Booking.com data breach scare hits Japanese travellers as scammers target hotel bookings

A suspected data leak at Booking.com has led to a wave of phishing scams targeting Japanese travellers, with fraudsters using accurate booking details to trick victims, according to Japanese media reports.

Scammers have been sending fake emails and WhatsApp messages claiming that hotel reservations have been compromised or credit card authorisation has failed, demanding that victims update their information within 24 hours or face cancellation. The messages contain malicious links leading to fake websites that steal credit card numbers and personal data.

The scam wave began accelerating during the Golden Week holiday in May. More than 10 major hotel chains, including Imperial Hotel, Hotel New Otani Osaka and Keio Plaza Hotel, have issued urgent statements warning guests not to click on suspicious links.

Booking.com Japan said its preliminary investigation has found no evidence of a direct hack of its backend systems, but admitted that cybercriminals are targeting Japanese travellers and hotels through WhatsApp and other channels. The company issued a formal alert on May 9.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