A Free Airbnb 'Hack' Is Circulating On TikTok. Here's Why You Shouldn't Try It Yourself

As frequent travelers may already know, there are potential Airbnb guests who have to deal with all kinds of frustrating scams from unscrupulous hosts, like the common Airbnb bait-and-switch scam. To deal with this issue, the company often offers refunds for unsatisfactory stays. However, some guests, possibly inspired by TikTok videos promoting it as a good strategy, have started using this feature as a way to try to get out of paying by making false claims about the house they're renting. Airbnb hosts are aware of this issue, however, and are becoming more vigilant about asking for proof and making sure unsatisfied guests actually leave the property before issuing refunds and comping nights at their Airbnbs.

Sometimes, an Airbnb can be the perfect fit for your stay. Maybe you're having a family reunion and need the space, or there aren't any hotels conveniently located near the hiking trails you're hoping to explore, or perhaps you just really want to use the hot tub you spotted in the listing. Between the base fee and any additional hidden fees that hosts may tack on at the end, the price of your stay might end up climbing out of your price range — but that doesn't mean you should lie about seeing roaches in the kitchen or pretend the sink is broken. No matter what your thoughts are on the ethics of trying to get out of paying, in many cases, it won't work.

According to a TikTok video from an Airbnb host, one of their guests confirmed twice that they were satisfied with their stay before reaching out at 11:30 p.m. to claim that there were bugs, they felt unsafe, and they expected a full refund. However, they were unwilling to actually leave the house and instead kept insisting that they still wanted to spend the night and just wanted to be refunded. According to Airbnb hosts on social media, this isn't an unusual occurrence; guests have started exploiting the Airbnb support system in an attempt to scam their way into a free stay.

Guests will report all kinds of disgusting issues in the house where they're staying, from broken sinks to blood stains, including one bizarre complaint an Airbnb host on Reddit reported getting about guests feeling unsafe because they happened to see a single bee outside in the garden. Guests do this in hopes that the host or the platform will refund the full price of the stay, giving them a free night. However, this hack isn't always the get-out-of-paying free card that scammers hope for — many hosts will respond by asking to their guests to check out the property immediately or to see the evidence. Many will also expect guests to vacate if there's something wrong with the house, both for safety and for liability reasons.

Luckily, Airbnb has a system in place for guests to use if their Airbnb experience is not up to par. Just because some people are exploiting Airbnb's Help Center doesn't mean you shouldn't use it — it also doesn't necessarily mean that your host or Airbnb's support won't believe you when something goes wrong. If there ever is a real issue in your Airbnb, you should first take photos of it and then contact the host and explain in detail what the issues are. Try not to wait too long after noticing these issues before reaching out. They may be able to fix it for you, and even if they can't, you've documented your complaint.

If the host can't fix your problem, then reach out to the Airbnb Help Center. Ideally, you should do this immediately, but as long as you contact the host or Airbnb support within 72 hours, they can try to resolve it for you. If the place you're renting doesn't match the listing, is dirty, has bugs, or has something broken, you may be entitled to a partial or full refund — as long as your claims are actually true.