Consumer group Which? successfully listed 10 Downing Street as a rental property on Booking.com to test the platform's fraud detection systems.
Key facts
- •Which? researchers successfully listed 10 Downing Street as a holiday rental on Booking.com.
- •The listing remained on the platform for two months before its removal on August 27.
- •Fourteen people attempted to book the fake property during a 20-minute window.
- •Booking.com's system failed to flag an external link sent by researchers to request payment details.
- •A fake review about the resident cat, Larry, passed the platform's moderation checks.
The consumer watchdog Which? created a fake rental listing for 10 Downing Street on Booking.com to test the site's security measures. Researchers were able to list the Prime Minister's residence, book a stay, and post a review mentioning the resident cat, Larry. The listing remained on the platform for two months before being removed on August 27.
Platform security under scrutiny
During the test, Which? opened a 20-minute window where the public could view the listing and request a stay. Fourteen people attempted to book the property, though only the researcher's request was accepted. The researchers also sent a message containing an external link for payment details through the platform's internal system, which was not flagged or removed by Booking.com.
Booking.com response
A Booking.com spokesperson stated that the test did not reflect the experience of most users, noting that because the listing was not 'live' for the duration, some automated fraud controls were not triggered. The company added that it uses AI to remove the majority of fraudulent listings within 24 hours and provides guidance to customers regarding payment security.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Technology.
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