Gardaí have urged the public to be wary of accommodation fraud, warning that one victim lost €3,685 as part of a rental scam. They also note that only 30% of victims are Irish.
“Gardaí are advising people to be wary of rental scams, particularly at this time of year when students are returning to college,” the Gardaí said in a statement.
“Rental fraud occurs when a victim pays money to rent accommodation (typically in the form of a deposit) and subsequently discovers that the transaction was fraudulent.”
The Garda statement went on to warn of the telltale signs that an accommodation offer is a scam.
“The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) advises that there are a number of red flags/warning signs,” the Gardaí said.
“If the rent seems too good to be true then it probably is – there is no such thing as cheap accommodation, especially in urban areas.”
The Gardaí warned that accommodation scams often involve offers advertised solely on social media, landlords who refuse to meet in person, and demands for immediate payment via non-bank methods, among other red flags. They advised being cautious of these and more potential scam indicators.
Examples of rental fraud include:
– The scammer claims to be abroad and unable to show the property in person, insisting that a deposit be paid first. The victim sends the deposit and loses the money.
– The scammer resides in the property and shows it to multiple potential renters, collects deposits from several individuals, and then vanishes with the funds.
– The transaction seems legitimate until the renter discovers that the property either doesn’t exist, is already occupied, or the keys provided are ineffective, with the landlord having disappeared.
Additionally, reservation fraud happens when someone pays for a hotel or guesthouse room and later finds out the transaction was fraudulent—such as the property not existing or the staff having no record of the booking.
According to garda, the return to college timeframe of August to October shows a spike in accommodation fraud each year, with one third of cases occurring during this period.
As to this type of crime’s typical victim, Gardaí report that only 30% of victims are Irish.
54% are male, and 46% are female.
Meanwhile, 34% are under 25, and 66% are under 33.
In July alone, the Gardaí noted that 12 victims reported loss of €20,746 – average of €1,729 each – largest amount was €3,685 and smallest was €380. 10 of these victims were Irish-based and lost €15,231 or an average of €1,523 each. Two foreign-based victims were moving to Ireland and they lost €5,515 between them, and at least 8 of the 12 victims were deceived through social media or online adverts.
Gardaí advise those who are looking for accommodation to “do their own research” and only use recognised letting agencies or people who are “bona fide and trusted,” among other precautions.
“Do not hand over cash or make a Revolut payment or send money to an account or pay by cryptocurrency – pay in a way that is traceable and/or refundable,” they added.
“Insist upon a proper receipt and a tenancy agreement (get someone to look at it if you are unfamiliar with tenancy agreements)…Never give personal, financial or security information to persons who are unknown to you. Never transfer money direct, pay cash, iTunes vouchers or pay into cryptocurrency wallets.”