Fraudster hacked hotel system, paid 1 cent for luxury rooms, Spanish cops say

The Register
2026.02.18 18:34
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Spanish police arrested a 20-year-old hacker who manipulated a hotel booking system to pay just one cent for luxury stays, costing the hotel over €20,000 in losses. The cyberattack altered the payment validation system, marking a first for this method of fraud. The suspect was apprehended while staying at a Madrid hotel with a €4,000 reservation. He also consumed mini-bar items without settling the bills. The investigation began after suspicious activity was reported by an online booking website.