Airbnb Says It’ll Make Sure Your Rentals Are Actually Legit

The promise follows a series of scandals associated with the company that range from scamming to murder.

Getty Images
Getty Images

Airbnb is pledging that it will verify 100% of its listings by 2020 as it deals with revelations of an alleged massive scam on its site and violence at its listings.

An intricate “nationwide scam” was recently uncovered by Vice. The investigation, published on October 31, revealed an alleged systematic flaw within Airbnb where people could circumvent the company’s rules and publish fake reviews and listings. The morning after the article was published, Vice said the FBI contacted the outlet about its claims against Airbnb.

Last month, a 100+ person Halloween party was also hosted at an Airbnb rental (that explicitly prohibited parties) and ended with a shooting that left five people dead.

“Starting today, we are banning ‘party houses’ and we are redoubling our efforts to combat unauthorized parties and get rid of abusive host and guest conduct,” CEO Brian Chesky tweeted in response to the shooting in Orinda, CA.

Other reports are now surfacing that suggest the recent violence may not be an anomaly. The San Francisco Chronicle reported this week that “At least 42 people have been shot inside or just outside short-term rental properties across the United States over the past six months — and 17 have died.”

The company says it will improve its system flagging high-risk rentals and create a party house rapid response team.