Bruselas investiga a Booking por sospechas de riesgo sistémico de fraude

The European Commission is investigating Booking for suspected systemic risk of fraud, as it may have breached EU digital laws by failing to address fake property listings on its platform and lack sufficient safeguards to prevent cybercrime scams. Focusing on the dominant online travel agency accounting for over 70% of the European online travel agency market, Brussels believes Booking could have violated the Digital Services Act (DSA) by inadequately assessing and mitigating risks associated with fraudulent ads and phishing scams.

The Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, will examine if Booking effectively identifies and evaluates systemic risks related to the dissemination of illicit content, such as non-existent properties, identity fraud, and non-compliant accommodation offers. The investigation will also evaluate whether Booking has implemented effective measures to remove fraudulent or non-compliant ads once detected.

Booking reported a surge in travel fraud of 500% to 900% over 18 months, partly attributed to the adoption of generative AI tools by cybercriminals. Brussels also fears Booking has not done enough to prevent customer data from being misused in phishing scams, where cybercriminals impersonate trusted companies to steal sensitive information.

The EU executive considers the investigation will focus on risks related to how reservation and guest data is shared with accommodation providers, as well as the design and functioning of Booking's messaging service, as it may lack sufficient safeguards. Community sources say Booking's current actions have been "absolutely deficient," and the Commission also plans to investigate potential non-compliance with transparent advertising practices, ensuring users can easily identify sponsored promotions.

If the inquiry reveals infringements, the Commission could impose a fine of up to 6% of Booking's annual global revenue, equivalent to €1.182 million based on the company's 2023 earnings of €19.7 billion. However, past fines against Aliexpress and Temu amounted to €550 million and €200 million, respectively, indicating the EU's penalties are typically smaller.

The ultimate goal is to maintain dialogue with Booking to promptly remediate potential infringements, avoiding financial penalties. The European Commission aims to ensure vacation bookings are made without fear of falling victim to scams, as the Digital Services Act sets clear responsibilities for platforms to address these risks, and the Commission insists the leading European booking platform take these responsibilities seriously.