Fraudulent hotel websites drawing thousands of visitors a month
Thursday, 29 January 2009

A new scam involving fraudulent websites of actual hotels has been uncovered, with 71,000 users visiting the sites a month, a new report finds.

Brands being targeted in this very sophisticated scam include Hyatt, Clarion, TraveLodge, Comfort Inn, Red Roof, EconoLodge, Super 8, Ramada, Days Inn, and Wyndham according to independent investigators at FraudTip.Com

“The internet scam combines advanced online advertising, bogus hotel locators, third-party reservation systems, and Internet browser crimeware to redirect hotel guest traffic to fake versions of well-known hotel chain websites,” says FraudTip.com.

And it does see a high level of success, with Super 8 Motels, Days Inn, and Ramada, which are owned by Wyndham Worldwide the hardest hit, as 50,000 visitors seeking the sites are redirected to the bogus sites each month.

Choice Hotels International’s Comfort Inn is the next largest hit, with over 15,000 visitors being redirected a month to bogus sites.

“Preliminary findings show that the fraudulent sites are attracting a higher-than-average percentage of female visitors, teens, as well as adults 50-plus,” says the report.

“The scam has also attracted a higher-than-average percentage of African American visitors, and has proven effective in attracting an affluent audience, and a high index of graduates and post graduates.”

It is expected that hotel chain executives will host talks with those in the cybersecurity industry in Washington DC this week to discuss what steps can be taken.

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