Booking.com Exposed After Fake Downing Street 10 Listing Stayed Online for Six Weeks

A consumer advocacy group has exposed a serious security flaw in Booking.com after a fake listing for 10 Downing Street remained bookable on the platform for six weeks. The UK-based organization Which? created the decoy advertisement on June 18 to demonstrate how easily fraudulent listings can be posted on the booking site.

The fake ad offered a one-bedroom apartment at the official residence of the British Prime Minister, complete with the exact address, a photograph of the building, and a description claiming it was within a four-minute walk of Parliament. A fabricated five-star review even joked about enjoying time with Larry, the famous Downing Street cat. Fourteen people attempted to book the room during the six weeks it was live.

Which? removed the listing on August 27 after proving the system has a fundamental security gap. The organization stated that people regularly arrive at fake properties after booking and that the platform's verification process is systematically inadequate. This is not the first time Booking.com has been criticized for failing to catch fraudulent listings.