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If you are planning an upcoming trip, keep an eye out for hotel booking scams. BBB Scam Tracker continues to receive reports of travelers falling victim to lookalike websites. Always confirm you are on the right website before making hotel reservations.
How the scam works
You search for hotels in the city you plan to visit. Among the top search results is what appears to be an official hotel website or a legitimate travel booking agency. When you click the link, you find a website with professional photos from the hotel and reasonable pricing.
Everything looks normal, so you decide to book a room. You enter your credit card information and check out. However, when you review your credit card statement, you notice you’ve been charged a much higher rate than you agreed. It turns out that you weren’t on the official hotel website after all! You accidentally clicked on a third-party site without affiliation with the hotel.
In a recent BBB Scam Tracker report, a consumer shared, "I thought I was on the actual hotel website to book directly (two rooms, one night, at $139.00 per room), but the "Reservation Confirmations" came from [website redacted] and reflected "Resort Fees" and "Tax Recovery Charges and Service Fees" amounting to $220.83. I searched for [website redacted] but found that it did not exist. I asked the hotel manager to look at the charges. He said that the hotel records showed the booking came from a third party, which was [website redacted]. I understand that [website redacted] is a real website, but I also understand that [website redacted] becomes a conduit for this fraud, and unless it refuses to be used this way, becomes a co-conspirator to defraud a lot of people. Here is the takeaway: book hotel rooms directly with the hotel, either by phone or making very sure that you are on the hotel website and not a third party site. In my experience, the website I booked through looked exactly like the hotel's website but apparently was not. Never book through a third party provider if at all possible."
In another example of an online hotel booking scam, a consumer lost over $600 and reported their experience to BBB Scam Tracker: "The scammer accepts hotel reservations at one rate over the phone and then changes the rate with new amount in an email confirmation. Reservation desk also adds hundreds of dollars in taxes and fees on top of the changed rate and then refuses to make any changes or offer a refund once the customer realizes what has changed. When attempting to dispute the rate, Reservation Desk also will make the customer wait 5-7 business days per request to draw the process out longer while never offering any resolution."
Another consumer reported this experience on BBB Scam Tracker: “When searching the web for a particular hotel, like [company name redacted], the hotel's logo appears on their website. You think that you are contacting the hotel that you searched for, but you are not. They are a third party that operates under the guise of being associated with the hotel. They told me they handle overflow calls for the hotel, not true. In addition to the cost for the hotel, they assess a $16 "service" fee without advising you."
When you contact the company to cancel your reservation, you may not be able to get through to anyone. And even if you do, they’ll likely tell you you’ve made a non-refundable reservation. The best they can do is cancel your reservation and charge you for it anyway.
How to avoid hotel booking scams
- Only book hotels through official websites. The best way to avoid this kind of scam is to check and double-check you are on an official hotel website before you enter your credit card information. Scammers are pros at building fake lookalike websites to fool you into giving up your information. Look closely at the URL to ensure you are on the hotel’s official website or a booking agency you know and trust.
- Only make reservations through secure websites. You’ll also want to ensure websites and their payment pages are secure, meaning they start with https:// and display a padlock symbol. If a web page isn’t secure, don’t enter your personal information and close the tab.
- Contact the hotel directly. If you're unsure about a booking site or deal, call the hotel directly to confirm that the offer is real and that your reservation is in their system.
- Look for red flags in communication. Be wary of unusual payment requests, such as wire transfers, prepaid cards, or payment through untraceable methods. Also, be on the lookout for typos and grammatical or spelling errors. Legitimate hotels typically do not have these errors.
- Watch out for misleading ads. Look at search results carefully. Just because a website is the first result on the page doesn’t mean it’s legitimate. Watch out for high-ranking ads that scammers could sponsor.
- Research businesses you aren’t familiar with. If you find a booking site that looks professional but you haven’t heard of it before, proceed with caution. Search for reviews on third-party websites and keep a close eye out for reports of scams. Never share your personal information with a person or business until you know they are trustworthy.
- Check the cancellation policy. Review the hotel's cancellation policy carefully. Scammers might not provide clear information on this, making it difficult to get a refund.
- Search BBB.org. It's always best practice to search hotels near you on BBB.org to check reviews, ratings, and BBB Accreditation. When booking a hotel online, look for the BBB Seal; it's The Sign of a Better Business.
For more information
See BBB's tips on what to know before booking a hotel room.
To plan your next vacation, visit the BBB Travel HQ for more tips and advice. You’ll learn more about best booking practices, staying safe during travel, and avoiding scams.
If you spot a hotel scam, report it at BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report helps to boost consumer awareness and stop scammers in their tracks.