What is the EU Investigation?
On 14 October 2026, the EU opened a formal investigation into whether Booking provides enough protection for customers and travellers using its website. The investigation follows questions about potential scams and fraudulent accommodation listings that exploit booking users. As the EU investigates, it will assess the security levels and processes scammers use to create fake listings, and whether Booking is doing enough to regulate, deter and stop them. The investigation comes under the Digital Services Act (DSA) as part of a consumer-protection investigation. Alongside this, regulators are conducting a separate investigation into Booking's photo-pricing rules and its failure to display paid ad listings. This option boosts hotels to the top of the search results, another tool many fraudsters used to scam customers. This lack of transparency has raised user concerns.
How have these scams affected customers?
The investigation began because customers reported fraudulent activity on the Booking website, including phishing scams and fake listings that led customers to make additional payments. In the first few months of 2026, the platform saw around 1,000 fraudulent messages in the Netherlands alone, several times higher than previous years. The investigation will analyse what this looks like globally.
Typically, scammers mimic hotel listings, often using real hotels and locations and copying them to create fake listings. They can use a paid 'ad' option to boost their listing to the top of the search results, making it more likely a customer will book. Once customers book through them, they use the platform to take unauthorised payments, leaving customers confused and out of pocket. This fraudulent activity has affected many and ultimately raised the question of whether you can feel secure when booking your holiday through Booking.
Fraudsters have been using Booking to impersonate hotels and, as a result, collect customer data or force them to pay extra for services they would never receive, which is not what anyone wants when booking a holiday.
What could happen to Booking.com?
Because the investigation is still in the early stages and there is no set date for a conclusion, it is unclear exactly what will happen to Booking. For now, it has not been concluded that Booking has broken the law. Still, as the investigation deepens, Booking could face a penalty fine, typically calculated as a percentage of the company's annual turnover.
What does this mean for platforms like Exploreo?
This investigation means upcoming booking platforms like Exploreo can offer more transparent, honest and trustworthy services to customers looking for hotel bookings. Exploreo is like Booking, but it does the opposite in service: it supports customers by providing detailed information on sustainable booking options and offsetting carbon emissions, while being transparent about where your money is going.
The investigation could lead to stronger protections against fake accommodation listings, fraudulent payment requests and misleading search results. Travellers may benefit from clearer advertising labels and more effective measures to detect suspicious activity. However, these improvements are not guaranteed while the investigation is ongoing. Travellers should continue to verify payment requests directly with their accommodation provider and avoid clicking on suspicious links or sharing payment details in response to unexpected messages.
Yes, other platforms could face regulatory scrutiny if there are concerns about their compliance with applicable EU laws. However, the Booking.com investigation does not automatically trigger investigations into competitors. Each company's circumstances and legal obligations must be assessed separately.
Travellers should check property reviews and contact details, be cautious of prices that seem unusually low, and avoid unexpected payment links sent by email or messaging apps. If a payment request seems suspicious, contact the property using independently verified details before paying.