Booking.com – what’s that again?
It is one of the biggest online travel agencies, which since 2007 has been responsible for more than three billion bookings. It’s a one-stop-shop for booking flights, hotels and rental apartments, attractions and transport.
What scams have been happening?
There have been a number of very convincing scams concerning hotel or apartment/villa rental bookings which are on the increase as holidays loom.
How do they work?
Hackers obtain details of hotels’ and rental companies’ accounts on Booking.com. They then email customers who have legitimately booked to stay in these locations via the Booking.com website, and demand that they must urgently make a payment (first or final instalment) or give credit card details or be at risk of losing their booking. Typically, if users have paid a deposit or first instalment, Booking.com will have saved their payment details in order to fulfil further payments on an agreed date.
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The scammers will have precise information about a customer’s booking, including dates of the stay or reservation number, and when a payment is due, so these emails can be very convincing. The same messages will also appear in the direct messaging function on the Booking.com app, that customers use to talk directly to rental companies or hotels. The bogus messages will typically include an external link prompting the victim to a dupe payment page where the scammers can take money directly from the victim’s account.
Who has fallen victim to this scam?
It has been an ongoing issue, but based on anecdotal and online accounts, incidents are on the increase. Notably, in January of this year, the consumer rights champion Brendan Burgess, founder of askaboutmoney.com, fell victim to such a scam.
How can I avoid getting scammed?
If you have booked with Booking.com and receive an email or an in-app message telling you that you must pay up right away or you are at risk of losing your reservation, be suspicious. If you receive any messages that you find suspicious, call the hotel directly and ask them to verify the message you have been sent. Never click on an external link that is trying to take you away from the Booking.com website – this will be scammers trying to take you to a dupe payment page to capture your banking information.
What does Booking.com say?
If you are in doubt about a seemingly bona fide message from the site, you should contact Booking.com’s customer service team (easier said than done) and/or the accommodation provider directly.
Be suspicious of links you are sent. Genuine payments will be made on the Booking.com app or website only.
Look out for common fraud tactics and giveaways. “Scam messages often include urgent language and may contain spelling or grammar errors,” Booking.com says.
If you have put your card details into a site, call your card provider. You may need to block or cancel your card.
