Bogus demands for cash. - Misleading fraud on Booking.com
A recent scam is trying to deceive unsuspecting individuals by targeting their vacation plans. The Swiss news platform "20 Minuten" detailed how this scheme was put into action in a recent situation.
Daring scheme casts a shadow on vacation excitement
Lukas (32) is excited about his ten-day trip to Alsace. He's made all the necessary bookings and payments. One day, he receives a message on the Booking.com app from his hotel:
"Inappropriate card. We deeply apologize for this situation. To guarantee your ongoing safety, please click the link and update your information. If you neglect this message, we'll have to terminate your reservation."
Lukas was alarmed but thankfully didn't follow the link: "Naturally, I wanted to clear up the issue with my card right away. Cancelling would've been the last thing I wanted." With recent warnings of fraud, his skepticism grew. "So I contacted the hotel asking what the issue was with my card."
Soon, his hotel reached out and expressed their regrets for any inconvenience. "They mentioned 'technical glitches' at Booking.com."
► Booking.com responded to queries from "20 Minuten". "Regrettably, some of our accommodation partners were hit by highly convincing phishing emails sent by professional hackers intending to infiltrate local accommodation systems with malware," the media outlet said.
"In some cases, this caused the installation of malware on the accommodation's Booking.com account, letting the scammers impersonate the accommodation through chat communication with guests."
► The consequences were "somewhat curbed" by "several precautions". The statement notes that customers would never be encouraged to disclose payment details through email, chat, SMS, WhatsApp, or phone calls.
* Name altered by editors
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Source: symclub.org