'Extortion For Dummies'

I needed a room in the area for three nights. All the hotels were booked.

"Try airbnb", a few of my friends said. A few of my friends who never tried airbnb.

Well, let me share with you my story about airbnb.

I signed up for airbnb. FYI: airbnb requires your social security number, your personal information, your bank account/credit card information, so they can run a background check on you, and then they'll ask you a few questions regarding your residential/employment history to confirm your identity. And after all that information, then they want access to your LinkedIn account, or Facebook account, or gmail account, and all of your contacts.

And even after all (that) information, they may still want a video of you expressing your interest in airbnb.

Am I renting a room, or running for president?

But airbnb doesn't tell you they want all this information until (after) you try booking a reservation through them.

I'm not on Facebook or LinkedIn. I drew the line at having access to my Gmail contacts. Fucking ridiculous.

I contact the potential host I was going to make a reservation with, via email through airbnb within the hour after finding them, and told them I wasn't going to make the reservation.

My personal information, fine, I gave all that up when I was FBI fingerprinted back in 2007 to work for an elderly care facility. But I'm not going to give up my Gmail contact list. What for?

So then airbnb sent me a dozen harassing emails and text messages saying I needed to finish signing up with them in order to make a reservation with the host a I had previously contact.

No need. I already talked to the host, and said no thank you, through airbnb, so airbnb already knows I'm no longer interested. So why was airbnb harassing me to sign up?

Later than night I checked my bank account, as I do almost every night, and discovered airbnb charged my account immediately after inquiring about the room rental.

I've been with my bank for over ten years. That, and I know how to read my online bank statement. Nothing was "pending". The money was flat out charged from my account.

But, just to be sure, I called my bank.

Yes, airbnb charged my account. Nothing was pending. My bank confirmed it. I then had to start the legal procedure of disputing the charge and was given a reference number.

FYI I still have that reference number.

My bank suggested I called airbnb as an attempt to straighten out the problem personally, before an investigation became necessary.

Fair enough. Personally I think airbnb should be investigated, thoroughly.

I then called airbnb. The automotive service answered my call and kept me on hold for a half hour -- 32 minutes to be more accurate before a person answered the call. Apparently they had a high volume of calls at 11:30pm that Wednesday.

I then asked the airbnb representative why airbnb charged my bank account when I didn't even have a reservation with them, or an account, apparently, since I had a dozen emails and text messages informing me I couldn't even make a reservation without first verifying an account.

So why was the money gone?

"Oh the money isn't gone, it's just pending. We informed your bank no reservation was made because you don't have an account with us. It sometimes takes banks up to 7 business days to release the money and put it back into your account... "

Did I mention I worked for hotels for many years, in the sales dept? I know this speech. I know it well. I've said it. Only, I said it guests who actually stayed in the hotel.

Why would anything be "pending" from airbnb if I couldn't make a reservation because I don't have an account with them?

I then reminded the airbnb rep that I have all this in writing in emails and text messages they sent me, plus my bank statement, plus now a reference number with my bank disputing the money that was (in fact) charged to my bank account by airbnb. All on a legal timeline. In writing.

 "I'll contact your bank and write a formal letter to your email right now explaining you don't have an account with us, and the money was only supposed to be pending until... "

etc.

Again, I ask, why would any money be "pending" with airbnb without first having an account/reservation?

Pulling the cart before the horse, isn't good business practice. I'm pretty sure "assumption" isn't legal grounds to charge someone's bank account, pending or otherwise.

Furthermore, you guys are morons. You put everything in writing "you have no account", "you have no reservation", "complete sign up to make a reservation", and then charge/hold money from that person's bank account anyway?

Explains all the harassing text messages and emails to verify an account with airbnb, they had already charged me for a reservation I never made. Means airbnb and the potential host I had spoken to, all get a cut of the money airbnb charged my bank account, harassing me to complete the sign up procedure by handing over my Gmail contact list.

What's the legal term for that, oh right, extortion.

Less than an hour later the money was bank in my account.

Wait,

There's more.

After airbnb put the money back into my bank account, I received an email by airbnb that read, "the room you inquired about is not available."

The hell you say.