Booking.com scammers redirect tourists to London Wetherspoons pub

Fraudulent listings on Booking.com are directing travelers to a Wetherspoons pub in London instead of legitimate accommodation. Scammers have been advertising the address of The Liberty Bounds near Tower Bridge as a ‘block of luxury apartments’, forcing pub staff to turn away as many as 20 tourists daily.

One victim, Paul Dawson, reported that after booking a stay at the fake ‘London Crown apartments’, he was sent a link to a fraudulent page requesting bank details. Despite informing Booking.com that the address provided was actually a pub, support staff reportedly instructed him to visit the non-existent property and wait until after 7pm before they would arrange alternative lodging.

The consumer watchdog Which? highlighted security vulnerabilities on the platform, noting it was able to create a fake advertisement for 10 Downing Street. Investigations revealed that some fraudulent listings remained active despite receiving hundreds of negative reviews.