account compromised by hacking

[Melissa39]

Hi I am a host new to air bnb and have only been listed for 7 days. I have had one booking which is fine and had approved 2 more. This afternoon i got an enquiry from someone who i had to decline. This person was puzzled because they said they had found images from my listing on someone else's listing. they sent me a link and it took me first to a U.S air bnb site then to a listing in Wembley. I dont live anywhere near there! Then my listing changed completely and the only photo was of a flat in Mayfair which isnt mine either. A few hours later they had removed my listing altogether on the UK site so no images, profile, messages or anything except my profile photo. Strangely, the mayfair flat was still visible on the app on my phone as were all the other details except my listing name was changed. I had people waiting for me to approve them for bookings and now i cannot message or email them. I phoned air bnb - not easy since the number isnt obvious, but they were quite helpful and i got a call from air bnb in U.S. I explained what had happened but that was a few hours ago and nothing else yet. I just hope this can be resolved as i am not impressed by this bad experience so early on as a host. I have read other bad experiences about hacking on airbnb and it seems to be quite common occurence.

[Maria-Lurdes0]

This was a hack.  YOu were "phished" in that you were duped into thinking that you were going to the real airbnb site, but the link was a site made to look like the login page.  If you followed the prompt and entered your username and password, then immediately change the email address on the account, change the password. and if you have the same password on any thing else (many people use the same password on multiple sites) then immediately change those passwords too.  For extra security, regardless of what password you may have used for anything sensitive like banking, change EVERYTHING!   TIme is of the essence, so sit down with a pad of paper and make new passwords and then deal with the rest later.  BUt first, secure your online activity.

[Nelson4]

" I have read other bad experiences about hacking on airbnb and it seems to be quite common occurence."

You should pay attention where you're clicking...

[Clare0]

@Melissa39 The most important things to do are: 

1. Review all your notification settings to be sure the correct phone number /email address is entered. 

2. Review your security settings, especially the setting that will notifiy you of any logins made from a device (phone, laptop, IPad, etc) that you don't use. Click on the box to request an alert if someone tries to login to your account. 

3 THEN change your password AFTER you have done these things. 

Unfortunately you have fallen victim to a phishing scam with the ultimate goal of getting access to your account and then using it to set up fake scam listings to lure people into paying for reservations by wire transfer. 

I see you have been in contact with Airbnb.  They can handle your inquiries / reservation requests and give you more instructions.

Remember, when anyone requests that you leave the Airbnb website don't do it.  Even if it looks like Airbnb.  Scammers are very sophisticated in mimicking Airbnb's logo and messages.  

I'm so sorry this happened to you.  Rest assured Airbnb will get your account straightened out. 

If you want to learn more, feel free to respond.

[Jean116]

Hi, It appears hacking has happened, since my listings in Texas are no showing and a place in London comes up on my account. I have called airbnb many times. They just say that tech departmen should get to it sometime, its waiting in line, and I should get an email from tech deparment. I call, I email. Nothing! 

Suggestions? 

[Deborah0]

Everyone who is reading this, please pay close attention -- if you ever have a situation like this arise, please DO NOT click on the link and go to the fake Airbnb site and enter your log in information into the FAKE AIrbnb site that is set up solely to steal your Airbnb email and password info!!!  This same situation has been posted on the Community Center several times now but hosts continue to fall into this trap.    

This is the part of the scam to be very alert about:  

"This person was puzzled because they said they had found images from my listing on someone else's listing. they sent me a link and it took me first to a U.S air bnb site..."

Melissa

Level 1

account compromised by hacking

Hi ...This afternoon i got an enquiry.... This person was puzzled because they said they had found images from my listing on someone else's listing. they sent me a link and it took me first to a U.S air bnb site then.....

As @Clare0 indicated, you fell into the phishing trap as soon as you believed that someone had "found images of your listing" on someone else's listing.  This same scam has been posted on this Community Center several times now.  That person who said they found your photos on someone else's listing was the criminal, they were attempting to get you alarmed so that you would take leave of ordinary caution and quickly click on their link and go to the phishing site.  WHich you did.  

So a warning to everyone else -- DO NOT BELIEVE anyone who contacts you with this same scammer line, saying they have found photos of your listing on another listing.  Just flag their message to Airbnb, and report these criminals.  

See other posts about this very same scam here: 

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/General-Hosting/Real-link/m-p/3419#U3419

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/General-Hosting/My-listing-is-apparently-on-another-site/m-p/61454/h...

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/New-to-Hosting/Someone-reported-my-quot-listing-quot-complete-with-t...

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/Tips-Tricks/Scam-URL-link-Has-anyone-experienced-this-scam/m-p/58776...

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/General-Hosting/Strange-Request-Is-it-Scam/m-p/58618/highlight/true#...

[Deborah0]

Hi ...This afternoon i got an enquiry.... This person was puzzled because they said they had found images from my listing on someone else's listing. they sent me a link and it took me first to a U.S air bnb site then.....

