The Navy Lodge at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, is pictured on Nov. 6, 2024. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)
NAPLES, Italy — The Navy is warning people that they may be targeted by online scams when making reservations for the service’s hotels if they do not use official phone numbers and websites.
Navy lodging reservations only should be booked through the toll-free number 1-877-628-9233 or by using local phone numbers listed by individual property at www.dodlodging.net, U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples said in a post Friday to its official Facebook page.
“Patrons should exercise caution when using phone numbers or websites found through online searches or social media, as fraudulent sites may attempt to collect personal or financial information,” the base said in the post.
The Navy didn’t say how it became aware of potential scams or how many complaints it may have received. The service offers Navy Lodge and Navy Gateway Inns & Suites accommodations on-site at its bases worldwide.
It’s not clear how many people may have been victimized by the scam, which has been reported to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Coleen San Nicolas-Perez, a spokeswoman for Navy Installations Command, said in an email Friday.
She added the exact locations and total amount of money lost to the scam also had not yet been determined but that there was no indication of widespread impact.
“Appropriate authorities are actively working with the Navy to track down the perpetrators of this fraud scheme,” she said. “The investigation is focused on identifying the fake websites and phone numbers being used to defraud patrons.”
Personnel and their families should double-check reservation details directly through official Navy lodging channels and verify the legitimacy of any website or phone number used for booking the service’s lodging, San Nicolas-Perez said.
People who believe they may have been targeted or affected by a scam should immediately report it to 1-877-628-9233 and notify their bank or other financial institution immediately, the Navy said.
