A nationwide scam on Airbnb has been uncovered, revealing a web of deception that spans eight cities and nearly 100 property listings. The scam was orchestrated by fake hosts who exploited Airbnb’s rules to collect thousands of dollars through phony listings, fake reviews, and even intimidation.
The scam was discovered when a guest’s reservation was abruptly canceled due to a supposed plumbing issue. The guest was offered an alternative property that was significantly larger but of lesser quality. The scam involved double-booking guests at the same property at different prices, and then canceling the lower-priced rental with fabricated excuses.
The mastermind behind the scam, Shray Goel, was indicted in California for allegedly running this nationwide scam that systematically double-booked guests to maximize profits. Goel and his accomplices created fake host accounts, often posing as couples with names like “Alex & Brittany,” “Becky & Andrew,” or “Kelsey & Jean” and using stock images for profile pictures.
The scam also involved de-listing and re-listing apartments to hide bad reviews and using some of the fake accounts to write positive reviews for other fake accounts. The indictment lists 19 separate apartments where Goel carried out the alleged scheme, including ones in Austin, Nashville, Malibu, Denver, and Los Angeles.