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Elliott Confidential

Elliott Confidential

Opening The F-Files On Our Most Spectacular Failures

Sep 5, 2026 · 7 min · 5 segments

For the past few weeks, we brought you the consumer cases we successfully resolved. Today we look at the cases we completely failed. Welcome to the F files. These are the spectacular pile-ups and…

For the past few weeks, we brought you the consumer cases we successfully resolved. Today we look at the cases we completely failed. Welcome to the F files. These are the spectacular pile-ups and disasters that we could not fix. This episode contains explicit language and adult themes, so listener discretion is advised.

For the past few weeks, we brought you the consumer cases we successfully resolved. Today we look at the cases we completely failed. Welcome to the F files. These are the spectacular pile-ups and…

Spotify Website

Speakers: Chris ElliottHostAydin ElliottHost

Top entities: Airbnb Vrbo

Show signals: SuitabilitySensitiveBiasNot politicalAudience≈4k followers

The Vacation Rental Ban2:04 – 4:01

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:04

So how did Connie get banned from a vacation rental platform? Well, it turns out these platforms, and we're not singling out anyone in particular, they care about security.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:14

So they do periodic checks, which involve running their guests through criminal records databases.

Chris ElliottHost

2:19

Right, and that's how Connie got flagged.

Chris ElliottHost

2:20

Her photo looked suspiciously like the photo of a

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:23

known sex worker.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:25

First red flag, how does she know a known sex worker? Anyway, Connie swore it was a case of mistaken identity.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:32

Our Connie was an elementary school teacher.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:35

She even sent us her ID and teaching certificate to prove it.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:39

And when we saw that, honestly, we

Chris ElliottHost

2:40

thought maybe the platform had the wrong girl.

Chris ElliottHost

2:43

And then something happened that almost never does.

Chris ElliottHost

2:46

Most of our cases are handled by email.

Chris ElliottHost

2:49

A reader emails us.

Chris ElliottHost

2:50

We email the reader back.

Chris ElliottHost

2:52

We forward the paper trail to the company contact we have.

Chris ElliottHost

2:55

It is very unusual, though, very, very unusual for a company to want to

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:59

actually talk to us.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

3:01

But that's what happened with Connie's case.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

3:03

The popular vacation rental platform, again, not naming names here, wanted to talk to us.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

3:08

So we said, sure.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

3:10

And what they told

Chris ElliottHost

3:10

us was revealing.

Chris ElliottHost

3:12

They said they were certain they had the correct person, that Connie was indeed a practitioner of the world's oldest profession.

Chris ElliottHost

3:19

And as evidence, they showed us an email in which she basically admits to it, saying, quote, I need my account to do my job.

Chris ElliottHost

3:26

And

AirbnbCompanyVacation rental company
50%1 mention
VrboCompanyTravel website company
50%1 mention

Society
Work and employmentSociety
Vacation rentalsTravel > Lodging
RobberyCrime > Criminal offenses
Sex workSociety > Work and employment
Armed robberyCrime > Criminal offenses > Robbery
Criminal records and background checksLaw > Criminal justice
Platform screening of guestsLaw > Criminal justice > Criminal records and background checks
Vacation-rental platform policiesTravel > Lodging > Vacation rentals
Digital identity and trust and safetyTechnology > Online platforms
Dating apps and vacation-rental servicesTechnology > Online platforms > Digital identity and trust and safety
Sex work conducted in short-term rentalsSociety > Work and employment > Sex work
LodgingTravel
Criminal offensesCrime
Online platformsTechnology
Criminal justiceLaw
Law
Technology
Crime
Travel

The Vacation Rental Ban2:04 – 4:01

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:04

So how did Connie get banned from a vacation rental platform? Well, it turns out these platforms, and we're not singling out anyone in particular, they care about security.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:14

So they do periodic checks, which involve running their guests through criminal records databases.

Chris ElliottHost

2:19

Right, and that's how Connie got flagged.

Chris ElliottHost

2:20

Her photo looked suspiciously like the photo of a

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:23

known sex worker.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:25

First red flag, how does she know a known sex worker? Anyway, Connie swore it was a case of mistaken identity.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:32

Our Connie was an elementary school teacher.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:35

She even sent us her ID and teaching certificate to prove it.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:39

And when we saw that, honestly, we

Chris ElliottHost

2:40

thought maybe the platform had the wrong girl.

Chris ElliottHost

2:43

And then something happened that almost never does.

Chris ElliottHost

2:46

Most of our cases are handled by email.

Chris ElliottHost

2:49

A reader emails us.

Chris ElliottHost

2:50

We email the reader back.

Chris ElliottHost

2:52

We forward the paper trail to the company contact we have.

Chris ElliottHost

2:55

It is very unusual, though, very, very unusual for a company to want to

A

Aydin ElliottHost

2:59

actually talk to us.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

3:01

But that's what happened with Connie's case.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

3:03

The popular vacation rental platform, again, not naming names here, wanted to talk to us.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

3:08

So we said, sure.

A

Aydin ElliottHost

3:10

And what they told

Chris ElliottHost

3:10

us was revealing.

Chris ElliottHost

3:12

They said they were certain they had the correct person, that Connie was indeed a practitioner of the world's oldest profession.

Chris ElliottHost

3:19

And as evidence, they showed us an email in which she basically admits to it, saying, quote, I need my account to do my job.

Chris ElliottHost

3:26

And

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