class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>
The abundance of offers on broker sites like Booking.com is tempting. However, caution is also required on such booking platforms; they are considered a niche for fraudsters.
Anja W.* (27) from Hamburg has experienced this firsthand. Recently, while planning her trip, she experienced her blue miracle. Spiegel reports this. In June this year she booked accommodation in Zadar, Croatia – 600 euros for three nights.
A few days after the reservation, the alleged host contacts her via WhatsApp. He claims something went wrong with the booking and she needs to reconfirm her credit card details.
Suddenly she was threatened
At this point, Weber has no idea there’s a nasty scam behind it. Until then, there’s no reason to question the alleged host. Not only is his English impeccable, all booking details are also correct. In addition, the message will end up in your official Booking.com chat shortly afterwards.
There is a link in which they are asked to transfer the amount for the apartment again. “The website looked very official,” Weber told the magazine. So Weber doesn’t hesitate and enters her credit card details.
Only when she arranges the payment does she become suspicious. The account into which she had to deposit the money seemed strange to her. “Then I stopped.” The supposed host then sees red.
Suddenly he is no longer so friendly, but becomes more and more demanding. Finally, he threatens to cancel the booking if the money is not in her account by the evening.
“It was a shock”
Desperate, Weber contacts customer service. There they confirmed what she had already feared: she had become a victim of fraud. “It was a shock that a stranger had access to all my data,” she says.
Weber is not an isolated case. As reports on Reddit show, scammers have repeatedly abused the platform for their criminal activities in recent months.
But how exactly does this nasty scam work? Instead of using hacker attacks, the crooks use phishing attacks against hotel employees to gain access to the hotels’ Booking.com data – and thus contact their victims. Because the criminals have official access, their messages not only appear deceptively genuine, but even end up in Booking.com’s official chat.
Booking.com shirks its responsibility
Although the travel agency website is aware of the problem, Booking.com denies blame. Thanks to software, many fraud attempts would be filtered out in advance. In addition, the partners would be continuously provided with safety instructions. However, this is not enough for hotel operators. They feel abandoned and demand appropriate safety standards.
To protect yourself from such nasty attacks, consumer advocates recommend booking only through the Booking.com app or paying for the accommodation directly at the reception. (dzc)
*Name changed
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
