Airbnb

The article discusses how Airbnb, a major tech sharing economy platform, is vulnerable to scammers who use delusive speech to deceive users. Scammers create fake listings and reviews, luring victims into financial and physical danger. Victims have experienced assaults, robberies, and even more severe crimes. The platform's trust mechanisms have flaws, allowing scammers to bypass verifications and continue their fraudulent activities.

Source: https://theconversation.com/airbnb-scams-new-book-explores-thriving-criminal-activity-on-big-tech-platforms-256806

TPRM report: https://scoringcyber.rankiteo.com/company/airbnb

"id": "air746060225",
"linkid": "airbnb",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "6/2025",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"

{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Multiple victims from around '
                                              'the world',
                        'industry': 'Travel and Accommodation',
                        'location': 'Global',
                        'name': 'Airbnb',
                        'type': 'Sharing Economy Platform'}],
 'attack_vector': ['Phantom listing scam',
                   'Bait and switch scams',
                   'Fake positive reviews',
                   'Misleading property images',
                   'Delusive tactics'],
 'description': 'Big tech sharing economy platforms like Airbnb and Uber are '
                'marketed as trustworthy, but a new book by a South African '
                'media scholar argues that they are highly vulnerable to '
                'scammers who spread delusive speech (a form of '
                'disinformation, designed to deceive by criminal intent).',
 'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': "Potential damage to Airbnb's brand "
                                       'reputation',
            'payment_information_risk': 'Guests redirected to alternative '
                                        'payment methods'},
 'initial_access_broker': {'entry_point': 'Fake listings and reviews'},
 'lessons_learned': "Airbnb's review curation mechanisms should be revamped "
                    'according to internationally recognised human rights '
                    'frameworks that protect freedom of speech. Protocol for '
                    'swiftly removing offending listings should be developed.',
 'motivation': 'Criminal intent or nefarious financial gain',
 'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': 'Revamp review curation '
                                                  'mechanisms and develop a '
                                                  'protocol for removing '
                                                  'offending listings',
                            'root_causes': "Flaws in Airbnb's verification "
                                           'processes and review curation '
                                           'mechanisms'},
 'recommendations': 'Travellers should be extra cautious, seek recommendations '
                    'from trusted sources, consider established hotels, check '
                    'property locations on Google Street View, have a Plan B, '
                    'and always buy travel insurance.',
 'references': [{'source': 'The Conversation',
                 'url': 'https://theconversation.com'}],
 'response': {'containment_measures': ['Trust and safety mechanisms',
                                       'Rapid response teams',
                                       'Travel insurance for guests'],
              'remediation_measures': ['Machine learning technology to stop '
                                       'fake listings']},
 'threat_actor': 'Scammers and criminal hosts',
 'title': 'Airbnb Scams and Delusive Speech',
 'type': 'Disinformation and Scams',
 'vulnerability_exploited': "Trust in the platform's review system and "
                            'verification processes'}