EU opens a probe of Booking.com over online fraud risks

The European Commission opened a formal investigation on Wednesday under the Digital Services Act. It says the platform may have failed to tackle fake listings and phishing scams.

“Europeans should be able to book their holidays without fear of being scammed.”

— Henna Virkkunen, EU tech chief

What the EU is checking

• Risks from fake listings and unlicensed stays
• Protection of guest data against phishing
• Whether paid rankings are labelled as ads

The probe also covers whether paid listings are clearly labelled as ads and whether guest data is safe from misuse in phishing.

Maximum fine, share of global turnover

6 per cent

Platforms that break the rules face fines of up to 6 per cent of global turnover. Booking.com says it is cooperating fully.