Trust and safety
JustBooking helps you compare booking routes, but the final booking decision is always yours. Before paying, verify any booking site carefully.
How to verify a booking site is legitimate
Before entering payment details on any booking site, check the following:
- HTTPS - the site URL should start with https:// and show a padlock in your browser
- Domain check - verify the domain matches the official provider, OTA or hotel group you expect
- Property match - confirm the listing is for the exact stay you found, not a similar-sounding one
- Contact details - a legitimate site should show a real address, phone number or business registration
- Reviews - check independent reviews for the site or provider, not just the reviews shown on the listing
- Payment methods - credit card or secure payment processors are safer than bank transfer or cash
- Cancellation terms - a legitimate site should show clear, readable cancellation and refund terms
- Final total - the total including all fees and taxes should be clear before you confirm payment
- Who is taking payment - check whether you are paying the booking site or the provider directly
Warning signs to watch for
Signs a booking route may not be safe
- Requests to pay by wire transfer, bank transfer or cryptocurrency only
- Requests to pay outside the platform or directly to a personal account
- Prices that look significantly lower than all other routes without explanation
- Pressure tactics such as urgency countdown timers that do not match real availability
- Listings with stock or copied images that appear on multiple different properties
- Sites with no business details, contact information or verifiable identity
- Domains that are close to but not quite the official hotel or OTA domain
- Payment pages that are not secured with HTTPS
What JustBooking does to filter suspicious routes
JustBooking aims to include only legitimate booking routes in results. We check route types, domains and provider information before including routes. Routes submitted by providers are reviewed before inclusion.
However, we cannot guarantee that every route shown is safe. The internet changes quickly and scam sites appear regularly. Always apply your own judgement before paying, even if a route appears in JustBooking results.
OTA safety
Major OTAs can offer familiar trust signals, customer support, visible cancellation policies and account history that make them a safer choice in some situations. If you are unsure about a direct or owner route, a major OTA may offer more comfort and recourse if things go wrong.
Direct booking safety
Direct booking can be a good option when the site is clearly legitimate. Check that the domain is the genuine hotel or owner site, that contact details are real and consistent across platforms, and that the payment process is secure before proceeding.
What to do if you find a suspicious route on JustBooking
If a route in JustBooking results looks suspicious or potentially harmful, please report it so we can review and remove it. Contact: research@justbooking.ai
Results are best-effort and may not be exhaustive. Always check final price, fees, cancellation terms, payment terms and site legitimacy before booking.