Fake news via WhatsApp or text message
There has recently been an increase in fraudulent and fake messages via WhatsApp or text message in the hotel and travel industry, which refer to genuine bookings and ask recipients to make a payment or enter their credit card details. In some cases, these messages even contain correct booking information. These messages do not come from us.
What happened?
There was a security breach in the booking software provided by an external service provider, which we use for online bookings. Unauthorised individuals may have been able to view booking details: name, email address, telephone number, booking reference, travel dates and booking amount. As far as we are currently aware, payment and credit card details have not been affected. The vulnerability has been rectified. Online bookings made between October 2025 and September 2026 may be affected.
How to protect yourself:
- We will never ask you via WhatsApp or text message to make a payment or enter your card details.
- Do not open any links in such messages and do not enter any payment details.
- If in doubt, you can contact us by telephone on: +49 8022 188988 or by email at info@derwesterhof.de. Please only use these contact details, not those provided in a suspicious message.
If you have already entered your details or made a payment, please contact your bank or credit card provider immediately, have your card blocked if necessary, and report the matter to the police. Please also inform us.
Questions regarding data protection:
For further information, please call +49 8022 188988 or email info@derwesterhof.de.
Your booking will, of course, remain unchanged.
We are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Your team at the Hotel Der Westerhof
Frequently asked questions about suspicious messages
The vulnerability identified at HotelNetSolutions was patched on 19 September 2026. HotelNetSolutions has also appointed an external cybersecurity specialist; the scope of the independent investigation and security audit is currently being finalised. The incident was reported to the State Criminal Police Office.
No. Messages received before arrival are not automatically suspicious.
We do not use online or pre-check-in, nor do we carry out separate digital guest registration prior to arrival. A request to this effect is therefore not part of our standard procedure.
We do not send payment requests via a link. A message to this effect is therefore not part of our standard payment process.
If you are unsure, please contact us directly on Tel: +49 8022 188988 or via our official website https://www.derwesterhof.de.
Unfortunately, this is not always reliable. The scam messages currently known may contain genuine details about your booking, such as your name, travel dates or your booking reference.
Even correct booking details are therefore no proof that a message actually comes from us.
Pay particular attention to whether the message requests an action that we actually offer.
If in doubt, please do not use the contact details provided in the message in question; instead, contact us directly on Tel: +49 8022 188988 or via our official website https://www.derwesterhof.de.
If in doubt, do not open the link contained in the message and do not make any payments via it.
Please keep the message for the time being and contact us on Tel: +49 8022 188988 or via our official website https://www.derwesterhof.de. We’ll be happy to check whether the message actually came from us or a service we use.
If you have not entered any data, downloaded any files or installed any apps, close the page and do not use the link any further.
For the time being, keep the message as potential evidence.
If anything has been downloaded or installed, or if your device subsequently behaves unusually, have it checked for security issues.
Change the password in question as soon as possible via the official website or app of the relevant service – not via the link in the message.
If possible:
- end any active sessions,
- check your account for any unauthorised changes,
- change the same password on other services if you use it there as well,
- enable two-factor authentication, if available.
Contact your bank or card provider immediately and explain that the details may have been entered on a fraudulent website.
Your bank or card provider will be able to assess what further action is required.
You should then check your transaction history for any transactions you did not authorise.
Contact your bank or the payment service provider you used immediately and ask whether the payment can still be stopped, reversed or disputed.
If possible, keep the following information to hand:
- the original message,
- the sender’s name or telephone number,
- the link or web address,
- screenshots,
- proof of payment.
Please also contact us on Tel: +49 8022 188988, so that we can document the case.
Yes. We are currently seeing phishing emails relating to hotel stays even after guests have checked out.
These often involve, for example, alleged additional payments or refunds and a request to follow a link.
If such a request purports to come from us and you are unsure, please contact us directly on Tel: +49 8022 188988 or via our official website https://www.derwesterhof.de
Based on current information, there is no evidence to suggest that credit card or other payment details have been compromised via the identified vulnerability at HotelNetSolutions.
This is to be distinguished from payment or login details that a guest subsequently entered themselves on a fraudulent website.
No. A suspicious message does not automatically mean that there is something wrong with your booking.
If you are unsure, we will be happy to check your booking status for you directly by telephone: +49 8022 188988 or via our official website https://www.derwesterhof.de.