The Most Common 'Bait And Switch' Scam On Airbnb And The Best Way Avoid It

Airbnb rentals can feel like a home away from home if you find a good one. You can have separate rooms, maybe a yard to enjoy, and no housekeeping knock to wake you up. You can cook rather than eat out every night, and if there are amenities like a pool, you don't have to share with other guests. However, there are some issues that could make you rethink booking an Airbnb. 

You may be forgetting to check some sneaky details in your Airbnb listing like cleaning fees or pet charges, for example. That's before you factor in some of the scams that can be the fly in the ointment of home rentals. One of those is the bait and switch where you are redirected to a different rental at the last minute or you find that the place you enter isn't what you booked. If this happens, there are steps you can take, like contacting Airbnb right away, messaging the host, and taking pictures of everything to get it resolved. There are also ways to avoid the scam in the first place.

The bait and switch usually looks something like this: You may book a place that looks great in pictures, but, at the last moment, you're told that the last guests wrecked the place, and then directed to something "better" that actually isn't. You could be informed that there is a double booking, or that the address on the Airbnb website was wrong. Whatever the version of the scam, you are not without options.

This scam boils down to a place that is different than what you booked. Usually this will happen right before you're set to begin your stay, so you don't have any choice but to take what's offered. For instance, if you've booked at an Airbnb during a big event, everything else might be booked or far more expensive than you budgeted for.

You have options. You can contact the host and Airbnb to ask for a refund. File the complaint within 24 hours. (Airbnb doesn't pay the hosts until 24 hours after the reservation begins.) The company does have a policy called AirCover that says you have up to three days to report issues, but doing it before the host is paid can help. If the listing is "significantly different" than what you get, Airbnb will help you get a similar place if available, or give you a full or partial refund. 

Airbnb suggests you reach out to the host first, but, again, it's best to contact both them and the company through the resolution center on the website before you stay there. Don't cancel the listing whether the host says to do so or not. If you do, the company pays the host right away and the contract is over, making it harder to get your money back. All correspondence should go through the website, not the phone or any apps, so you have an official record.

The biggest piece of advice we can give you is to document everything. That includes taking screenshots of all the photos and info on the original listing before you ever leave your home. Take pictures and/or video of everything when you get there. That includes the front of the rental, the street it's on, the building number, and even video from the street sign to the rental. Create a photo album in your phone just for the trip, and store everything there so you have all the info immediately available. One Reddit user on a post about this scam suggested that you dispute the charges with your credit card company in case Airbnb doesn't give a full refund. If your Airbnb experience is bad for this or any other reason, make sure you review the host so others aren't taken in the same way. 

Before you book an Airbnb or rental property, it's really important to read those reviews. That means all of them, not just the few on the top. You may find others who have been scammed. It's a good idea to be wary of properties that only have a few reviews as well. Another option is to try to book with Superhosts, who get that designation after getting good ratings and who respond quickly to messages. Make sure you read everything on the listing so there are no surprises.