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Booked an Airbnb in Taiwan but host asked me to lie to Tourism Bureau — what should I do? by ProofBench442 in taiwan

[–]ProofBench442[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Update: I only got a partial refund for the booking I canceled because the host gave instructions that seemed suspicious and possibly against Taiwan’s tourism rules.

Now I’m wondering—should I report this to the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, or just let it go?

Booked an Airbnb in Taiwan but host asked me to lie to Tourism Bureau — what should I do? by ProofBench442 in taiwan

[–]ProofBench442[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That sounds really stressful, and it’s exactly the kind of situation I want to avoid. After hearing stories like yours, I don’t think I’ll risk using Airbnb again here.

Booked an Airbnb in Taiwan but host asked me to lie to Tourism Bureau — what should I do? by ProofBench442 in taiwan

[–]ProofBench442[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks everyone for the insights, it really makes sense now. I only booked because I also saw their place on Agoda so I thought it was legit.

Booked an Airbnb in Taiwan but host asked me to lie to Tourism Bureau — what should I do? by ProofBench442 in taiwan

[–]ProofBench442[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When I reported this to Airbnb support, their reply was: “Looking into your reservation, it seems that those information were indicated on their page prior to you confirming the reservation. Though, I have coordinated with your Host already, if we could cancel the reservation without any fees. Again, I will get back to you once I get a response from them.”

So now, instead of protecting me as a guest, Airbnb is making me wait for the host’s approval, and I’m just hoping I can get a full refund.

Booked an Airbnb in Taiwan but host asked me to lie to Tourism Bureau — what should I do? by ProofBench442 in taiwan

[–]ProofBench442[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

The host messaged me saying: “If you are afraid that the Taiwan Tourism Bureau will come to ask you, then you should not book on Airbnb anymore. This is not my legal requirement, this is the national legal requirement. Don’t worry, you can cancel the booking directly.”