ID.
Are you going to steal my money? I can’t even get to my money with my driver’s license. Are you going to speed on the highway and then show the state police my driver’s license when you get pulled over? You know that they scan those and pull up a copy of the actual ID on their screens don’t you? Not a good bet. Are you goinb to sell my ID to a 20 year old college student? I hope so because this is the only perk of having my ID, buying booze.
Ok. Let’s just file it under, “oh my god, something bad could maybe happen” and call it a day. Less thinking that way.
Do not put any faith in those people.) Besides, sending an ID electronically to an employer technically has more risk because it is unsecured email. At least it goes through the Airbnb website to a host.