Scam booking sent Loughborough family to Wetherspoon pub near Tower Bridge

Many of the reviews from customers said they told Booking.com that it was a scam but had been ignored.

One customer said: “I reported it to Booking.com three days before check-in but they refused to do anything.”

Another customer, from Spain, complained that she and her friend had been left stranded, writing: “Two girls alone in London at two o’clock in the morning with no accommodation.”

Booking.com also has an AI trip planner called Dot, which allows users to ask questions. On The London Crown listing page a Which? researcher asked: “Is this a real property, or is it a scam?”.

It replied: “The London Crown is a legitimate property located in the centre of London. It offers various amenities such as free wifi, free bikes, and free private parking. It is conveniently located near Longleat Safari Park and Longleat House, with London City Airport just 10km away. Based on the detailed description and amenities listed, the London Crown appears to be a real and well-equipped property.”

Dot failed to recognise that Longleat Safari Park was more than 100 miles (160km) from London, in Wiltshire.

“Apartments near Big Ben” and The London Crown apartments were both targeted by the phishing attack, said Booking.com.

“The attack affected the properties’ own computer systems and gave cybercriminals temporary, unauthorised access to the accommodation’s Booking.com account,” a spokesperson said.

“We take incidents like this extremely seriously, and suspended bookings at both properties, as well as supporting affected customers.”

An Ofcom spokesperson said: “Fraud online can have serious consequences for victims and platforms have clear legal duties to take down illegal content generated by users once they become aware of it.

“More broadly, we’ve shown that we’ll use our enforcement powers against platforms that fail to comply with the Online Safety Act, and have already launched investigations into over 100 sites.”