EU Opens Booking.com Probe Into Fraudulent Listings and Phishing

The European Commission has opened formal proceedings to examine whether Booking.com did enough to identify and reduce online fraud risks on its platform, putting the travel site under scrutiny under the European Union’s Digital Services Act.

Regulator examines three risk areas

The Commission said its investigation will cover fraudulent or non-compliant accommodation offers, including listings for properties that do not exist. It will also examine impersonation fraud and phishing schemes that exploit reservation and guest information shared with accommodation providers.

A third part of the case concerns paid-for listings that receive higher placement in search results. Regulators will assess whether those placements were clearly identified as advertisements, according to the Commission’s announcement.

Proceedings follow a preliminary review

The EU executive said it opened the case after a preliminary probe and analysis of risk-assessment reports submitted by Booking.com in 2026 and in the three preceding years. The DSA places additional duties on very large online platforms to assess systemic risks and take steps to mitigate them.

EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said Europeans should be able to book holidays without fear of being scammed. Platforms that violate the DSA can face penalties of up to 6% of global annual turnover, although the Commission did not announce a penalty in opening these proceedings.

An investigation, not a verdict

The proceedings allow the Commission to gather evidence and assess Booking.com’s compliance. They do not establish that the company broke EU law. The Commission’s formal assessment will determine whether further action is warranted.

Sources

• Reuters: Booking.com investigation
• European Commission: announced scope of proceedings