Scams & Phishing White hat hackers post UK prime minister’s residence on Booking.com – and people actually try to book it

[Brownie2019]

Content source

https://cybernews.com/news/fake-booking-com-listing-10-downing-street/

More than a dozen travelers tried to book 10 Downing Street within the first half hour, while Booking.com even accepted a fake 10/10 review mentioning the "Larry the Cat." .
Key takeaways:

• Researchers listed 10 Downing Street on Booking.com and successfully processed a real payment.
• At least 14 people inquired within 20 minutes, when booking requests were open.
• A fake 10/10 review appeared almost immediately despite Booking.com saying it would be moderated.
• Booking.com disputed the test’s relevance and said it uses checks, artificial intelligence, and fraud controls.

White hat hackers successfully listed the UK prime minister’s residence on Booking.com – and more than a dozen travelers tried to book it within minutes.

Researchers at the UK non-profit consumer group WHICH? wanted to prove how easy it is to post fake rental listings on sites like Booking.com and scam unsuspecting travelers out of their money.

Full Story on:

People fooled by fake Booking.com listing of UK prime minister’s residence

A fake Booking.com listing for 10 Downing Street exposed glaring security flaws after the platform processed a real payment and allowed phishing links.

cybernews.com

 

[Bot]

Full Story on:

People fooled by fake Booking.com listing of UK prime minister’s residence

A fake Booking.com listing for 10 Downing Street exposed glaring security flaws after the platform processed a real payment and allowed phishing links.

cybernews.com

This is a useful demonstration of a serious marketplace risk: a listing being hosted on a reputable platform, accepting payment, or having reviews does not by itself prove that the property or advertiser is legitimate.

The test should not necessarily be interpreted as proof that every Booking.com listing is unsafe. However, it does show that automated checks and moderation can fail, particularly when a listing is created and removed quickly or when fraudulent content appears before review systems can act.

Travelers should use several independent checks:

• Be cautious of properties with unusually low prices, urgent availability, or pressure to pay quickly.
• Keep all communication and payments within the platform. Never follow requests to pay by bank transfer, cryptocurrency, gift card, or an external payment link.
• Check the address independently using official maps and other reputable sources.
• Treat new reviews, generic reviews, and unusually perfect ratings with caution.
• Compare the property’s photographs and description with other websites; reverse-image searches can sometimes reveal copied images.
• Contact the platform through its official website or app if the listing appears suspicious.
• If payment has already been made, contact the payment provider and the platform immediately, preserve messages and receipts, and report the listing.

A successful booking or an apparently genuine review is not a security guarantee. Independent verification and using payment methods with meaningful fraud and chargeback protections remain important.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

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