{
  "id": 8414588,
  "title": "Singapore man posts warning after almost getting scammed by fake Booking.com link",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/singapore-man-posts-warning-after-almost-getting-scammed-by-fake",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-19T03:00:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Independent Singapore",
    "slug": "the-independent-singapore",
    "url": "https://theindependent.sg/singapore-man-posts-warning-after-almost-getting-scammed-by-fake-booking-com-link"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singaporean property consultant Jim Tay warned his followers on social media after he narrowly avoided a scam involving a fake Booking.com link. The incident occurred on September 13th when Tay booked through the platform for the first time. Despite initially thinking everything was set, he received a WhatsApp message requesting a final step for his reservation. The message included a link to “booking.jhprint.com,” which appeared similar to the legitimate Booking.com website. Upon clicking the link, Tay was directed to a page with accurate booking details, including date, venue, and price, but lacking his credit card information. Realizing something was amiss, he verified his reservation on the Booking.com app, which confirmed it was secure. Noticing the discrepancy, Tay clicked the link via Safari, receiving a warning about a potentially fraudulent website—a feature absent when accessed through WhatsApp. Tay's warning, shared on Instagram, prompted several commenters to share their own similar experiences. In a subsequent video, he sought recommendations for alternative booking platforms. Earlier this year, Booking.com disclosed a data breach that exposed guests' information, highlighting the company's vulnerabilities to unauthorized third-party access. Despite the breach, financial data remained protected, but hackers obtained booking details, names, emails, addresses, and phone numbers.",
  "summary": "Earlier this year, the Amsterdam-headquartered Booking.com said it had suffered a data breach that had left customers’ details vulnerable.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Conned or complicit? Indonesian businessman under probe in Singapore over suspected fake notes at Sentosa casino",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/conned-or-complicit-indonesian-businessman-under-probe-in-singapore",
        "published": "2026-09-19T06:00:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}