Fake Airbnb Travel Credit Transfer Scam
Criminals impersonate Airbnb to send fake travel-credit or referral-reward notifications, directing victims to phishing pages designed to capture their Airbnb account credentials and saved payment methods.
Part of: Fake Travel Loyalty Points Transfer Scam
Last reviewed: 8 June 2026
Airbnb runs a genuine referral programme and occasionally issues promotional travel credits. Scammers take advantage of travellers' familiarity with these features by sending convincing messages claiming a large travel credit has been awarded — but will expire unless the recipient logs in immediately to accept it.
Because Airbnb credits are real and useful — applying automatically to future bookings — the incentive to act quickly is genuine. This is exactly why the scam is effective: it does not ask for anything obviously suspicious up front. The simple act of logging in through a fraudulent link hands over the victim's email and password.
Airbnb's real travel credits are visible in the 'Coupons & credits' section of your account profile. Any credit awarded by Airbnb is already applied to your account before any email is sent — you are never required to log in via an external link to 'activate' it.
How this scam works on the Airbnb brand
The phishing email adopts Airbnb's warm photography and coral-red brand palette. The subject line reads something like 'You have an Airbnb travel credit waiting — claim it before it expires.' The body explains the user earned the credit through a referral, a survey, or a loyalty milestone.
The embedded 'View your credit' button leads to a convincing Airbnb login page. Once the victim logs in, they are redirected to the real Airbnb site — but the credentials have already been captured. The scammer then logs in to the victim's account, changes the email address, and uses any stored payment methods to book listings controlled by accomplices.
A variant targeting hosts on the Airbnb platform claims their 'Superhost bonus credit' is expiring, sending them to a fake Airbnb host dashboard login page.
Common red flags
- Email comes from a domain other than '@airbnb.com' — Airbnb sends official mail only from airbnb.com addresses
- The credit amount is unusually large or does not match any referral or promotion you recall participating in
- Your actual Airbnb account shows no pending credit when you log in independently via the app
- The link in the email leads to a URL containing 'airbnb' but with additional text, misspellings, or a different domain suffix
- You are asked to log in via the email link rather than being told to simply check your account
- Urgency phrasing warns the credit expires in hours with no way to extend
How to protect yourself
- Open the Airbnb app or navigate directly to airbnb.com and check 'Account > Coupons & credits' to verify any real credit balance
- Never use links embedded in emails to access your Airbnb account; always open the app or type airbnb.com
- Enable two-step verification in your Airbnb account security settings
- If you logged in through a suspicious link, change your Airbnb password immediately and review your saved payment methods
- Check your booking history for any reservations you did not make — sign out all other devices from your account settings
- Contact Airbnb support through the app if you suspect your account was accessed
How to report it
- Report the phishing email to Airbnb's Trust & Safety team at [email protected] or through the in-app 'Report a problem' tool
- File a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- If your card was charged for unauthorised bookings, dispute through your bank and notify Airbnb immediately
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726
Frequently asked questions
I'm an Airbnb host — could the 'Superhost bonus' version of this scam affect my payouts?
Yes — if you entered your host login on a fake page, a scammer could potentially access your payout details, guest messages, or booking data. Log in to airbnb.com directly to check your payout method and recent activity, and change your password immediately if you're unsure whether the login page you used was genuine.
Can I get my money back if a scammer booked stays using my saved Airbnb payment method?
Report unauthorised bookings to Airbnb support through the app as soon as you notice them — Airbnb investigates account compromise cases and may be able to cancel or refund fraudulent reservations depending on timing. Also contact your card issuer, since a chargeback may be possible if Airbnb can't resolve it directly.
How do I know if a travel-credit email is really from Airbnb and not a look-alike domain?
Check that the sender address ends in '@airbnb.com' exactly, and hover over any button to see where it actually points before clicking — lookalike domains often add extra words or swap letters. If in doubt, close the email and check 'Coupons & credits' by opening the Airbnb app yourself.
How do I check my real Airbnb travel credits?
Open the Airbnb app, tap your profile picture, and select 'Account > Coupons & credits'. Any genuine credits are listed there — no email link is needed to activate them.
What happens if a scammer gets into my Airbnb account?
They can make bookings charged to your saved payment methods, change your account email to lock you out, and read your private messages. Change your password and contact Airbnb support immediately.
Does Airbnb send referral credit emails?
Yes, but real emails arrive from '@airbnb.com' addresses and direct you to log in to your existing account normally — they do not include time-limited deep links requiring immediate re-authentication.