Scammers on Booking defraud Israelis of a staggering sum
Israelis lost €1,540 when booking a villa on Rhodes through Booking. Scammers, posing as the owner, sent a phishing link and redirected to a SWIFT transfer. Upon arrival, the tourists found the address belonged to a local family, who said they were the third victims in a month. The victim urged vigilance.
A summer vacation on the Greek island of Rhodes turned into a nightmare for a group of six Israelis. The trip organizer, a resident of central Israel named Anat, booked a villa through Booking. Due to a delay in confirmation, she contacted the supposed property owner by email. The conversation moved to WhatsApp, where the scammer claimed exclusive cooperation with TripAdvisor and sent a phishing link. When technical issues arose with payment, the scammers redirected Anat to a direct bank transfer via SWIFT details, presenting a fake invoice with the branding of a major tour operator. After transferring €1,540, communication ceased. Upon arriving in Rhodes, the tourists found an ordinary local family at the address, who said they were the third foreigners in the last thirty days to fall for this scheme. The victims were forced to find alternative accommodation with the help of locals. After returning home, Anat urged fellow citizens to be vigilant, avoid direct financial transactions, and carefully check payment details when booking accommodation abroad.