With the summer vacation season in full swing, cybercriminals are taking advantage of travelers’ excitement and urgency to book getaways, warns Check Point Research (CPR).
A dramatic 55 percent rise in holiday-themed domain registrations in May 2025 — over 39,000 in total — has been recorded, with 1 in every 21 flagged as malicious or suspicious. These scams impersonate trusted brands like Airbnb and Booking.com, targeting both travelers and property owners.
How the Scams Work
Cyber attackers are using highly sophisticated phishing techniques to mimic popular platforms and steal login credentials, financial details, or even install malware on victims’ devices.
Fake Airbnb Payment Pages: Fraudulent sites like clflrm-relslrlv-today[.]com replicate Airbnb’s interface, luring users into entering their payment card information.
Booking.com ReCAPTCHA Trick: Sites like booking-lossitresn[.]com impersonate the Booking.com property owner portal. A fake CAPTCHA pop-up guides users to unknowingly run malicious scripts that install Remote Access Trojans (RATs).
Spoofed Booking Emails: Hosts receive phishing emails mimicking Booking.com notifications about lost guest items. Clicking the link leads to credential-harvesting pages disguised as official Booking.com login portals.
AI Boosts Phishing Sophistication
CPR also observed signs of generative AI being used to personalize phishing emails, varying the subject lines and message content. This helps attackers bypass spam filters and lure victims more effectively with convincing narratives.
Summer Cyber Safety Tips from Check Point Research
Book via official channels
Don’t click on links from emails or social media. Instead, type the URL directly or use the app of the travel service.
Inspect URLs carefully
Look out for misspelled domain names or suspicious extensions like “.today” or “.info”.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Always activate MFA to protect your accounts, even if your password is stolen.
Use a VPN on public Wi-Fi
Avoid accessing banking apps or booking sites on unsecured networks. A VPN adds a layer of protection.
Install reliable security software
Ensure your devices have updated antivirus and anti-phishing tools to detect malicious downloads in real time.
As travel plans accelerate this summer, staying cyber-aware is just as important as securing the best vacation deals. Don’t let scammers ruin your holiday — stay alert, book smart, and protect your data.
