Spain: 20-Year-Old Hacked Hotel Booking Sites for Discounted Luxury Stays

Spanish police have arrested a 20-year-old man for allegedly hacking hotel reservation websites to book luxury accommodations at drastically reduced rates, according to reports from the Spanish news agency Europa Press, relayed by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.

The suspect, a Spanish national, is accused of manipulating the payment authentication processes of electronic payment platforms to make it appear as though lodging fees had been properly paid. Authorities allege he secured rooms in high-end hotels for as little as 0.01 euros (approximately 17 Korean won) when the actual cost could reach 1,000 euros (roughly 1.71 million won).

“This cyberattack was designed to alter the payment authentication system,” a Spanish police spokesperson stated, adding that this method of criminal activity had not been encountered previously.

At the time of his arrest, the man was staying at a luxury hotel in Madrid, having booked a four-night stay valued at 4,000 euros (approximately 6.85 million won). Police estimate the total damages caused by his repeated stays at various hotels exceed 20,000 euros (around 34.3 million won).

The investigation began after online reservation websites reported suspicious transactions. These transactions initially appeared legitimate but were flagged when payment platforms later notified the hotels that the full amount had not been transferred.