The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into whether Booking.com is doing enough to protect users from scams on its platform. The probe focuses on fraudulent property listings, account takeovers of property-owner accounts used for phishing and smishing messages demanding extra payments, possible weaknesses in how Booking.com protects user data, and whether ads and boosted listings are clearly labeled. Officials cited Booking.com's earlier disclosure of a 500 to 900 percent rise in travel scams and fraud reports across multiple EU member states.
Why it matters: This matters to travelers, hosts, and defenders because it points to an active scam problem on a major booking platform, not just a policy dispute. Users should be cautious about payment-change messages and verify listings and payment requests through trusted channels, while platform and fraud teams should watch for account takeovers and impersonation abuse.
2026.10.21
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This article establishes a new tracked story because it is the formal opening of an EU Digital Services Act investigation centered on Booking.com's handling of scam listings, phishing, and user-data protections.
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