Booking.com scams surge in 2026, Dutch fraud helpdesk warns

The Fraud Helpdesk (Fraudehelpdesk) has issued warnings for Dutch residents to be vigilant when booking accommodation on Booking.com. There has been a significant spike in scam reports in recent months.

Fraud helpdesk warns Dutch residents to be vigilant against scams

The first six months of this year saw 957 reports of phishing scams on accommodation booking platform Booking.com, reports NOS. Compared to the 162 reports received in the second half of 2025, there has been a significant increase this year.

Holidaymakers in the Netherlands have also lost a lot of money through scams that appear on the booking site. Last year, Dutch residents reported total damages of 75.000 euros to the Fraud Helpdesk, while in just the first half of 2026, 82.000 euros have been reported. 

The Fraud Helpdesk has urged people who use the booking platform to be vigilant. “Be alert for messages that may be coming from malicious parties,” wrote the fraud report platform in a warning. 

Fake advertisements placed on Booking.com

Phishing scams are the most commonly reported booking fraud, where after booking accommodation via Booking.com, the customer receives a fake message or phone call requesting money or other personal data. “Did you receive a verification request or another message asking for details or money? Then contact Booking.com or the rental platform where you booked. Or contact the accommodation you rented,” advises Fraudehelpdesk.

On the other hand, scammers are also placing fake advertisements on Booking.com, copying photos and information of accommodations from other booking platforms. The owner of one such accommodation in Portugal, Elisa, who had deliberately not listed her accommodation on Booking.com, experienced this recently when guests showed up, but there was actually no booking under their names.

"On Booking.com, there was exactly the same information and photos that I had posted on the other platforms, and our personal details were also listed. Only the name of the accommodation had changed," Elisa told NOS. The group, which had been scammed out of 2.400 euros, thought Elisa was trying to mislead them. “We still had limited availability, but they would have to pay for it. This reinforced the mistrust, after which the guests became very angry and left.”

Important to check accommodation reviews

The Dutch Consumers’ Association (Consumentenbond) advises travellers to read reviews and check whether the listed accommodation actually exists, on Google Maps for example, before going ahead with a booking. It is also advisable to pay only through Booking.com’s official payment system, ideally with a credit card.

With all this in mind, the Consumentenbond holds Booking.com responsible for its users being scammed. The organisation believes the booking platform should verify listings and take measures to prevent fraud.

Booking.com maintains that every accommodation listed on its site “is checked for potential fraudulent activity, both during and after registration. In rare cases where a malicious party nevertheless manages to circumvent our security measures, we remove the accommodation immediately as soon as this is discovered or reported. We regret any situation in which a traveller and/or partner is affected by cybercrime and take this extremely seriously.”