Scammers con Booking.com users by sending messages through its in-app chat function

The latest spate of scams show greater sophistication, with scammers now using Booking.com's in-app chat function. - SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Holidaymakers often snag good bargains when booking hotels or flights on online travel portals, but scammers appear to have recently sniffed out these platforms as lucrative hunting ground for victims.

In February, there were at least five reports of phishing scams made to the police linked to hotel room bookings using the popular Booking.com portal since the start of 2023, with total losses amounting to at least S$8,800.