Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 10
Booking.com Refunds $12,984 After 2-Year Rental Fraud Dispute
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 10

Booking.com Refunds $12,984 After 2-Year Rental Fraud Dispute

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 10

Summary

  • $12,984 was refunded within two days after Booking.com was contacted about a Hawaii vacation rental canceled in July 2024 that had never been repaid.
  • Booking.com said the property partner, Dicasi Vacations, had been removed from the platform last year after an investigation confirmed fraudulent activity.
  • The couple had spent two years trying to recover the money after Booking.com accepted documents suggesting a refund was issued and Bank of America rejected their charge dispute.
  • Booking.com said the payment was handled directly by the fraudulent partner rather than through its platform, limiting the company's visibility into the transaction.

Insights

Are travelers unknowingly risking thousands by booking properties that secretly bypass secure platform payment systems?
If the platform banned the scammer a year ago, why did it take a reporter to get the couple's money back?
How did a phantom Hawaiian vacation rental successfully trick a major bank's fraud department with forged documents?