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Anyone who has recently booked or is going to book a trip for next summer would better pay close attention. Safeonweb has already received numerous reports from people who were scammed when booking their holiday via Booking.com.
Internet scammers are becoming increasingly ingenious. Now they are also trying to get those who want to book their trip for next summer. Customers receive an email that appears to come from the highly popular platform Booking.com explaining that payment for their reservation has not been successful or that they need to check their payment details. “Remarkably, all the details are correct, such as the destination, the hotel and the travel date. That makes it so credible,” warns Safeonweb, which informs and advises citizens about cybersecurity.
Yet it is not Booking.com or the hotel that contacts you, but a hacker/scammer who has stolen all that data and is after your money. “This form of scam has also surfaced via the Booking.com mobile app, where the so-called hotel where customers have booked asks for bank verification. The customer is asked to click through on a link in a message sent directly to the customer’s account. Customers are then encouraged to make a new payment or provide their bank details to avoid the risk of their booking being cancelled.”
Bank details
“The tone of the email is very compelling. Scammers use a convincing tone and emphasize the urgency of the situation, otherwise your booking will simply be canceled,” Safeonweb said. Therefore, always be wary if you are asked to make another payment. Furthermore, any message asking you to verify your banking details is a scam. Even your bank will never ask you for that information.
To be clear, never pay via a link in an email, WhatsApp message or text message. And check your reservation via your personal account on Booking.com. If in doubt, please contact Booking.com or the hotel directly to verify the accuracy of the information. It is best to forward fraudulent emails or messages to [email protected].
If you have lost money or been the victim of a scam, report it to the police. Also contact your bank and/or Card Stop on 078/170.170 if you have provided your bank details, if money disappears from your bank account or if you have transferred money to a fraudster. This way, fraudulent transactions can hopefully still be blocked.