How to tell if your hotel booking is a scam

OTAs can simplify the planning your travel, but the growing number of accommodation scams casts a shadow over their appeal

Scammers create fake listings on OTA sites like Booking.com and Airbnb and trick people into paying deposits or full payments. When travelers arrive, they often find that the building isn't a place to stay or doesn't even exist.

Another emerging scam involves hackers taking over hotel profiles on third-party platforms such as Booking.com. The scammers then contact customers who have booked a stay, pretending to be the hotel and claiming there's an issue with payment or asking for sensitive identity information under the guise of reconfirmation.

Key takeaways

• Always research the accommodation provider before booking through third-party platforms such as Airbnb or Booking.com;
• If you receive an email claiming to be from an accommodation provider, carefully verify the information to ensure it's legitimate before taking any action;
• Call the accommodation provider directly. Before calling, verify the phone number listed on the booking site with other sources, such as the hotel's official website.

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