Airbnb Tries to Stick Traveler with $7,000 Repair Bill... \ stacker news ~AI

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Airbnb Tries to Stick Traveler with $7,000 Repair Bill...www.breitbart.com/tech/2025/08/04/airbnb-tries-to-stick-traveler-with-7000-repair-bill-after-host-uses-ai-generated-images-to-claim-damage/

244 sats \ 7 comments \ @Bell_curve 5 Aug AI

Airbnb Tries to Stick Traveler with $7,000 Repair Bill After Host Uses AI-Generated Images to Claim Damage

A London-based academic has received an apology and $5,700 refund from Airbnb after a New York apartment host allegedly claimed she caused over $15,963 in damages, using AI-generated images as evidence of the supposed damage. The company initially tried to charge their customer $7,000 for the damages and refused her appeal until a newspaper investigation caused them to change their tune.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/aug/02/airbnb-guest-damage-claim-refund-photos

Despite the woman’s explanations and evidence, Airbnb failed to identify the apparent manipulation and ignored her concerns. It was only after the Guardian raised questions about the case that Airbnb reversed its decision. The company ultimately refunded the woman the full cost of her booking, totaling $5,700, and removed a negative review the host had left on her profile.

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11 sats \ 2 replies \ @freetx 5 Aug

I used to use AirBNB quite a bit for business travel - as it was so much cheaper than hotels at one point. Honestly now I rarely even look anymore as all the little add-on fees has made the whole experience not worth it.

The only times I will look now is if trying to get housing for 4-5 people and/or looking for very specific location (ie. beach, etc).

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25 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve OP 5 Aug

VRBO for vacations

We used vrbo in 2011 for our vacation in St Barth and it was great, long before they hired Nick Saban for tv commercials

I have heard the same about airbnb today which is too bad for what was a great idea in 2009 and is still a good idea

I have to admit in Dec 2016 our airbnb host in Lake Tahoe was officious and annoying with her rule book/binder, she would have definitely tried to stick us with a $7000 penalty

edit: Residence Inn by Marriott is great for long term stays, especially for business travel... I stayed at a Residence Inn near the airport to avoid the January fires ( I self evacuated, see what I did here? )... I achieved Gold status for the first time this year

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61 sats \ 0 replies \ @freetx 5 Aug

VRBO

Yes, we have found same. We did VRBO for Florida last year and worked out well.

Residence Inn near the airport to avoid the January fires

Smart. I used to travel lots for work and at one point I managed to get up to 600,000 miles....I continued to live off those miles for the next decade or so....taking the occasional personal/family trips with them.

In the old days, I think it was United (or maybe American) that had a "million mile club" where if you got 1M airline miles, you received lifetime complimentary "space available" travel....meaning that you could jump on any flight that had an open seat.

In the mid 90s I knew a older guy who was a million miler....he used to just go to the airport....no ticket needed and hang around until there was a plane with an empty seat going where he wanted to go and hop on.

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111 sats \ 0 replies \ @SimpleStacker 5 Aug

A creative new way to scam.

Anything that becomes widespread and mainstream becomes enshittified, because you bring on shitty people.

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21 sats \ 2 replies \ @grayruby 5 Aug

Great so we all need to take timestamped photos as we check out of air bnbs now.

What kind of desperate loser does this? Someone patronizes your business and you try to defraud them for 7k?

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40 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve OP 5 Aug

the guest booked 2.5 months in NY but she checked out early due to neighborhood safety concerns.

Guest thinks host was upset and retaliated

This host needs to be suspended immediately and should be prosecuted for fraud and attempted larceny