The EC has launched an investigation into possible fraudulent schemes on Booking.com

The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into Booking.com over possible violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The regulator will check whether the service does enough to protect users from fraudulent ads and phishing. This is stated in the press release of the EC.

The investigation covers three areas:

The first is ads for non-existent housing, offers from persons posing as property owners, and other accommodation options that do not meet the requirements. The Commission will assess whether Booking.com correctly identifies the risks involved and takes effective action, including removing such ads. The second area concerns the use of guest data and bookings in fraudulent schemes. The Commission will examine how the service transmits information to homeowners and how its messaging system works. The regulator intends to find out whether there is enough protection against the use of this data for phishing and the requirements to transfer money to fraudsters. As part of the third direction, the EC will check the paid promotion of accommodation facilities. Owners can increase the visibility of their offers in the Booking.com search by paying the service a higher commission. Users should understand that such ads are advertising, the regulator emphasizes.

The Commission will also assess whether customers can easily figure out who posted and paid for the advertisement, why it is shown to them and how to change the relevant settings. Without this, users are unable to distinguish the offer that meets their request from the one that was higher due to payment.

“Europeans should be able to book holidays without fear of becoming victims of fraud,” said Henna Wirkkunen, executive vice-chair of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy. The DSA sets clear responsibilities for platforms to counter such risks.

A Dutch report on consumer complaints recorded 1,072 fraud reports on Booking.com in the first half of 2026. The damage is estimated at about €82,000. According to officials, the number of messages increased tenfold compared to 2025.

Booking.com has announced its full cooperation with the European Commission. “Security, trust and protection of personal information are the top priorities of Booking.com,” an RTE spokesperson said. We will continue to work with authorities, regulators and law enforcement to combat cybercrime and online fraud.

The start of the investigation does not prejudge its outcome, the European Commission stressed. If confirmed, Booking.com could face fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover.

Booking.com is an online booking service for hotels, apartments, houses and other accommodation facilities. He acts as an intermediary between travelers and homeowners, receiving a commission for bookings. The company was founded in Amsterdam in 1996 and is part of the American Booking Holdings.

Booking.com has not officially operated in Russia since March 2022. The company left the Russian market after the beginning of the military operation in Ukraine.

European regulators have previously checked the practices of the service. In early 2019, the European Commission and national consumer protection authorities began working together to improve the transparency of Booking.com’s offerings. In December 2020, the EC reported that the company changed the display of prices, discounts and advertising. In particular, the service has become more accurate to show the impact of payments of homeowners on search results, the full cost of living and the number of remaining rooms.

In July 2024, the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission fined Booking.com €413.24 million for abuse of a dominant position. According to the regulator, the company imposed unfavorable conditions on hotels, including limiting the ability to offer prices on its own sites lower than on Booking.com, and preventing competition with other booking services.

Antimonopoly proceedings were also held in Russia. In August 2021, the FAS appointed Booking.com a fine of 1.3 billion rubles for imposing conditions on price parity on hotels. It prohibited hotels from offering better deals through other sales channels. The company challenged the decision, but the court upheld the service. In April 2022, Booking.com paid a fine.