Warning signs
- 1
The name doesn't match the URL
On Booking.com the address in your browser (…/hotel/it/casa-rosa.html) usually keeps the property's original name even after a rename. A listing shown as “Luxury Suite Colosseum” whose URL says “agriturismo-il-podere” is a classic hijack.
- 2
Sub-scores far above the overall rating
Cleanliness 9.1, location 9.3 – and an overall 6.2? Old reviews keep the sub-scores high while a recent wave of angry guests drags the overall rating down.
- 3
Recent reviews describe a different place
Guests mention a garden, a pool or a village that aren't in the photos – or write that “the apartment didn't exist” or “we were asked to pay again”.
- 4
A category that doesn't fit the location
A “farm stay” or “country house” in the centre of Rome or Milan usually means the profile was inherited from a completely different property.
- 5
A brand-new host on an old profile
Hundreds of reviews but a host registered this year is a combination worth checking twice.
- 6
A sudden bargain
Hijacked listings are often priced well below the area to fill dates fast, before the platform reacts.
What to do
- Compare the listing name with the URL in your browser's address bar.
- Sort reviews by newest and read the last 10–20 – they show what's happening now, not years ago.
- Search the property name with the city on Google Maps: does it exist under that name, with a comparable number of reviews?
- Never pay outside the platform, whatever the host promises.
- If something doesn't add up, run a free check – the identity and rating tests are included.
What our check looks at
- Displayed name vs. the permanent URL identityfree check
- Overall rating vs. sub-scores (a fresh wave of bad reviews)free check
- Category vs. location (a farm stay in a city centre)free check
- Host profile agefree check
- Review forensics: do the reviews describe this property?full report
- Review counts on Booking.com vs. Google Mapsfull report
Questions
Why don't platforms catch hijacked listings immediately?+
Because the profile is genuine – a real host created it and it has a real history. Platforms typically react after guests complain, so a hijacked listing can collect bookings for days or weeks.
Is a renamed listing always a scam?+
No. Properties change names and owners legitimately. A rename becomes a red flag in combination with other signs – mismatched reviews, a rating split, a new host or a request to pay outside the platform. That's why our report weighs several signals together.