Bookings.com Be On Your Guard.

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by Bikerman, Jan 10, 2024.

  1. Bikerman

    Bikerman Life's not a dress rehearsal.
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    Oct 29, 2014
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    #1 Bikerman, Jan 10, 2024
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2024
    OK, I just thought I'd share this you, so nobody gets caught out. Now like maybe a high percentage of you out there, I use Bookings.com to search for hotels.
    This morning I get an email from a B&B I'm staying in, in August stating that there was a problem with my credit card being accepted, and if I didn't take action now this might result in my booking being cancelled. Right away I thought this is strange, as I've never had this problem before, and anyway I always pay at the property and never use my card to pay for the B&B.
    So not clicking on the link provided, I went into the Bookings.com website, and sure enough there was a message from the property to say that this message was NOT from them.
    I've since found out the following info

    The company, which is one of the biggest hotel and holiday websites in the world, has not itself been hacked. Instead, criminals have tricked their way into the administration portals of individual hotels that use the service.

    So please be careful with what you open, and Yes, I'm not trying to teach you to suck eggs, but to just be mindful that these moronic idiots will stupe to whatever level they need to go to, to get your money.
     
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  2. Eldon

    Eldon Elite Member

    Nov 14, 2018
    6,177
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    Also, I can't remember if it was bookings.com or something similar but my mum "used to have" a mobile phone on my contract. I told her no end of times about ringing the hotels who were on some dodgy pay extra tariff. First time it happened cost me £6 so I told her and she said "oh sorry love"...... err Where's my £6 but I didn't want to ask for it. :(
    The same second, and third, and fourth time.... ummm : unamused:

    Some people just don't take the direct hint!
    Subtle approach required.....
    My mum decided/ I encouraged to get a new handset and so ended up on a different network :party:

    Be careful of what numbers you're using as not everything is include in " unlimited minutes".
     
  3. Sir Trev

    Sir Trev Senior Member

    May 27, 2017
    667
    193
    Buckinghamshire
    Places like booking.com are great for searches but they take a cut, and the hotel may allocate a rubbish room (near the lift or over the smoking area for example) to folks coming through a third party because of it. Once you find your location it's worth calling the hotel directly to see if they can give you a deal or at least match the price as they will get the whole tarrif that way and you may well get a better room or even an upgrade on checking if they're not full.

    This was a tip I picked up when I did a contract a few years ago for a small independent hotel chain. May not work for proper Air BnB sites (ie not holiday homes in disguise), but its worth a try.
     
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  4. Bikerman

    Bikerman Life's not a dress rehearsal.
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    Oct 29, 2014
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    Yes, I often do that too, and offer them cash, which again normally ends in a lot lower than Bookings.com.
     
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  5. learningtofly

    learningtofly He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!
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    Sep 25, 2018
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    That said, the HUGE benefit with Booking.com is the ability to cancel at short notice. It's proved priceless many, many times in the past.

    I also have to say that I've never been allocated a substandard room, either.
     
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  6. Groundhog

    Groundhog New Member

    Jul 15, 2023
    1
    3
    Hampshire
    Same here. I always book rooms with free cancellation up to a couple of days before booking date. This enables me to change plans and routes if needed. Also never had substandard rooms.
     
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