Quote:
Originally Posted by stinkypete
I don't recall ever getting any false positives, at least not from e-mail addresses from large well-known corporations like airbnb. I think it's pretty negligent to just click ignore when you're dealing with a $36k transfer, but I suppose it's understandable if you're under the impression e-mail is a secure form of communication that can't be spoofed. I do find it strange that someone who has been around for 10 years and "seen pretty much every scam in the book" would think that.
None of that really matters anymore though. If you're right about Barclays failing to follow compliance laws/procedures, you probably have a pretty legitimate lawsuit against them. I know the banks use the name on the account as a basic security check but have no idea what consequences it has with respect to the law. If you haven't already contacted a lawyer, I'd get on it ASAP.
Out of curiosity, what was the exact business name they used on the account?
Your intention is reasonable, and I don't mind admitting I didn't know that e-mail wasn't secure. There's a lot I don't know. Like I said, I don't think the vast majority of new users on this site would know that, much less think anything of it. Nor do I think it's reasonable to assume people know that. Sure, everyone has heard of phishing attempts, but to say it's reasonable for a mass-market to suspect e-mails being spoofed is just not fair or rational. Just because you know doesn't mean most people do, or even that it's fair for some minority of people not to have this knowledge and then to explicitly and manifestly warn that group of people. It's just pretty basic, I think. Far more basic than having this knowledge of e-mail spoofing etc. to begin with.
$36,000 sounds like a lot but in fact when you're talking about long-term rentals, it's not really all that much. At least it's something that should be explicitly covered in the FAQ. Instead, if you go on
https://www.airbnb.com/trust you are told in every which way to trust them, they'll handle the money, etc. There is literally no warning for anyone not suspecting scams are rampant on their site, transacting large dollar amounts, or doing a longer-term rental.
When you do find this warning, it takes 5 of 6 clicks, and they warn about a bunch of different payment methods - the standard scam ones like Western Union and MoneyGram etc. but not about international wire, which is the clear default payment method for this kind of money for just about everything.
There are very good lawyers involved already, obviously, and actions have been taken. There's a clear precedent to follow here.
For JSpill, who seems to think I'm at fault here. As always on 2+2, you're entitled to your opinions, I'm entitled to my facts. For the record, the facts are that the precedent here is extremely clear (with this specific situation and players and other similar situations). It is Barclays fault and liability in the eyes of the courts, and depending on the circumstances, it is potentially Air B n B's fault, not mine. They have paid out in the past if pursued, but rely basically on it not being worth it to pursue them for $1,500 when it could cost as much if not more to pursue them. Their conduct is so wrong that it's clearly a criminal offense, and there's no debate about it. This is not my legal opinion - these are facts of what has happened in the past, and what will happen here. The arguments you are making are objectively absurd.
On your motives, I'll let you decide whether you want to be the guy essentially laughing at and simultaneously blaming someone who just got scammed out of $36,000. That's up to you.