Known Scams

Scammers and spammers -- anyone who uses the internet has run across a few in their time. Over the years CouchSurfing, like any other website, has had a small number of people trying to abuse our system. The reason scammers and spammers have not been as successful on CouchSurfing as on some other websites is that members take care to stay informed, and look out for their own safety. Protect yourself against abuse by following this advice reported by other CouchSurfers. Please read this list carefully, and be on the lookout for these problems or any other abuses. If you have experienced a scam, please contact our team to report it.

• Spam happens.

  You may receive junk mail, or spam, from time to time. Help us stop spammers by reporting any spam your receive. Three basic types of spam have been seen on CouchSurfing. Commercial spam is very easy to spot: if someone sends you something resembling an advertisement, that's against the CouchSurfing Terms of Use. You may also receive spam from people who seem to think you're on a singles site looking for a date. Finally, some spammers hope to scam you out of your money with a dramatic story and a plea for a check. If you receive any of these kinds of messages, click the Report As Spam button to flag the message, which will alert our Member Disputes and Safety Team. No need to send a follow up message -- we'll take it from here!

• Be wary of 'great bargains' and other financial transactions.

  CouchSurfing is not for commercial use. Occasionally, members have reported people trying to sell them tours, travel deals, airfare deals, employment offers, and other things. Sometimes these offers turned out to be phony, other times it was just commercial spam, and other times it was a well-meaning CouchSurfer who found a good deal. It's important to play it safe and say no to any offers.

• Don't lend money to other members.

  We have received reports of surfers asking hosts for cash, to be paid back later by check or PayPal. In some cases, these loans were never repaid. Don't let it happen to you -- if someone asks you to lend them money, say no.

• Think carefully about last minute or emergency CouchRequests.

  Many last minute CouchRequests are legitimate, but in the past some members have had things stolen by people taking advantage of their willingness to help. A sob story -- stolen backpacks! lost passports! -- can make you want to jump to the rescue, but don't rush. No matter how urgent, consider every request with the same care as you would in a normal situation. Never host a member if you can't read their profile first, and always read each profile thoroughly.

• When communicating with someone new, use the CouchSurfing website.

  Don't post your phone number, personal email, or other non-CS contact information on your profile, in groups, or in event listings. People who post these details have sometimes been contacted outside of the CS website by scammers. A person who's hoping to scam you has a good reason to keep it off the website: if they operate their scam within our message system and you report it, we can find proof by checking within our system. Always communicate through CS messaging system until you've met or established a good rapport with someone.

Remember that it's always OK to say no to hosting, surfing, or meeting up with another member. Don't go along with anything that makes you uncomfortable. When using CouchSurfing, just like in the real world, consider each new interaction carefully and proceed in a way that makes you feel safe and at ease.

If you think you have been the victim of a scam, please be sure to contact the police and your bank first. Then contact us, marking your question "problem with another member." Give us as much information as you can about the incident, including a police report and a link to the other person's profile, so that we can take appropriate steps against the parties involved.