Booking.com users targeted by sophisticated phishing scams

Travelers using Booking.com have reported a surge in sophisticated phishing attacks. In one instance at the Hotel Alpenhof in Augsburg, guests received fraudulent messages containing accurate personal details, including names, phone numbers, email addresses, booking periods, and total amounts. These messages prompted users to confirm bookings via links designed to steal credit card information.

The Bavarian Consumer Advice Center has noted an increase in complaints regarding two primary types of fraud on the platform. The first involves using stolen booking data to execute phishing scams for financial information. The second involves fraudulent listings where properties either do not exist or differ significantly from their advertised descriptions, often after payment has already been processed.