A TikTok influencer went viral this week after a series of rants where he alleges an Airbnb host scammed him out of $5,000 by convincing him to use a third-party app to send money directly.
In a video with 1.4 million viewsTikTok user Bryan The Diamond claims to be out of a short-term Los Angeles rental he paid $5,000 to stay in, claiming the host won’t let him into the unit and asking for 5 $000 additional for a security deposit.
In a follow-up videoBryan states that he contacted the LAPD for help, but after waiting four hours, they told him he would have to take the host to court to settle the dispute.
Bryan then updated his followers in the TikTok added below, explaining that the host was asking for the extra $5,000 because he filmed videos for social media for his fanbase which he calls his ” best friends”.
“I literally don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I have a lawyer ‘best friend’ who lives in Los Angeles who wants to help me but like that, it’s $5,000 and this woman won’t give it back to me. not”, he notes.
Users in the comments offered their advice, suggesting that Bryan file a chargeback with his bank or take legal action against the host.
One follower commented, “I’m pretty sure this qualifies as extortion. You need to bring her to justice. Good luck!”
And another added: “Something similar happened to a member of my family, if you dispute it with Airbnb they will refund you and take care of it themselves.”
Airbnb official site describes its community policy on how to avoid “fraud, scams and abuse”.
They warn users that offsite payments are only allowed on special occasions, such as gym fees. In this case, Airbnb pre-approves said external payment and the guest is informed before booking. They do not allow extortion or any other off-platform activity.
“Hosts and guests should not communicate, share personal contact information, pay, or request payment for a reservation or experience outside of the Airbnb platform,” their policy reads.
Bryan The Diamond, real name Bryan Whitman, made headlines in February when he attended a Zoom event hosted by Nicki Minaj for black content creators during Black History Month.
He is also known for a viral rant posted in June 2021 in a Teslawhich led to a libel suit from a car wash.
At press time, the TikToker has not released any updates on the status of its refund, or whether the situation is being addressed with legal action.
Narcity contacted Bryan and the LAPD for comments with no response.
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