Which?

Booking.com Security Overlooked Fake Downing Street Listing in Which? Fraud Test

Researchers from Which? successfully listed a fake apartment at 10 Downing Street on Booking.com to test the platform's fraud defenses. The listing included the exact address, photos of the UK Prime Minister's residence, and a description of a one-bedroom property near Parliament. Booking.com processed a payment for a week-long stay and failed to refund it even after more than six weeks. A fabricated positive review mentioning the official cat Larry was approved almost instantly. The platform also permitted a phishing link sent through its internal chat system asking for credit card details. The listing remained active from June 18 until its removal on August 27, prompting Which? to call for an Ofcom investigation into Booking.com's systemic security failures.