‘A scammer messaged me through Booking.com’s app’

Dear Which?,

I booked a hotel on Booking.com and weeks later got messages through the Booking.com app, apparently from the hotel. 

The messages claim ‘we are unable to register you at our hotel, you will need to do it all over again by following the instructions below, please enter your booking fee’. This is then followed by a dodgy-looking link.

I contacted the hotel using the email address on its website. The hotel replied: ‘Booking.com’s connectivity partner has experienced a security incident. Please disregard any recent email with a payment link, as the link is fraudulent. Your booking is confirmed, and no additional prepayment is required.’

My booking didn’t look like it had been cancelled, but the messages kept coming so eventually I cancelled it myself. But I’m still feeling concerned. 

Katie B, London

Faye Lipson, Which? senior researcher, says: 

We first warned of Booking.com scams last year. More recently, the owner of a hotel in Northern Ireland shared with us…