Micaela Giles' 19-year-old son, Jacob Lopez, was a victim of a sexual assault while on a trip to Madrid. His host locked him in the apartment, which he booked through Airbnb.
While Lopez was able to contact his mother in the United States to ask for help, Giles wasn't able to get much help from Airbnb itself, according to CNBC.
Lopez has since returned home and is currently in therapy, but the horror stories and Airbnb safety problems continue. Wide and varied, these stories crop up every month, according to Digital Trends.
So, how do you protect yourself from becoming its latest victim? Below are some tips to help with Airbnb safety:
1. Understand how the system works before making any arrangements. Airbnb has a long list of accommodations and the app can get overwhelming. Carefully play around with its functions first before zeroing in on a desired accommodation. There are many filters to the app that will help you find hidden gems, if you know where to look.
2. Be discerning while looking at listings. Read all the reviews and take note of the star rating. If this is your first time, it might be a good idea to stay away from listings that have few reviews. However, don't entirely rely on the reviews on the site, but also take a look at the host's profile. Double check any verified accounts. Check out any feedback about the place or the host on social media or the rest of the internet.
3. Correspond with the host before proceeding with any Airbnb bookings. You can ask them questions about the accommodations or the general area where you will be staying (Is it near a convenience store? A subway?). Discussing with your host also helps gauge if they are truly reliable. It should be worthy to note that there are indeed scammers on the app, according to Yahoo!.
4. Read through the company's safety guidelines to better understand how you can be best protected.
5. Always do your transactions on the Airbnb site, including payments, for your own protection. The site has set up features specifically for this purpose so that every transaction is logged and verified.
