Key Takeaways

  • Airbnb-related scam activity has increased 30-fold since the first half of 2023, according to research from Saily and NordStellar
  • Criminals are hijacking verified host accounts with positive reviews and established booking histories
  • Researchers identified at least 15 travel-specific scam methods on underground forums during the first five months of 2026

Short-term rental scams are on the rise, a new study revealed.

Scammers targeting STR hosts have increased 30-fold since the first half of 2023, as more cybercriminals attempt to reach travelers searching for vacation deals, according to new research from Saily and NordStellar.

The study found that Airbnb hosts are now valuable assets for criminals because they already have identity verifications, positive reviews, booking histories, years of activity and established credibility.

After a host’s verified account is compromised, attackers can then go on to scam higher volumes of unsuspecting victims by posting – and charging for – fake property listings.

“As travel booking becomes increasingly digital, trust becomes one of the most valuable currencies in the travel ecosystem,” Matas Cenys, head of product at Saily, said, per “TechRadar.”

Related: Families sue Airbnb after deadly Ohio party shooting

“Travelers are getting better at spotting obvious scams,” Cenys added. “Criminals know this, so they are increasingly trying to steal trust instead of building fake trust from scratch.”

In these newer scams, victims never leave their trusted booking site.

Instead of being sent to a fake website, they communicate with what appears to be a legitimate host directly on the platform.

Scammers use the trust behind verified STR hosts to scam guests

Researchers found at least 15 travel-specific scam tutorials posted on underground forums between January and May 2026.

The material included instructions for compromising short-term rental host accounts, imitating booking communications and exploiting travelers during high-demand periods.

Airbnb scams up 30x as host accounts get hijacked
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The data matches up with what Airbnb reported in June.

According to the booking giant, 42 percent of Americans have fallen victim to an online scam, with average reported losses approaching $2,000, while five percent said they lost more than $10,000.

Two-thirds, or 67 percent, of Americans say AI is making scams harder to detect, with deal-hunters and Gen Z appearing most likely to fall for an AI scam, Airbnb reported.

In the wake of these scams, the company recently partnered with the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators to expand its platform-level fraud protections ahead of peak summer travel and the FIFA World Cup 2026.

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