Gardaí have warned students of new rental scams expected this September.
Almost €1 million has been stolen by fraudsters over the past few years in relation to such scams, which tend to target new generations of renters like students.
Nearly half of related scams between February 1 2019 and May 31st 2021 occurred in Dublin, with 72% of those affected being under the age of 35. Almost half were under the age of 25.
Detective Superintendent Michael Cryan from the Gardaí's National Economic Crime Bureau gave the following advice for students seeking rental accommodation this year.
Only use recognised letting agencies or deal with people who can be trusted. Websites can be cloned, so you must check the URL to ensure it’s a real website. Also take note of the privacy and refund policy sections of any sites you are using.
Be very wary of social media advertisements or those where a person will only communicate via messenger or Whatsapp. If responses from the person letting are vague, stop talking immediately.
Watch out for so-called "one-time offers”.
Use only trusted money transfer systems to submit payments, like a credit card. Never transfer money direct, pay cash, or pay into cryptocurrency wallets.
Be wary if you are asked to send money to a random PayPal address, wire it by Western Union, pay in iTunes gift cards or in cryptocurrency.
While accommodation related frauds have declined over the past year due to Covid-19, the commencement of the new student year will likely lead to a rise in such scams.
If you are worried you have been subjected to such a scam, or suspect a person of engaging in one, you should contact Gardaí.
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