Don’t get caught out.

Gardaí are urging renters to be on high alert for rental scams, particularly as students prepare to return to college.

With the influx of students searching for accommodation, scammers are becoming increasingly active, leaving vulnerable young people at risk of getting caught out by fake landlords or bogus properties.

Twelve victims have already reported a loss of €20,746 – an average of €1,729 each – in July. The largest amount handed over to scammers was €3,685 and the smallest was €380.

Look out for red flags

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.

Approximately one-third of all accommodation fraud reports occur between August and September each year and 34 percent of victims of accommodation fraud are under 25.

The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) advises that there are several red flags and warning signs to look out for, but 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.

If the property is only advertised through social media or the person letting the location will only communicate via Messenger or WhatsApp, you should push for direct answers and if responses are vague, disengage immediately.

Other red flags include if you are asked to pay cash, cryptocurrency or money via a non-bank transfer (such as wire transfer) or where the bank account you are asked to send the money to is in a different country.

Always verify the legitimacy of any rental before handing over any money and contact the Gardaí and your bank immediately if you believe you have been scammed.