Booking.com under investigation by EU regulators over fake listings and scams
News Source
β’Wed, 21 Oct 2026 15:01:24 GMT
π° What Happened
EU regulators have opened an investigation into Booking.com. They say the site has not done enough to protect travellers from fake listings and payment scams.
The European Commission called Booking's efforts 'absolutely substandard'. It will also check whether paid listings are clearly marked as ads. If the company broke the Digital Services Act, it could be fined up to 6% of its global turnover.
π The Backstory
Booking.com lists about 28 million places to stay. Scammers use two main tricks. Some create fake properties, and some hack a real hotel's account to ask guests for money by message.
The EU's Digital Services Act requires big platforms to assess risks and act on fraud. The probe follows reporting by UK group Which?, which managed to list and take payment for a fake stay at 10 Downing Street.
π― Why It Matters
Millions of people book holidays online and pay in advance. A single fake listing can cost a family hundreds of pounds and ruin a trip.
EU regulators have opened an investigation into Booking.com. They say the site has not done enough to protect travellers from fake listings and payment scams.
The European Commission called Booking's efforts 'absolutely substandard'. It will also check whether paid listings are clearly marked as ads. If the company broke the Digital Services Act, it could be fined up to 6% of its global turnover.
Booking.com lists about 28 million places to stay. Scammers use two main tricks. Some create fake properties, and some hack a real hotel's account to ask guests for money by message.
The EU's Digital Services Act requires big platforms to assess risks and act on fraud. The probe follows reporting by UK group Which?, which managed to list and take payment for a fake stay at 10 Downing Street.
Millions of people book holidays online and pay in advance. A single fake listing can cost a family hundreds of pounds and ruin a trip.