Hotels in this city are being targeted by a new scam, where hackers pose as part of a popular accommodation booking platform and ask for advance payments from unsuspecting customers.
According to Héctor Bustos Sosa, president of the Hotel and Hostel Association, the scammers present themselves as staff members of a well-known booking platform, request advances from people, and then block them.
At least five local establishments have been affected by this fraud, according to the businessman.
The scam is not only limited to Valladolid but is occurring nationwide, which is why it’s crucial to take measures to prevent it, he emphasized.
In light of the upcoming summer vacation season, potential customers should verify the authenticity of bookings or contact hotels directly and identify with whom they are speaking during reservations, Bustos suggested.
Fraud in the hotel sector
In the case of this city, he said that at least five cases have been reported where hotels have been involved in alleged frauds, with someone promoting rooms through the platform.
The modus operandi would be for customers, believing they are communicating with the platform, to contact scammers who request advance payments to “secure” rooms and then block customers once they receive the payment.
According to Bustos, they have already spoken with the involved platform’s personnel to address the issue and they committed to implementing additional security measures to prevent further frauds.
Hotel occupancy in Valladolid
Regarding reservations, the hotelier mentioned that an average 20% occupancy rate has been maintained since the beginning of the month, which is alarming as it doesn’t cover operational expenses.
One factor contributing to this low occupation rate is the surplus of rooms currently available, which amount to around 1,500.
In the last four years, the supply of hotel rooms has grown by 60%, while demand and increase in overnight stays have increased by only 20%. This means there are many more rooms being offered than there are guests to fill them. Additionally, construction of new hotels continues in the city, which the businessman considers an unfortunate decision for investors.
