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Why don't companies like AirBNB who have a lot to lose (reputation wise) from a (small?) number of scammers sue those scammers into oblivion? Not only are they

Why don't companies like AirBNB who have a lot to lose (reputation wise) from a (small?) number of scammers sue those scammers into oblivion? Not only are they violating the TOS but they are committing fraud, and likely breaking a few other laws. AirBNB must know who they are as those scammers are getting paid, right? It would be expensive for AirBNB (they would certainly lose money) but it can't cost more than the revenue they lose when people read articles like this?

mobilefriendly 7y ago
AirBNB was built on spamming Craigslist and willful ignorance of local zoning and tenant laws. It is in their DNA to allow operations like this...like WeWork, just trying to make it to the IPO cash-out.
ipython 7y ago
Why would they care? They're applying the Fight Club formula. Take the number of listings, A, multiply by the small proportion of scam listings, B, multiply by the average refund we post, C. A times B times C equals X. If X ... well, who cares about X, it doesn't matter - people will still book with us anyway.
- close04 7y ago
  Plus they also get to kick the problem down the road. If they have to face it, they might as well do it later. Airbnb should be held responsible via law, not via the expectation that they care about their image. As long as it’s the Airbnb website or app and they are getting a commission, shrugging off issues like this should not be legal.
yrro 7y ago
Most people will never read this sort of article. And frankly it seems like Airbnb is perfectly happy to not rock the boat and continue to slurp up their fat percentage share of the fraud that they abet...
chrischen 7y ago
The vast majority of Airbnbs I’ve stayed in were illegal hotels/rentals... only a handful were legit renting out a spare room / couch surfing type deals and the first time I did that I had to pretend I was the host’s college friend. Airbnb is basically built on shifting liability to shifty people running hotels out of rentals. Also, pro tip, I’d guess at least 50% of the airbnbs I’ve stayed in do not wash the sheets in a washer (I’ve literally physically observed at least one host lint-roll follow by a spray of fabric freshener). That being said I still use them to lower my own standards and prices below hotels, but I know what I’m getting into at least.
- SubiculumCode 7y ago
  Not all localities make it illegal to do so.
  - chrischen 7y ago
    It’s illegal across most localities, if not banned by the lease when not outright illegal. Tokyo has a similar registration requirement as SF now, and even in Taiwan I almost always have to identify myself as a relative of the host.
  - tenpies 7y ago
    Even in localities where it is legal, the ratio of "hosts" running their operation in accordance with the law is comically low. There is a serious enforcement problem and it's largely because AirBnB does everything it can to not cooperate with local government.
- elliekelly 7y ago
  > Also, pro tip, I’d guess at least 50% of the airbnbs I’ve stayed in do not wash the sheets in a washer It happens at hotels, too, and it's why I always take the sheets off of the bed when I check out. Putting the sheets on is the worst part of making the bed but taking them off takes two seconds. My hypothesis: if lazy hosts/housekeeping are forced to go through the trouble of putting sheets on then they might as well use a clean set. And if the host/housekeeper was going to change the sheets anyway then maybe I've made their job just a little bit easier.
btbuildem 7y ago
They get a cut of whatever the scammers get away with.
- CharlesColeman 7y ago
  > They get a cut of whatever the scammers get away with. Negligently allowing fraud on your platform and taking a cut of the proceeds should make you an accomplice and get you criminally investigated.

mobilefriendly 7y ago

AirBNB was built on spamming Craigslist and willful ignorance of local zoning and tenant laws. It is in their DNA to allow operations like this...like WeWork, just trying to make it to the IPO cash-out.

ipython 7y ago

Why would they care? They're applying the Fight Club formula. Take the number of listings, A, multiply by the small proportion of scam listings, B, multiply by the average refund we post, C. A times B times C equals X. If X ... well, who cares about X, it doesn't matter - people will still book with us anyway.

close04 7y ago
Plus they also get to kick the problem down the road. If they have to face it, they might as well do it later. Airbnb should be held responsible via law, not via the expectation that they care about their image. As long as it’s the Airbnb website or app and they are getting a commission, shrugging off issues like this should not be legal.

yrro 7y ago

Most people will never read this sort of article. And frankly it seems like Airbnb is perfectly happy to not rock the boat and continue to slurp up their fat percentage share of the fraud that they abet...

chrischen 7y ago

The vast majority of Airbnbs I’ve stayed in were illegal hotels/rentals... only a handful were legit renting out a spare room / couch surfing type deals and the first time I did that I had to pretend I was the host’s college friend. Airbnb is basically built on shifting liability to shifty people running hotels out of rentals. Also, pro tip, I’d guess at least 50% of the airbnbs I’ve stayed in do not wash the sheets in a washer (I’ve literally physically observed at least one host lint-roll follow by a spray of fabric freshener). That being said I still use them to lower my own standards and prices below hotels, but I know what I’m getting into at least.

SubiculumCode 7y ago
Not all localities make it illegal to do so.
- chrischen 7y ago
  It’s illegal across most localities, if not banned by the lease when not outright illegal. Tokyo has a similar registration requirement as SF now, and even in Taiwan I almost always have to identify myself as a relative of the host.
- tenpies 7y ago
  Even in localities where it is legal, the ratio of "hosts" running their operation in accordance with the law is comically low. There is a serious enforcement problem and it's largely because AirBnB does everything it can to not cooperate with local government.
elliekelly 7y ago
> Also, pro tip, I’d guess at least 50% of the airbnbs I’ve stayed in do not wash the sheets in a washer It happens at hotels, too, and it's why I always take the sheets off of the bed when I check out. Putting the sheets on is the worst part of making the bed but taking them off takes two seconds. My hypothesis: if lazy hosts/housekeeping are forced to go through the trouble of putting sheets on then they might as well use a clean set. And if the host/housekeeper was going to change the sheets anyway then maybe I've made their job just a little bit easier.

btbuildem 7y ago

They get a cut of whatever the scammers get away with.

CharlesColeman 7y ago
> They get a cut of whatever the scammers get away with. Negligently allowing fraud on your platform and taking a cut of the proceeds should make you an accomplice and get you criminally investigated.