Cybercriminals send payment or verification requests with correct traveler name, stay dates and details. How to understand that it is a scam and what to do if you have already fallen into the trap
Summer, holidays and here comes a new scam. Fake hotel messages are circulating on WhatsApp. And there is a worrying leap in quality: these are no longer the usual generic emails full of errors, but tailor-made WhatsApp messages, with the traveler’s name, dates of stay and truly correct booking details. At first glance it is very difficult to understand that it is a scam and to defend yourself.
How the WhatsApp hotel scam works: Tailored messages and fake verification requests
The alarm was raised by researchers at Bitdefender Labs, who have been monitoring an active campaign in over ten countries around the world for weeks. The mechanism is simple: those who have booked a room receive a message that seems to come directly from the chosen structure. The message includes the name of the hotel, a realistic logo and, above all, real information about the stay, such as check-in and check-out dates. Personal details that make the message very credible: the victim recognizes correct data and lowers his guard. The text focuses on urgency: it talks about a payment to be confirmed, a card method to be updated or a reservation at risk of cancellation if action is not taken immediately. Obviously it follows a link and if you click you are redirected to a page that faithfully imitates the hotel website or a booking platform. At this point the payment card details are requested. And the scammers got what they wanted. The scam is only traveling on WhatsApp, not via email or SMS and the languages used so far are Italian, English, German, French, Spanish, Romanian and Polish. There are eight hotel brands used so far by cybercriminals: Ramada by Wyndham, Hotel Leon D’Oro, Rihga Hotel Zest Takamatsu and other international chains and resorts. A list that is growing…
How to defend yourself and what to do if you fall into the trap
Between June and September, bookings increase and therefore there is a boom in real data circulating between hotels, platforms and intermediaries. Furthermore, those who are about to leave or are already traveling tend to respond more quickly and with less attention, especially when faced with a message with correct data and a tone of urgency. So it’s the perfect time for scams like this. But we can defend ourselves. First of all, you should never give your credit card details on WhatsApp and before clicking on any link, it is best to contact the property using the official telephone number, or check the status of your booking by accessing the reserved area of the platform used for booking directly. It is always essential to check the address of the link before opening it. Domains written in a slightly different way from the official one, grammatical errors, excessively urgent requests and pages that ask you to immediately enter your card details are all typical signs of a scam site. If a suspicious message arrives, it is best to report it to WhatsApp, block the number and notify the structure used as bait. Finally, when traveling it is a good idea to pay attention to public Wi-Fi and if possible avoid entering sensitive data connected to unprotected networks.
If you fall into a trap and give away your payment card details, what should you do? First, contact your bank immediately to block your card. Then change the passwords of the connected accounts and carefully monitor the account movements in the following days, immediately reporting any unrecognized operations.
