SQUAT PROFIT AIRBNB SCAM
Relisters posing as owners
Squatters have been invading people’s homes across the US and become so brazen they’ll even rent out the properties using shortterm rental services, according to Flash Shelton, known as the “Squatter Hunter.”
Shelton, who gets hired by desperate homeowners to try to dislodge illegal denizens, told The Post that some crafty squatters use app-based short-term rental services to gain access to properties — then actually turn around and rent them out to rake in dough.
“I’m seeing squatters taking over [Airbnb properties] a lot,” he said in an exclusive interview. “Matter of fact, I even see people get into the property and then try to make money by Airbnb-ing it out.”
According to Shelton, the squatters first rent out a home for a certain amount of time based on a daily fee by creating new accounts with services such as Airbnb. They then relist the properties as if they were the owners.
“There was one recently in Seattle that was doing that. And there’s one in Woodland Hills [Calif.] . . . and I did a video about [it] based on a Brentwood squatter who got in via Airbnb,” he said.
In reponse, Airbnb told The Post, “Issues like this are very rare on Airbnb.
“We strongly encourage our users to only book and pay on Airbnb where we have measures in place to support our community, including identity verification of booking guests and 24/7 customer support.”
Shelton said squatters make an end-run around the platform and similar ones by booking accommodations through the apps then later contacting the homeowners and providing an excuse as to why
they need to stay an extra few days in the home and offering to pay directly.
According to him, if the homeowners agree to the off-the-books extension, they are automatically released from their contract with the rental platform because the extra nights are not secured through the apps directly. Depending on which state this happens in and the corresponding laws, squatters’ rights soon take effect.
‘Taste of own medicine’
“So Airbnb walks away, wipes their hands clean [and decides it’s] no longer their problem,” Shelton explained. “And now that homeowner has a squatter.”
Shelton said his strategy for helping homeowners who have lost possession of their property to an Airbnb squatter would be to try to book accommodation with them and give them a taste of their own medicine.
“I believe Airbnb should take more responsibility for a screening process,” Shelton told The Post.
“And I think that Airbnb should vet the [customers] more because homeowners are assuming these people are trusted because they’re getting them from Airbnb.”
Still, Shelton noted that the majority of the squatters plaguing America overstay leases without payment or move into unoccupied properties. He tries to thwart such squatters by moving in with them and installing cameras and telling them they’re on a reality show in the hopes it will freak them out to the point of fleeing.
Trespassing is illegal in every state, but laws on how to handle squatters vary, with most relying on civil courts to resolve disputes.
As Shelton continues to fight on his own terms, he is also pushing for lawmakers to make changes.
“I want squatters to be treated as criminals [and have to] go through criminal court,” he told The Post.