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Don’t trust scams claiming they can get you a refund from the homestay operator.
The Federal Court has handed down a hefty fine to Airbnb for misleading consumers over pricing.
The company must pay a $15 million fine and pay out up to a further $15 million in compensation to customers who thought they were paying for accommodation in Australian dollars when, in fact, the listings were in US dollars.
However, hot on the heels of the fine, criminals are already using the payout as the basis for scams promising to help Airbnb’s customers obtain a refund.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) called out the scam on its media release over the court action and Airbnb fines, saying that the release itself may be being used by the scammers.
“The ACCC is aware that scammers have been calling people, falsely claiming to help them get a refund,” the ACCC said in the statement. “They may be using this media release about Airbnb refunds to convince you that it is real. If you receive a call from anyone offering to help you with a refund, hang up immediately. Never give personal information to anyone calling you out of the blue, and never give access to your computer or bank account, and never click on a link in a text message or open an attachment in an email if you were not expecting the text or email.”
The release itself goes on to outline Airbnb’s misleading actions.
“By paying in US dollars, these consumers were charged more than they expected to pay and were deprived of a chance to make an informed decision about whether to make the booking because of this misleading conduct regarding the price,” said ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb.
“We took this case to send a strong signal to large digital platforms like Airbnb that they must comply with the Australian Consumer Law and not mislead consumers.
“We are pleased with the undertaking by Airbnb to pay compensation, which provides a meaningful outcome for the affected consumers.”
Airbnb itself will be contacting affected customers within the next 45 days, who will then be invited to lodge a claim.
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