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The European Union has launched an investigation into Booking.com over concerns regarding the platform's handling of scams, phishing, and smishing. The probe aims to determine whether Booking.com is taking adequate measures to prevent fraudulent listings, protect consumers' data, and ensure transparent advertising practices.
The European Union has launched an investigation into Booking.com over concerns about scams, phishing, and smishing on the platform. The investigation focuses on three key areas: preventing fraudulent listings, protecting consumers' data, and ensuring transparent advertising practices. Booking.com's own admission of a 500-900% jump in travel scams over 18 months has led to a significant increase in fraudulent listings. The European Commission has expressed concerns that Booking.com's approach to addressing these issues is not adequate and has called on the platform to take steps to address the concerns. The investigation highlights the need for online platforms to prioritize consumer data protection and scam prevention.
The European Union has launched an investigation into Booking.com, a leading online travel agency, over concerns regarding the platform's handling of scams, phishing, and smishing. The probe, which was announced on Wednesday, aims to determine whether Booking.com is taking adequate measures to prevent fraudulent listings, protect consumers' data, and ensure transparent advertising practices.
According to the European Commission, the investigation is focused on three key areas: preventing fraudulent listings, protecting consumers' data, and ensuring transparent advertising practices. The commission is concerned that Booking.com's risk assessment processes are not sufficient to prevent such incidents, and that the platform could benefit from more robust systems to prevent scams.
The investigation was triggered by Booking.com's own admission in June 2024 of a 500-900 percent jump in travel scams over the previous 18 months. This has led to a significant increase in fraudulent listings, with more than 1,000 fraud notifications made in the Netherlands alone in the first part of 2026, causing damage of €82,000, a tenfold increase on the previous year.
The European Commission has expressed concerns that Booking.com's approach to addressing these issues is not adequate, and that the platform could benefit from more effective measures to prevent scams and protect consumers' data. The commission has called on Booking.com to engage constructively with its concerns and to take steps to address the issues raised during the investigation.
Booking.com has responded to the investigation by stating that security, trust, and the protection of personal information are top priorities at the company. However, the European Commission has expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of Booking.com's current measures, and has called on the platform to do more to address the concerns raised during the investigation.
The investigation into Booking.com is a growing concern for consumer safety, and highlights the need for online platforms to prioritize the protection of their users' data and the prevention of scams. As the European Union continues to strengthen its regulations on online platforms, it is essential that companies like Booking.com take the necessary steps to address these concerns and ensure that their platforms are safe and secure for consumers.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/EU-Cracks-Down-on-Bookingcoms-Scam-Problem-A-Growing-Concern-for-Consumer-Safety-ehn.shtml
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/10/21/eu-wants-bookingcom-to-check-out-of-its-scam-problem/5304413
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/21/bookingcom-under-investigation-eu-regulators-fake-listings-scams
Published: Wed Oct 21 11:54:47 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
