EU wants Booking.com to check out of its scam problem
Commission opens DSA probe into fake listings and phishing on the platform, says its fraud defenses 'absolutely substandard'
The European Commission has initiated an investigation under the Digital Services Act to assess whether Booking.com is adequately preventing fraud, phishing, smishing, and social engineering on its platform. The probe, which began on Wednesday, focuses on three areas: preventing fraudulent listings, countering phishing and smishing, and improving advertising transparency.
Officials cited a 500-900 percent increase in travel scams over the past 18 months, with the Netherlands alone receiving over 1,000 fraud notifications in the first half of 2026, causing €82,000 in damage, a tenfold increase from the previous year. While Booking.com acknowledges assessing fraud using its own platform and external reports, the Commission believes its measures are inadequate and suggests more diligent risk assessments, including better reservation system management, prompt removal of fraudulent listings, license checks, and improved onboarding for property owners.
Booking.com stated it is cooperating fully with the EU investigation and prioritizes security, trust, and personal information protection.
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