‘Airbnb scammed me out of 4k’: Woman books New Jersey Airbnb for 13 weeks. Then an electrician shows up, says nobody should be living there

A traveling healthcare worker says she was scammed out of $4,000 after a long-term Airbnb rental in New Jersey turned into a nightmare involving safety hazards and poor support from the company. The TikTok creator, known as Casey, who goes by the handle (@spaceycaseycowboy), shared her experience in a video that has already gotten over 12,200 views.

According to Brobible, she booked a place listed as an entire space, which she understood to mean a private entrance and no shared interior walls. When she arrived, she found herself in a basement with no soundproofing, living directly beneath two or three men who were frequently loud. When she contacted Airbnb customer support, they reportedly brushed her off and insisted the space qualified as a home simply because it had a separate entrance.

Things got worse when she discovered a serious electrical problem halfway through her stay. The entire basement was wired to a single breaker, meaning she could not use more than three kitchen appliances without creating a fire risk. Airbnb eventually sent an electrician to inspect the property, who stated clearly that the place was wired incorrectly and was not fit for anyone to be living there, warning that the wiring needed to be fixed immediately to avoid a major fire.

Airbnb’s handling of this case raises serious concerns about how the platform treats guests in genuine danger

Despite having professional confirmation of a serious safety hazard, Casey says Airbnb continued to fight her on the refund. She kept all her evidence and made multiple calls, but the support she received was far from helpful. At one point, she was told an agent had agreed to a refund, but after days of silence, she felt she had no choice but to leave the property in the middle of the night for her own safety.

Once back in Florida, things became even more frustrating. Casey claims that Airbnb support staff were condescending and suggested she should have tried harder to make her case. She was told the host was filing complaints because she had not paid rent, even though she had already left by April 10, well before the April 13 due date, and the host knew she had moved out. 

New Jersey has seen its share of consumer disputes lately, including a salon customer denied a refund after a botched hair service that left her out $400. On top of that, Casey’s stay was later cancelled in the app, and she was told it was because she failed to pay rent on time.

Even after escalating to a senior staff member, Casey says she never received a proper follow-up. She was told there was not enough evidence to confirm she had moved out, despite her many calls and messages. In a direct message to the company, she said, “Airbnb, if you see this, and I hope you do, I will never use you again.”

Commenters on her video quickly sided with her, with many suggesting she pursue a chargeback with her bank. Airbnb’s policy states that guests must report reservation issues within 72 hours of discovery, and that accommodations with safety or health hazards are eligible for refunds. 

An Airbnb spokesperson told one media outlet that they were “disappointed the stay did not meet expectations” and were supporting the guest to make sure she was not charged for nights she did not stay. The company also claimed that the listing included information about appliance use and how to handle circuit breaker issues, though that does little to address the core safety concerns raised by the electrician who inspected the property in person, per Airbnb.

Consumer frustrations in the state are not limited to rentals either, as another recent case involved a New Jersey car deal that went wrong with cops getting involved after the seller disappeared with the buyer’s money. For Casey, it is clear that the damage is already done, and the experience has cost her both money and trust in the platform.