Showpo CEO Jane Lu reveals she was scammed on Paris work trip days after passport debacle

In what’s been described as a “cursed” trip to Paris, Aussie fashion boss Jane Lu has revealed how a trip abroad went from bad to worse.

Just days after an Aussie fashion boss revealed how she was almost refused to board a flight from Sydney to Paris, another “nightmare” has unfolded.

Jane Lu, the owner of online retailer Showpo, recently revealed how water damage on her passport resulted in her almost being barred from flying - and now, she’s shared her latest debacle.

Ms Lu explained over the weekend that the apartment she’d booked to stay at while in Paris was a “scam”.

In a ‘Get Ready With Me’ video for TikTok, Ms Lu detailed how she got “scammed” in an accommodation booking in a trip that she’s since dubbed as “completely cursed”.

“First the airline almost didn’t let me on to my Paris flight because my passport had water stains, “ she explained, before pivoting to her colleague Jessica — who joined her on the trip — to provide more detail about the ordeal.

Showpo CEO Jane Lu and her coleague Jessica detailed how they were scammed on a recent work trip.

The pair explained how the apartment they allegedly booked on Booking.com didn’t exist.

Jessica picks up from Ms Lu, and explained that after getting off the 30-hour flight, the pair get to their accommodation to find out “there’s no accommodation”.

“We have been scammed,” Jessica explains.

“It was this Parisian loft. We were super excited. And then when we got there, we tried to get in and got to this one counter where we had to grab the keys … and he’s like, this is not a real place … we don’t have keys for it.”

The accommodation, which was booked through Booking.com, did not exist.

“Three hours later we are finally our new accommodation which was so nice,” Jess added.

Ms Wu then chimes in, declaring the trip as “cursed” once again, before the pair said that more than AU$3500 had been given to scammers as a deposit.

The apartment as listed on Booking.com has no reviews, which for some would play as a red flag.

At the time of writing, the apartment Ms Lu and her colleague booked was still available on booking.com and was described as accommodating eight adults.

The listing boasts a “spacious accommodation” with “four bedrooms and two bathrooms”.

The property also includes a dining area, work desk, and a comfortable seating space.

“Guests can enjoy a fully equipped kitchen with a coffee machine, microwave, dishwasher, and oven,” the listing reads.

“Additional amenities include a washing machine, hairdryer, free toiletries, and a soundproofed environment” and is located just 22km from Paris Orly Airport.

“The apartment is a 19-minute walk from Parc des Princes, while other nearby attractions include the Eiffel Tower (3km), Arc de Triomphe (5km), and an ice-skating rink.”

In a statement sent to news.com.au, a spokesperson for Booking.com said they were investigating the incident and working through a full refund with Ms Lu.

“Our top priority at Booking.com is to facilitate safe and enjoyable travel experiences for our customers and partners,” the statement read.

“We’re sorry to hear about this guest’s experience and we are following up to support their refund.

“Should travellers need support, our customer service is available for them 24/7 and in 45 languages. Travellers can simply select the booking they have a question about in their Booking.com account and choose how they want to reach out, for instance via phone or message.

“We are constantly optimising the robust security measures we have in place to protect our customers and partners, and take the process of verifying accommodation listings extremely seriously. In the very rare instance that there might be some cause for doubt or concern with a specific property we investigate immediately, and where needed close the listing.”

Dr Cross said the challenge for big accommodation platforms like Booking.com is the volume of listings. Picture: istock

In an interview with the ABC in 2023, Queensland University of Technology Professor Cassandra Cross said scams related to accommodation were successful for offenders because booking online was commonplace.

“We are all expected to be on these platforms booking and putting in our credit card and personal information,” she said.

“That is what offenders know that we do and that is why they are popular and really quite effective.”

Dr Cross added that the challenge for big accommodation platforms was the increasing number of listings.

“There is nothing to stop an offender creating listings or copying listings onto other sites, and that is what makes this a difficult and challenging scam sometimes to identify,” she said.

“The ability for offenders to replicate and create these fraudulent posts far outweighs the ability of platforms to remove them.”

In 2023, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch program received 363 reports of scams mentioning Booking.com, with losses of over $337,000, according to the publication.

This was an almost 600 per cent increase on 2022, during which only 53 reported scams referenced Booking.com.

News.com.au contacted Booking.com for comment.