Be careful when booking hotels on online platforms

The autumn holidays are just around the corner - and many people are using booking platforms to reserve hotels. It's important to #watchout: Fraudsters could try to obtain credit card details via the chat function of the respective apps.

This is how the phishing attempt works: 

• Anyone who has booked a hotel through a booking platform receives what appears to be a message from the hotel in the app’s chat. The claim: A standard credit card check is necessary. Users are asked to re-enter their credit card details as quickly as possible via a link.
• Anyone following the link ends up on a fake website outside the booking platform. If you enter the data there, it falls directly into the hands of the criminals.
• Particularly insidious: The attempted fraud is difficult to recognise as the messages are sent via the app's official chat. 
• The problem: Criminals have gained access to the hotel's internal management system and have then sent fraudulent messages in its name via the platform chat.

This is how you can protect yourself: 

• Always be cautious of payment requests through external links – even if they originate from the chat function on a booking platform.
• Do not enter any credit card details or personal information outside the account.
• If in doubt, call the hotel directly and ask.