At least S$185,000 lost to phishing scams involving hotel bookings since January
Singapore police have reported a surge in phishing scams targeting hotel bookings, with victims losing at least S$185,000 since January. Fraudsters use legitimate reservation details to trick victims into entering card information on phishing sites.
Why it matters
This highlights a growing cybersecurity threat in the travel industry where attackers leverage stolen data to increase the credibility of phishing attempts.
In some cases, the messages contain legitimate details of the victims' hotel reservations, making the scam appear more convincing, police say.
Example of a fraudulent hotel booking message. (Image: Singapore Police Force)
SINGAPORE: At least 148 cases of phishing scams involving hotels and hotel booking platforms have been reported since January, with victims losing at least S$185,000 (US$144,700) in total, the police said on Friday (Oct 9).
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) warned of a surge in such scams, in which fraudsters impersonate hotels or accommodation booking platforms and contact victims mainly through WhatsApp or email.
Victims are typically told that they need to verify their card details or confirm an upcoming accommodation booking.
In some cases, the messages contain legitimate details of the victims' hotel reservations, making the scam appear more convincing, police said.
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