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Sunday, April 14, 2024

Phishing Scam Victimized Over 100 Japanese Hotels

Above, the front desk of an Atami ryokan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over 100 Japanese hotels have fallen victim to a phishing scam involving Booking.com.

Kyodo News reported:

TOKYO - Over 100 hotels in Japan have fallen victim to email scams that try to steal customers' credit card information using accommodation reservation site Booking.com, a Kyodo News tally found Saturday.

Some of the hotels said their customers lost money after the fraudsters stole their card details. The Japan Tourism Agency has instructed Booking.com Japan K.K., the Japanese unit of the major lodging booking site operator, to conduct a full investigation.

Booking.com Japan declined to comment on the financial damage. 

The phishing scams come as similar cases are reported worldwide, and Japan sees a return to booming tourism levels after COVID-19 border restrictions were lifted.

With the help of anonymous cybersecurity specialist Piyokango, the Kyodo News count found that as of March 26, some 118 accommodation businesses in at least 21 prefectures have been affected since June last year.

Fraudsters send emails to Japanese hotels to access their Booking.com management system. The email contains a link, which infects a computer once clicked.

Personally, whenever I have traveled to Japan, I book rooms directly with the hotels. 

To read the full article, go here.

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