An Airbnb guest claimed a host retaliated against him by sending his wife a security camera image showing him with another woman after a dispute over a negative review.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!As reported by the New York Post, Shawn Mackey – from Mississippi – filed a lawsuit against Airbnb and “superhost” Pamela Fohler, accusing them of invading his privacy, intentionally inflicting emotional distress and causing damage to his marriage following a stay at one of Fohler’s Memphis rental properties.
The 22-page complaint – filed in 2024 – centred on a stay at Fohler’s Airbnb in September 2022, but alleged the fallout continued long after Mackey had checked out.
According to the lawsuit, Mackey booked the property, advertised as “Little Bit More Country”, for a reunion with old friends between September 9 and September 11, 2022.
The booking was originally made for four guests, although Mackey told Fohler beforehand that several additional friends might join them for what he described as a “very low key” dinner without staying overnight.
“[T]hat sounds like a lovely time,” Fohler replied. “I would be delighted to host you all.”
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom property, listed at $567 per night, was advertised as accommodating up to 12 guests.
According to the lawsuit, Fohler raised no objection to visitors before the trip and told Mackey he could update the guest list “at any time”.
She did, however, send a lengthy list of house rules, including bans on smoking, vaping, excessive noise, skinny-dipping, parking in certain areas, and taking food or drinks into the pool. Guests were also warned that security cameras outside the property were “in use at all times and are used to verify Gust count, noise and any disturbances.”
After checking in, Mackey updated the guest list with nine names while adding that “maybe a few more” people could attend, although he also clarified: “Only 4-5 will be staying overnight.”
Minutes later, according to the complaint, Fohler informed him there was an eight-person maximum and that every additional guest would incur an extra charge regardless of whether they stayed overnight.
“I apologize we had not discuss [sic] the guest count tripling,” she allegedly wrote. “Each guest does have to be put on Airbnb and accounted for per Airbnb rules and insurance requirements. There is a cost to each guest even if they do not spend the night. I should also remind you about the strict no parties rule. Thank you for understanding.”
As the evening continued, the messages became increasingly confrontational.
The lawsuit alleged Fohler demanded Mackey either register the extra guests immediately or have them leave before claiming neighbours had complained about disturbances, yelling and profanity, The Independent reports.
She then instructed him to leave the property.
“I am very sorry but you have violated the no party rule, disturbed my neighbors by cursing and yelling in the parking lot, and have unauthorized guests,” the suit said Fohler wrote. “I am asking you to leave now. I can’t allow you to stay, I am sorry.”
Mackey denied the allegations, via The Daily Beast.
The lawsuit described the claims of yelling and profanity as “unfounded accusations” and maintained that only one additional guest had attended, bringing the total number of people at the property to five.
“No party had taken place. No one had been yelling or cursing in the parking lot There were simply pretexts for the host and Airbnb to collect more money,” according to the suit.
After calling the contact number provided, Mackey said he instead spoke with Fohler’s husband, Jamie, who assured him he could continue his stay without interruption.
The following day, Fohler emailed him confirming his checkout and wishing him a safe journey.
Believing the disagreement had simply been a misunderstanding, Mackey left as planned.
However, the dispute escalated after he left a negative review on Airbnb and requested a partial refund of $502.46, which was denied.
According to the lawsuit, the review was later removed and Fohler “began harassing” Mackey because she was concerned about the impact it could have on her Airbnb Superhost status.
Mackey, who was also an Airbnb host, later learned his own account had been suspended pending an investigation into the allegations against him.
The lawsuit stated that he denied violating Airbnb’s rules and urged the company to review security footage from the property to verify what had happened.
Days later, Mackey alleged he received a text message from Fohler.
“Hello Shawn, hope you are well,” the message read. “Sorry it took so long to get the photos you requested together to show your stay at our home. But I had faith, was driven by integrity, so I committed to get these posted for you and Airbnb. Photo at 3:16 AM is especially notable. Should I forward the photos and videos to [Mackey’s wife] Teresa, or will you?”
According to the court filing, the message included “a photograph depicting [Mackey] in the company of another female (not his wife) taken by one of the cameras at Fohler’s Airbnb home.”
The lawsuit further alleged Fohler threatened to upload the footage to YouTube because the files were too large to send by text.
Two days later, Airbnb billed Mackey $960, including charges relating to extra guests, alleged house rule violations and moderation of his negative review.
Mackey refused to pay.
According to the complaint, that refusal prompted what it described as “an extortion attempt.”
The lawsuit alleged Fohler created a fake email account using the address Shawn69@outlook.com before emailing Mackey’s wife at her workplace.
The email, sent with the subject line “Nice bag”, allegedly included the security camera image alongside the message: “I love your bag, where’d you get it?”
Mackey contacted Airbnb seeking assistance.
“Instead of reacting as any decent person of even decent corporation would at such illegal and abhorrent and evil conduct, Airbnb sided with its Superhost, its co-defendant, Fohler!” the lawsuit stated.
The complaint also alleged: “The plaintiff’s marriage has suffered as a result,” claiming the incident caused Mackey significant emotional distress.
Fohler denied sending the email or communicating with Mackey’s wife in a response filed later in 2024.
The lawsuit sought unspecified actual and punitive damages, along with an injunction intended to prevent similar action being taken against other Airbnb customers in the future. It was dismissed in August of 2024.
Featured image credit: Mississippi District Court
