Fake Booking Site Scams in Greece
Clone travel-booking platforms targeting tourists to Greece's islands steal holiday payments with fake hotel and villa confirmations.
Part of: Fake Booking Sites
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Greece's islands — Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes and Corfu — are among the most sought-after travel destinations in Europe, making the country a prime target for fraudulent booking platforms. Clone sites appear in Google advertising and social media, mimicking Booking.com, Airbnb and major Greek hotel chains with attractive prices and convincing review systems.
The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) and the Hellenic Police have both issued warnings about the proliferation of fake booking sites, particularly targeting Northern European and American tourists unfamiliar with on-the-ground Greek accommodation realities. Victims arrive at their destination to find no reservation, no property or a property fully booked by legitimate guests.
How this scam works on Greece
A Google ad leads to a site with a URL closely resembling booking.com or a well-known Greek hotel chain. Properties in the most desirable locations are listed at 15–30% below market rate. After entering payment details, a confirmation email arrives from a convincing-looking domain. The hotel has no record of the booking.
In island-villa variants on Facebook or Instagram, a fraudulent account for a luxury villa rental requests full payment by bank transfer, promising a cheaper rate than official platforms. The villa either does not exist or is not available for rent.
Greek ferry-booking fraud has also emerged, with clone sites mimicking ANEK Lines, Blue Star Ferries or Hellenic Seaways collecting payments for tickets that do not exist.
Common red flags
- Booking site URL contains extra characters or slight misspellings of official platforms
- Price notably lower than on the official platform for the same property
- Contact from a 'property owner' requesting payment outside the official booking platform
- No telephone customer-service number or a number that does not connect
- Confirmation email domain does not exactly match the booking platform
- Ferry booking site that is not listed on the official ferry company's website
How to protect yourself
- Book through official platforms only — type URLs directly rather than following ads
- For Greek ferry tickets, book only through the ferry company's own website or licensed agents
- Pay with a credit card for chargeback protection if a booking proves fraudulent
- Call the hotel or property independently to confirm your reservation before travelling
- Check the site's Greek company registration (ΑΦΜ) through aade.gr
How to report it
- Hellenic Police Cybercrime Division: cybercrimeunit.gr — report fake booking sites
- Hellenic Consumer Ombudsman: synigoroskatanaloti.gr — consumer fraud complaint
- SETE: insete.gr — report misuse of Greek tourism brand
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I arrive in Greece and my hotel or villa booking does not exist?
Contact your credit card company to dispute the charge and file a report with the nearest Greek police station ('αστυνομικό τμήμα'). Keep all booking confirmation documents as evidence.