There is another type of digital scam to understand, according to BBC. It’s called “storage hijacking.”
The name gives you a clue how it works. In fact, scammers use information about your reservation (perhaps with a hotel or airline) to trick you into sending money where you shouldn’t.
While this type of fraud isn’t exactly new, the recent data breach at Booking.com has increased the risk of getting caught. Armed with data about you and your reservation, the most persuasive configuration can be put in place—why not trust that someone claiming to be an employee from the spa you booked with is telling the truth about who they are, especially if they know your travel dates, your phone number, and your email address?
According to Booking.com, no financial information was exposed in the April 2026 hack. However, names, email addresses, phone numbers and booking information were leaked. The travel site says affected customers have been emailed about the high risk of fraud, so that’s the first thing to check when it comes to staying safe.
Reducing the risk of fraud and hijacking involves many security precautions you may already be following, and just being aware that this is a way you can be targeted will make a difference.
How Storage Hijacks Work
We have already explained the basics of space hijacking, but it can take several forms. As with other types of fraud, it tends to evolve over time. The bottom line is that someone will contact you claiming to be from the place you booked, whether it’s a car rental company or a hotel.
Scammers will try to gather as much information as they can about you and your reservation. Sometimes they will target staff at the place you booked to gain access to their systems, and other times they can take advantage of a major data breach (like the recent Booking.com hack).
They can also get information through other means. Maybe they somehow got access to your email, or to some of your social media posts (where you’ve shared your holiday countdown and the countdown of how many days are left). Don’t be surprised if you find yourself talking to someone who knows a lot about your travel plans.
