Joining forces with top financial crimes association to combat travel scams

As travelers book last minute Labor Day trips and make other holiday travel plans this year, Airbnb has partnered with the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators (IAFCI) to help consumers book safely online and avoid travel scams. This comes as consumer research from DKC Analytics shows almost half of Americans (47 percent) have fallen for a scam, with victims losing on average $2,697 and 1 in 5 (18 percent) losing $5,000 or more¹.

The findings underscore the importance of using a recognized provider, especially when spending money online. As a platform built on trust, Airbnb has invested in extensive measures to help our community safeguard their information and their bookings. These measures include dedicated teams and systems aimed at proactively deterring scams, on platform messaging between users coupled with reminders across the site to stay on Airbnb to communicate, book and pay, and guest payment protections, like withholding payment for a stay until 24 hrs after check-in.

The consumer research, which was commissioned by Airbnb, also uncovers that amid rising costs of living, finding deals has become increasingly important to most consumers (90 percent) and this is prompting booking behavior that could lead them to fall for a scam online. Close to half (44 percent) of Americans say they’re less vigilant about booking vacations if they think they’re saving money, while over a third (37 percent) would take a risk to save money, even if they think a deal is too good to be true.

As online scams become more sophisticated with the advent of technology like AI, fraudsters may try to take advantage of those searching for a travel deal by using fake websites, texts and emails or social media to trick people into believing they’re booking with a legitimate company. As part of our trust efforts, Airbnb works to tackle third party attempts to exploit our brand, and we ask users to report suspicious websites or emails to us for investigation. In 12 months, our dedicated team detected and mitigated almost 2,500 third-party phishing domains globally². 

Tara Bunch, Airbnb’s Global Head of Operations, said: “As travelers book their vacations, we want to help them know what to look for and red flags to avoid. When it comes to booking on Airbnb, we encourage our guests to only communicate, book and pay on the platform, where we have secure processes and support like Aircover in place to help protect against scams and ensure issues are rare.”

Missy Coyne, International 1^st Vice President at  IAFCI, said: “Don’t let scammers get away with stealing what you’ve worked so hard towards. When in doubt, talk it out. If what they are asking you to do doesn’t make sense or seems too good to be true, talk to a trusted friend or family member before acting on the request.”

To help travelers avoid scams as they plan their vacations, Airbnb and the IAFCI have teamed up on tips for booking online and on Airbnb:

• Don’t click on links in unexpected emails or texts: With most consumers (89 percent) concerned technology like AI will make scams harder to spot, travelers should stay alert for suspicious websites, texts and emails, and social media posts. If you’re unsure a message or post is from a legitimate company, do not engage with it or click on any links in it. Airbnb provides guidance on how to identify a genuine Airbnb link or email.
• Protect your passwords: Create strong unique passwords for your online accounts–long passwords (12 characters or more) are harder for scammers to guess. If you’re notified that someone tried to access one of your accounts and it wasn’t you, change your password right away. Enabling multi-factor authentication also offers an added layer of account protection.
• Be wary of cheap deals and pressure tactics: Searching outside of trusted sites can increase the risk of encountering a scam. Take time to review the details and compare with other options, especially if you feel rushed into paying, and keep in mind that if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This is equally important for younger travelers as, contrary to popular belief that Baby Boomers are most likely to fall for a scam, more Millennials (51 percent) report being scammed than any other generation.
• Check the URL before you pay: Confirm you’re on the legitimate travel provider’s app or website before paying. When it comes to booking on Airbnb, if in doubt, type airbnb.com into your browser to reach the home page and start your search from there.
• Use a credit card for online payments: Credit cards can offer better consumer protection and if you fall for a scam, charges may be easier to dispute. If you’re asked to pay for a trip by wire transfer, cryptocurrency or gift cards, those are signs that it could be a scam.
• On Airbnb, keep all communication and payment on the platform: A request to go off site to communicate or pay is a red flag and should be reported to our customer support team. Airbnb holds onto payments made on platform until 24 hours after check-in, while Aircover for guests provides coverage for eligible issues, so there’s recourse if something isn’t right. You lose that coverage if you go off site to book and pay.
• Check the listing reviews: See what previous Airbnb guests have said about a host or listing and make an informed decision before booking by checking the ratings and reviews, and by thoroughly reading the listing description. You can also ask a host questions through Airbnb’s on-platform messaging service before booking.

Report concerns right away: With over half of Americans (52 percent) unsure who to contact after being scammed, know you should reach out to your bank or financial institution immediately if you think you’ve fallen for one. On Airbnb, users can report suspicious messages directly within a message thread, while listings can be reported via the ‘report this listing’ flag on the listing profile. If you’ve paid for a booking off site, contact our customer support team right away. For added peace of mind for our community, Aircover for guests applies to bookings made on Airbnb and our global customer support is on hand 24/7 to help.