Airbnb is taking action to combat the problem of fraudulent listings by implementing a verification process in its top five markets: the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and France. To address this issue, the company is requiring hosts to provide additional information, including photos with GPS data.
The verification process is set to commence in the first group of countries later this year, with plans to expand the program to 30 additional countries by the following autumn. Starting in February, Airbnb will display verified symbols next to listings.
The primary aim is to address issues such as non-existent properties, misleading information, or properties falsely claimed by someone other than the host. Scammers frequently use genuine property photos or listings to deceive users into making payments.
Following a tragic incident in 2019, when five individuals lost their lives at an Airbnb rental during a Halloween party, the company began enforcing stricter regulations on parties and initiated a process to verify information for all its listings. Now, Airbnb is intensifying its verification efforts by requesting more detailed information from hosts.
To achieve listing verification, Airbnb is employing anti-fraud technology in combination with both artificial intelligence and human review. Hosts introducing new properties must upload images of the property with GPS data via the Airbnb app. For existing listings, the company will analyze booking history data, reviews, and host-provided details. In all cases, hosts are expected to accurately represent the property’s location, and they must have control over it.
While Airbnb did not provide a specific timeline, it assured that it would offer “ample time” for hosts of existing properties to comply. However, if hosts do not provide the required information, Airbnb reserves the right to take actions, potentially including limitations on their accounts. The company did not clarify whether it intends to remove unverified properties in the future.
In situations where a property is genuine but owned by someone other than the host, Airbnb employs various criteria such as host reputation, standard messaging, duplicate photos, and other inconsistencies.
Airbnb underscores its commitment to eliminating fake content from its platform. However, it remains to be seen how the company will address scenarios where hosts have designated caretakers to manage their listings.
The company reported blocking 157,000 fake listings from joining the platform and removing 59,000 fraudulent listings this year alone.
Earlier this month, New York City implemented new regulations for short-term rentals, requiring hosts to register with the city. Additionally, hosts must be physically present in rentals for stays of fewer than 30 days. Recent data from travel website Skift indicates a 77% decrease in Airbnb listings in NYC in recent months.
Airbnb did not specify whether it plans to utilize registration data for listing verification.
