An unbelievable phone bill of…3,500 euros was left for a Airbnb property owner to pay by a Chinese man ho stayed there for a week.

Properties rented through short-term rental platforms also provide Internet via WiFi to make them more attractive. And the companies advise the “hosts” – with specific instructions – how to secure the internet provision. Few, however, pay attention to what happens to the landline service that comes with the landlord’s subscription and is provided through the router.

So the “hacker” renter who knew the tricks well connected a landline to the router and illegally called China for a week, leaving the bill to the unsuspecting landlord.

The phenomena are increasing in number with victim landlords scrambling to get to the bottom of it.

Tourists from Japan. China, Hong Kong, Arab Emirates etc. arrive in Greece with landline phones in their suitcases. They go to the Airbnb of their choice, connect the phone device, either through a splitter or directly to the router, and start making calls abroad via landline. And all this in ignorance of the owners and the terms of the short term rental. And the debts left to the landlords depend on the period of stay and can range from a few hundred to many thousands of euros!

The Panhellenic Federation of Property Owners (POMIDA) and the Panhellenic Association of Property Managers (PASYDA) have been the recipients of many such complaints from victim-owners who do not know what to do with the beastly “feziascos” left to them by their guests.

The two agencies recommend that owners be careful with their Internet amenities and suggest specific protective measures. The POMIDA refers to mobile internet packages (5G and 4G). And it has entered into an agreement with a private provider to offer secure internet, along these lines, not only for its association members, but also for members of other associations of owners and managers of short-term rentals.

For its part, PASYDA recommends that property owners disable their router’s use of landlines or activate outgoing call blocking.

In any case, property owners can also on their own look to the market for an Internet connection package for short-term rental stays which will ensure owners/operators that guests will not be able to make telephone calls.