When You Leave a Bad Review and They Blackmail You: An Airbnb Host Hits Back

Long gone are the days of Airbnb seeming like a cool, niche thing, a respite from hotels with many fees and few services. That said, you can still find many a cozy stay, unique getaway, or horror story, just as you’d find in any rundown, highway hotel.

With that in mind, let’s turn to the tale of Shawn Mackey, who stayed at an Airbnb in Tennessee.

What originally had been billed as a dinner with some friends turned complex as guest counts, guest fees, and parking/partying/noise all became subjects of dispute between the renter, Mackey, and the superhost, Pamela Fohler.

Using cameras to monitor guests counts (and noise), and allegedly receiving complaints from neighbors, Fohler demanded Mackey’s guests leave, then asked him to leave as well.

In the aftermath, Mackey was charged for breaking no-party rules and for guests who did not actually spend the night. The thing is, Mackey is a host on Airbnb as well, and knows the rules. So not only did he dispute the charges, he wrote a negative review of the experience as well.

And THAT’S when things get really interesting, with Fohler sending the above message, threatening to send a picture of Mackey and another woman to his wife! We’re not here to judge extramarital relations nor those who shed light on them, but dang, that seems like a pretty seedy way to use your Airbnb’s security footage.

You know what happened then, class. Mackey didn’t budge and Fohler sent the picture (from a dummy email address) to Mackey’s wife’s work email.

Lawsuit is pending. Incredible stuff.