I booked a hotel through Booking.com with clear conditions: “No prepayment – pay at the property.” My confirmation contained no mention that a 3rd party could pre-authorize or attempt charges on my card before arrival. Yet Booking.com still allowed the hotel to attempt a pre-authorization without my permission. This is not just misleading — it’s a serious security issue. Customers should not have their financial details exposed to unauthorized charges when the booking confirmation explicitly states otherwise. When the pre-authorization failed, my booking was cancelled. As a result, my visa was rejected, costing me time, money, and travel plans. Booking.com must be held accountable for misleading policies and weak consumer protection. If they can’t guarantee the security of your booking and card details, they should not be trusted.