[Clare0]

@Deborah0 Very good advice, as always.  I wish Airbnb would pre-emptively warn hosts about these sort of scams.  Even a one sentence alert with a "Learn More" would go a long way towards defeating these  scam phishing attempts.  For every phishing attempt posted here there are probably 10 more out there where the host account has been compromised and they don't even know it.  Saw one this morning where a user sent in a screen shot showing logins from different parts of the world and he didn't even had the box checked for unauthorized logins alerts.  Until hosts are given a head's up about these things, we'll be responding to these  posts until the cows come home. 

[Emma97]

Hi, its Emma from Paris

i went thru same hacking problem on 10th of august 2016, airbnb cancelled the hacker's account withen seconds but did not contact to help me bring back my settings and photos since then

We are now almost a month after, each time i call airbn, they say someone will get back to me and no one does, and when i write them, no one answers

i have lost bookings for a month now and no one seems to care or react

they say that the trust and security service are busy, and will contact soon, but how soon??? Has anyone any other email or phone to contact someone serious and responsable there?

Many thanks

Emma

[Sonia118]

Hi Emma,

Similar thing is currently happening to my listing now and air bnb, kee telling me that they will try and investigate the matter. HOWEVER, it has been nearly two weeks and they have not yet recover my listing or keeping udate of any progress. It is relly fustrating to have to rely on air bnb in this way...

All th best

Sonia **

[Sophia44]

I have been phished.. I guess I should have read these postings when I became a host in July.  Now I am suffering the consequences and still waiting on Airbnb to fix.  

BE WARNED OF THIS SCAM!!

I got a booking  inquiry from a woman who says she and 5 others are traveling to NY  for a week from the UK.  She stated that she is a makeup artist and she has to come to NY for a TV show.  She then said she was currently traveling and as a result she is unable to get full access to the Airbnb website but would like me to email her at :havesomefaith8@gmail.com because she wants to ask some questions before booking... she mentioned that she has the money and is ready to pay but need clarification. Worse mistake I made..I sent her an email from my personal email account and she responded and said that her husband told her that my posting is  listed twice with two different prices.  I immediately responded and asked her to tell me more.  She responded with a link that refers to Airbnb uk etc.  I clicked on it and realize that it brings me to a weird page.  I immediately thought that it was a scam and sent the woman a message from the original inquiryon the Airbnb site for her to only correspond with me through Airbnb.  Later that night, I failed to follow my first instinct and let curiosity got the better of me.  I clicked on the link and entered my information because I really wanted to  see for myself what this woman was referring to... 

OUTCOME

I was phished.  I was locked out of my account.  I contacted Airbnb and a rep helped me to get back into my account.  I had to change passwords and linked the account to a different email address.  My listing  was totally gone.  My profile and reviews still existed but my listing was replaced with another property, price was escalated, a message to potential guests to contact host before booking and various other misleading information.

CURRENT PROBLEM

My listing is no longer visible. I made several calls to Airbnb and the problem has still  not been resolved.   I have been told by various reps that myissue has been escalated etc.  listing will be visible in 30 mins, an hour,  24 hrs... No one can get the story right.  In the mean time I am losing out on prospective bookings.  

I have learned.  Please do not make this mistake.  Please only correspond with propective guests through the Airbnb wesbite regardless of their sorrow story... do not enter your password in suspicious link.

I need my listing visible ASAP... any suggestions... Please...

Thanks in advance for responding...

Sophia

[Clare0]

@Sophia44 I'm so sorry this has happened to you!  This is a very old scam / phishing trick and, unfortunately, as you said, curiosity gets to people so they take the bait.  Scammers are very, very sophisticated and know what buttons to push to get the unwary to do things they shouldn't.  It's either curiosity or the "too good to be true" listings which I'm sure the scammer put up under your profile. 

Given the volume of compromised accounts like yours that support has to deal with, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait for Trust and Safety to restore your listing, but I have seen accounts fixed in the end.  

So glad you posted your story and hopefully others will read and take heed.  You know the old saying: "When in doubt, don't....."

I wish you a speedy resolution to this!

Clare

[Sophia44]

Thanks for your feedback.  I am learning the hard way.. All day and no resolution from Airbnb.  Needless to say an hour ago, I  added the same property to my account listing and named it something  different,  using the same pictures, decription etc. and it was published.  Atleast , I am coming up in searches while I wait for Airbnb to resolve this issue.  This new listing is missing my reviews however there is mention that the host has reviews for another property ( which in this case would be the same property in question) amd popetential guests can review if necessary.  I am wondering why all the agents I spoke with did not even make that suggestion at least my aggravation would have been minimized.

[Suzanne128]

DId you ever get your money?  Someone hacked my account in December and set up a Chinese bank account in another person's name to get my transfer.  I have called airbnb a dozen times and they keep promising me the same thing and still no money.  

[Sophia44]

The hackers did not get any money...  Thank God... 

Did you get your issues resolve? 

[Suzanne128]

I finally received my pay out after posting on Airbnb's facebook and twitter pages.  Someone actually called me and straightened it out within a couple of days.  That obviously got their attention.