Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) like Airbnb are great for adventure, but it’s hard to establish trust when users are strangers. Without ID verification, guests and hosts are left defenseless in the sharing economy. Each party has to trust that the person on the other end of the reservation is who they say they are. But there’s no certainty. That’s where Airbnb ID verification comes in.
What is Airbnb ID verification?
In an effort to make our community as safe and secure as possible, Airbnb requires guests and hosts to verify their identity. In other words, you may be asked to provide a government-issued ID or confirm your legal name and add your address. This information protects hosts and guests from fraud and other industry-related risks.
Understanding what Airbnb ID verification entails is crucial for managers considering criminal background checks.
How does Airbnb ID verification work?
ID verification is Airbnb’s way of fighting back against security threats. By identifying incoming guests, Airbnb can better protect our community from fraudulent bookings.
Airbnb ID verification isn’t strictly linked to account creation. Before booking a place to stay or an experience, or becoming a host, you might be asked to upload your ID (passport, driver’s license, etc.) or provide additional personal information. Sometimes users are even asked to take a photo of themselves to match with the picture in the ID provided. This is Airbnb’s way of being sure you’re really you.
There are various requirements across the platform. Airbnb itself requires users to be 18 years of age or older and some hosts require guests to provide valid ID before booking. If your ID doesn’t appear to be valid, you won’t be able to book a listing with this prerequisite.
Once you’ve uploaded your ID, you likely won’t be asked to do it again. But you may be asked for additional verification in order to confirm it is really you who is logging into the account, especially if you’re signing in from a different device.
Explaining Airbnb ID verification can clarify aspects of property management agreements.
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Privacy
Airbnb assures us that all information provided during the process of adding your ID is governed by the company’s Privacy Policy. The information is sent to Airbnb and its third-party databases using the same secure encryption that websites use to transmit credit card numbers.
What does Airbnb ID verification mean for you as a host?
On its website, Airbnb reminds users that “this process isn’t an endorsement of any host or guest, a guarantee of someone’s identity, or an assurance that interacting with them will be safe.” That is, to ensure your business is safe, you need backup security.
As a property manager, use your own best judgment and develop concrete security practices that make sense for your business. While Airbnb may ask for a government ID, there’s no guarantee. If you really want to get to know your guest, screen them.
Hosting over 2 million people every night, Airbnb is a hospitality powerhouse. With more than 150 million users on the platform, it becomes difficult to monitor every listing and every booking that comes in. As a property manager, you have to understand that by using Airbnb, you’re accepting a certain degree of liability. For the best protection, you need to do your due diligence. Get the Airbnb guest verification you want by doing it yourself.
Learn about the threats you face and how to combat them. By properly educating yourself, you can build an effective security process and take matters into your own hands. Streamline your efforts and reduce the risks to your operations with Autohost.
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