EU investigates Booking.com’s safeguards against rising travel scams

The European Commission has opened an investigation into whether Booking.com is meeting its obligations under the Digital Services Act to prevent fraud and protect users. It matters because the Commission says scams on the platform pose a serious risk across EU countries, and it considers the company’s existing safeguards inadequate.

The probe will examine fraudulent property listings, phishing and text-message scams involving hijacked accounts, protection of users’ data, and whether paid or boosted results are clearly labelled. Booking.com reported a 500 to 900 per cent rise in travel scams over 18 months; in the Netherlands, more than 1,000 fraud reports in early 2026 involved €82,000 in losses, ten times the previous year. The company says it is cooperating with the Commission and that security and personal data protection are priorities.