Consumer watchdog Which? has revealed that researchers were able to create a fake 10 Downing Street accommodation listing on Booking.com.
The researchers reportedly booked the fictional property, which was described as the UK Prime Minister’s official residence, and posted fake reviews mentioning “hanging out” with Larry, the famous cat who lives at Downing Street.
According to Which?, Booking.com did not remove the fake listing until two months after it was created, despite several clear indications that the property was not genuine.
A Booking.com spokesperson told the BBC: “This limited testing does not accurately reflect the experience of the millions of listings and reviews published on our platform.”
The company said the Which? listing was not “publicly available” on the website during the two-month period. As a result, some automated fraud controls were not activated, and Booking.com said it could not fully remove the closed listing.
Users could only view the listing and request a reservation during a 20-minute period opened by Which? researchers for testing purposes.
Booking.com said it uses “a variety of checks and verification measures” to protect users. The company added that technologies including artificial intelligence help detect and remove most fraudulent listings within 24 hours.
However, Which? Travel Editor Rory Boland said the test showed that Booking.com’s verification process was “unfit for purpose”.
He said: “If Booking.com’s so-called advanced AI system cannot recognize that 10 Downing Street is not a holiday rental, it is no wonder fraudsters are able to exploit the platform so easily.”
“It would be comical for Britain’s most famous address to appear as a rental property if it were not so concerning for holidaymakers, who risk losing thousands of pounds through fake accommodation listings and phishing links.”
The Booking.com security test is the latest criticism faced by the travel platform over its fraud prevention measures and customer service.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk