I rented a suite in Madrid, drank from the minibar, and didn't pay for anything.
Spanish police announced the arrest of a 20-year-old Spanish resident suspected of hacking an online hotel booking website. Investigators believe he managed to rig the payment verification system so that the booking appeared fully paid, although in reality, only a symbolic one-cent fee was debited from the card.
Investigators believe the fraudster manipulated the confirmation process on the electronic payment platform. As a result, he booked rooms in expensive hotels for up to €1,000 per night, but actually paid pennies, while the system appeared to show the payment had been processed correctly.
Police stated that this is the first recorded case of cybercrime in the country using this method, specifically targeting the payment validation mechanism. According to law enforcement, the suspect also used the minibar during his stay and occasionally left additional bills unpaid.
At the time of his arrest, he was staying at a luxury hotel in Madrid, booking a four-night stay for a total of €4,000. A police spokesperson clarified that the man had stayed at this hotel multiple times, and the total damage to this hotel alone exceeded €20,000.
The investigation began after a booking service reported suspicious activity in early February. The payments initially appeared normal, but the discrepancy only surfaced several days later, when the payment platform transferred the company a real amount that was significantly lower than the stated amount.
Spanish police announced the arrest of a 20-year-old Spanish resident suspected of hacking an online hotel booking website. Investigators believe he managed to rig the payment verification system so that the booking appeared fully paid, although in reality, only a symbolic one-cent fee was debited from the card.
Investigators believe the fraudster manipulated the confirmation process on the electronic payment platform. As a result, he booked rooms in expensive hotels for up to €1,000 per night, but actually paid pennies, while the system appeared to show the payment had been processed correctly.
Police stated that this is the first recorded case of cybercrime in the country using this method, specifically targeting the payment validation mechanism. According to law enforcement, the suspect also used the minibar during his stay and occasionally left additional bills unpaid.
At the time of his arrest, he was staying at a luxury hotel in Madrid, booking a four-night stay for a total of €4,000. A police spokesperson clarified that the man had stayed at this hotel multiple times, and the total damage to this hotel alone exceeded €20,000.
The investigation began after a booking service reported suspicious activity in early February. The payments initially appeared normal, but the discrepancy only surfaced several days later, when the payment platform transferred the company a real amount that was significantly lower than the stated amount.
