Booking.com Scam Alert: Holidaymaker Loses £288 After Father-in-Law's Death
A holidaymaker has shared a distressing experience after being charged £288 when cancelling a Tenerife trip following the sudden death of their father-in-law. The individual wrote to The Sun newspaper's consumer affairs team seeking assistance, revealing how scammers exploited their vulnerable situation.
The Unfortunate Booking and Tragic Circumstances
Earlier this year, the traveller booked an apartment in Costa Adeje, Tenerife through Booking.com, paying the full balance of €1,712 (approximately £1,488.84). The accommodation had a strict no-cancellation policy, but the holidaymaker proceeded with the booking regardless. When their father-in-law passed away unexpectedly, they needed to cancel the trip immediately.
Contacting the apartment owner directly proved successful, as the proprietor agreed to provide a full refund, which the holidaymaker subsequently received. However, complications arose when attempting to navigate the cancellation process through Booking.com's channels.
The Scam Unfolds
After noticing a £288 cancellation fee on their account, the holidaymaker sought clarification. Following investigation by The Sun, it was revealed that Booking.com had not actually charged any fee. Instead, the company confirmed that the traveller had likely searched for and dialled a fraudulent customer service number, mistakenly contacting scammers rather than the legitimate Booking.com support team.
These criminals took advantage of the holidaymaker's vulnerable emotional state following the bereavement, exploiting the situation to steal £288 through social engineering techniques. Booking.com emphasizes that they never request account or payment information via phone, email, or messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
Official Booking.com Guidance and Warnings
On its official website, Booking.com provides clear instructions for refund assistance: "We recommend reaching out directly to the travel provider - whether it's the accommodation, airline, or car rental company." Contact details can be found in the confirmation email received when making the reservation.
For additional support with Booking.com for Business reservations, customers should contact the legitimate customer service team through the official Booking.com Help Centre. The company warns users to remain vigilant against:
- Emails containing suspicious links or attachments
- Requests to sign in through unverified channels
- Attempts to obtain personal or financial information
- Unsolicited phone calls asking for sensitive data
Booking.com advises: "If in doubt, report it to Booking.com immediately." This incident serves as a stark reminder for all travellers to verify contact information through official channels, especially during emotionally challenging situations when judgment may be compromised.
