Cost of Living

Booking complaints in Portugal rise over payments, refunds and suspected scams

Complaints about Booking.com on the platform Portal da Queixa rose by 22% in 2026 compared to 2025. Over half of the 500 complaints involve financial issues like missing refunds or disputed charges, while 13% concern suspected fraud, including phishing messages on WhatsApp asking for card details.

Why it matters

If you book accommodation online, be aware of messages—including those on WhatsApp—claiming to be from the booking platform or hotel that demand urgent payment or card verification, as these are common phishing tactics used to steal banking information.

The Portugal News· 39m agoRead original ↗

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Cost of Living

European Commission investigates Booking platform over suspected scams and fraud

The European Commission launched a formal investigation into Booking.com on Wednesday 21 October to examine potential failures in tackling fraudulent listings, phishing messages, and non-transparent paid search advertising under the Digital Services Act. Brussels is probing fake accommodation offers, identity theft, and data-sharing risks that could harm consumers, with no fixed deadline for the inquiry's conclusion.

Observador· 2w agoRead original ↗

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Cost of Living

European Commission investigates Booking.com over suspected scams and fraud

The European Commission has launched an investigation into Booking.com over suspected consumer protection breaches, covering fake accommodation listings, identity theft scams, and illegal accommodation offers.

Expresso· 2w agoRead original ↗

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Cost of Living

European Commission investigates Booking platform over suspected scams and fraud

The European Commission opened a formal procedure against Booking.com on Wednesday 21 October 2026 under the Digital Services Act to investigate non-existent accommodation listings, phishing schemes, and a failure to clearly label paid-promoted search results as advertising. Brussels is also examining how booking and guest data is shared and handled through the platform's messaging service.

Correio da Manhã· 3w agoRead original ↗

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