I recently had a host that knew information that is not in my profile. It’s nothing terribly private, and I’m not worried about it, but I’m curious as to how they knew.
Is it possible for hosts to contact my previous hosts when screening? That would explain it all.
Maybe the information was in references?
No, hosts cannot contact other hosts, just as sitters cannot contact other sitters. Unless they happen to connect through forum.
Or they happen to know each other. Membership of THS spreads sometimes through word-of-mouth, especially locally.
Perhaps if they knew your surname they could Google you, look on Facebook etc and find you @weirdholyman. It’s just a thought.
Why don’t you ask the host?
@temba I was referring to this comment:
“or they have a combined membership which could allow for this contact.”
I know I can message other sitters where I have a combined membership and if there was a listing for another combined member, I think when applying you can see both links. As @ Smiley has suggested, just ask the owner @weirdholyman.
They may have just simply searched you on the internet.
Or they saw a host’s listing and profile photo, and managed to find them another way, e.g., if they have an Airbnb or via FB.
@weirdholyman not directly- but homeowners may already know each other out side of THS
for example we sit for people who go on holiday with another couple . The first couple were members first and recommended THS to the second couple who we now sit for - they no doubt talk about their sitters between themselves .
Easiest way to find out is to ask the. How did you know that ?
If you’ve exchanged WhatsApp messages they can see you status( if it’s public ) was it information they could have gleaned from your status ?
They can read all your reviews and references, is it information that is mentioned there ?