Albanian State Police Director General Skënder Hita said police are investigating a suspected coordinated cyber campaign aimed at damaging the online reputation of tourism businesses across Albania.
Speaking at a press conference, Hita said authorities have identified a surge of negative reviews and ratings targeting hotels, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses on international online platforms in recent days.
According to the police chief, preliminary findings indicate the existence of a network of accounts operating in a coordinated manner. More than 10,000 accounts showing suspicious activity patterns have been identified and are currently being verified by specialised cybercrime investigators.
Hita said some of the accounts are suspected of having been created specifically for this purpose, while others appear to be genuine profiles that are also under investigation. He added that investigators have found cases in which the same account posted negative reviews about businesses in different Albanian cities within a very short period of time.
“These elements are being analysed to determine whether this is an organised activity aimed at creating a false perception and damaging the reputation of Albanian businesses,” Hita said.
He warned that if the suspicions are confirmed, the case will be referred to the prosecution on charges related to cybercrime and damage to the country’s economic interests.
The police chief also called on hotel, restaurant and tourism business operators who have experienced similar incidents to report them to the Cybercrime Investigation Unit and preserve any electronic evidence that could assist the investigation.
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