Alert: Booking.com Scam Jeopardizes Your Reservation!

Imagine you’ve just confirmed your hotel reservation and are eagerly anticipating your trip, when suddenly, you receive a notification demanding a payment or your credit card details to confirm your vacation. This alert seems to be from the Booking.com app or an email that appears authentic, prompting you to hurriedly retrieve your credit card and complete the payment.

As we dive into the peak of the summer vacation season, many of us expect to hear from our travel agents, which unfortunately also marks a prime time for fraudsters to strike.

A common scam targets those who have arranged their stay through Booking.com, either via its app or website.

In the UK, according to Action Fraud, there have been 532 reports of this scam from June 2023 to September 2024, with total losses amounting to £370,000.

It appears that hackers might be conducting phishing attacks on accommodation providers and then using the stolen details to contact customers – sometimes through WhatsApp but often directly through the legitimate Booking.com platform. This makes the usual red flags, like strange email addresses or texts, less noticeable.

Cases reported by Guardian Money typically involve the theft of several hundred pounds.

Given the global reach of the platform, this issue could potentially affect anyone around the world, regardless of where they live or where they plan to vacation. Regulators in countries such as Australia have also issued warnings about this problem.

Booking.com acknowledges: “Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of online scams targeting many businesses in the e-commerce sector. With advancements in AI, cybercriminals can craft more sophisticated scams.”

The company emphasizes its ongoing investment in cybersecurity technology, noting that incidents on its platform are infrequent.

Appearance of the Scam

The fraudulent message may claim that your payment details need to be verified, or that there was an issue with your card. It will create urgency by warning that your accommodation will be canceled if you do not act soon, often setting a deadline just a few hours away.

Typically, the message includes a link prompting you to enter your card details.

Another scam targeting vacation planners involves counterfeit Booking.com web pages, designed to deceive users into downloading a harmful file that allows criminals to take over their devices.

According to the technology company HP Wolf Security, scammers are sending emails with links to these fake pages, where visitors are asked to accept cookies to view the site fully. Clicking “accept” initiates the download of the malicious file.

Demands of the Messages

The messages either demand a payment or ask for credit card details under the guise of pre-authorizing or verifying the card before your stay, after which they fraudulently charge it.

Recommended Actions

Avoid panicking about your holiday plans and do not respond immediately without verifying the authenticity of the message.

Booking.com advises checking the property’s payment policies as listed on the booking page or in your confirmation email. If there’s no mention of a pre-payment policy or deposit requirement yet you’re asked for an upfront payment to secure your booking, it’s likely a scam.

If unsure, reach out directly to Booking.com’s customer service or the accommodation provider.

Be wary of any links sent to you. Legitimate payments should be made through the Booking.com app or website, not redirected to another site.

Look for common signs of fraud, such as urgent language or errors in spelling or grammar, as pointed out by Booking.com.

If you’ve entered your card details on a suspicious site, immediately contact your card provider to potentially block or cancel your card.

Booking.com also recommends enabling two-factor authentication on your account for added security.