Here’s the Strange Account of a Fraudulent Listing on Airbnb

When uninvited guests show up on your doorstep, it can be an uncomfortable experience. This happened to one Airbnb host, Molly Flaherty, who had photos of her home listed on the internet. 

Molly Flaherty was expecting a tranquil Christmas evening spent at home. Instead, when she arrived at her house in Philadelphia on Christmas night, she was met with a surprise. At the steps to her front door, four people huddled around her lockbox. It soon became apparent that they had booked her house on Airbnb without her knowledge. 

It was 10 p.m., and Flaherty was filled with trepidation. Was there an intruder at her door, or was something wrong with her house? She took a deep breath and stepped outside to investigate. To her surprise, she found a group of people standing outside her door, looking confused. 

Gathering her courage, Flaherty introduced herself as the homeowner. Nicole Brunet, the group leader, explained that she had rented the house for her parents, who were visiting for the holidays from California.

Brunet was confused when she arrived at Flaherty’s house. Thinking it was the wrong address, she double-checked the Airbnb listing, only to find that the address and photos matched Flaherty’s house. She showed screengrabs of the listing to Insider, which showed photos of her home’s interior taken before she purchased it in 2020. 

Brunet is a tech-savvy person who doesn’t take chances. So she went the extra mile to make her parents happy with the house they rented through Airbnb. After reading reviews, looking at the pictures, and even walking by the house.

When Brunet searched for accommodation, she was pleased to find a listing with an excellent rating of 4.7 stars. Not only that, but it also had more than 100 reviews, which made him confident he had chosen the right place.

“We were disappointed to learn about it,” the company said in a statement sent to Insider. “Issues like this are rare, but we supported the guests at the time to help make things right, including a full refund and deactivation of the listing.” 

Brunet was determined to help her parents, so she found them a room at a nearby hotel. She paid out of pocket for the week’s stay, which cost her more than a thousand dollars. Nonetheless, her generosity was soon rewarded – a few hours later, Brunet received a full refund from Airbnb. 

Flaherty had reached out to Airbnb on Christmas Day regarding the listing. She sent out an email to the company hoping that her listing could be taken down quickly. Yet, she found that the listing remained active for another week. 

Flaherty was constantly refreshing the listing, fearing that strangers would show up at her door at any time. Even with the worry, it seemed that this was the first time anyone else had booked the Airbnb in the near future. Even so, she was uneasy with the thought that anyone could gain access to her home.

Airbnb has two ways to verify hosts who want to list their space on the site. The first is to provide a qualifying document, such as a utility bill, mortgage statement, or lease agreement less than two years old. This document is essential for hosts to prove their identity and trustworthiness.

People need to take extra safety measures when either listing or renting a property to prevent them from being a victim of fraud. Having a keen eye and a bit of caution can make all the difference in a safe and successful transaction.

Flaherty was determined to get her Airbnb listing removed. She contacted them numerous times the following week but kept hitting a dead end. The listing remained active despite being told a specialized team was looking into the situation. 

Flaherty felt frustrated after being told she was considered a third party when she tried to dispute an Airbnb rental. She was not the Host or the renter but wanted to air her grievances. Unfortunately, Airbnb refused to arbitrate the issue.

Flaherty reached out to The Philadelphia Inquirer to get the media’s attention. Miraculously, the reporter Ximena Conde followed up with Airbnb for comment.

Flaherty was dismayed that she had yet to receive confirmation that the listing had been removed. She contacted Airbnb’s representative to inquire about the situation and was informed that it was likely due to privacy concerns since she was considered a third-party member.

Flaherty was frustrated that it took so long for her listing to be removed from Airbnb’s website. “I would have thought that such a large amount of feedback would be taken into account,” she said. Her disappointment was evident when she explained how the company seemed to disregard the situation. 

Flaherty was looking forward to a relaxing holiday season, but the incident added stress to her plans. She had intended to spend time with friends and family but was filled with worry. 

Flaherty is passionate about advocating for homeowners and protecting them from unfair practices. She is committed to fighting for homeowners’ rights and pushing for policy changes that protect and serve their best interests. 

At Airbnb, safety is their top priority. As stated on their website, a background check will be done if the Host or guest has provided accurate information such as first name, last name, and date of birth.