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EU launches a formal probe into Booking.com over fake listings and phishing scams that con travellers out of cash

Askaboutmoney.com founder Brendan Burgess lost more than €900 to a fake hotel email, as the EU launches a formal Digital Services Act probe into fraud on Booking.com.
Askaboutmoney.com founder Brendan Burgess lost more than €900 to a fake hotel email, as the EU launches a formal Digital Services Act probe into fraud on Booking.com.

The European Commission says scammers have advertised non-existent properties, posed as real hosts and sent bogus 'pending confirmation' emails demanding card details. Brendan Burgess, founder of Askaboutmoney.com, was defrauded of more than €900 by one such email before a trip to Vienna. Booking.com itself has warned AI fuelled a '500 to a 900pc increase' in scams. The Amsterdam-based firm faces fines of up to 6pc of global turnover if found in breach.

A data breach earlier this year sparked fears of 'reservation hijacking' by criminals.

Brussels will also test whether paid-for search rankings were clearly labelled as ads.

Since 2010 the platform has processed around 6.5 billion bookings and says it is cooperating fully.

MoreThe GuardianBooking.com under investigation by EU regulators over fake listings and scamsReutersBooking.com targeted in EU investigation into phishing scams, fraudulent listingsIrish TimesBooking.com under investigation over fraudulent listings concernsIrish IndependentEU to probe Booking.com over rise in email scams and fake listings
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