Bank of Ireland warns of rise in holiday scams ahead of summer season

Rental and holiday accommodation scams trick people into paying rent for a property that doesn’t exist or is not actually available to rent. Picture; David Creedon / Anzenberger

Bank of Ireland is urging consumers ahead of the peak holiday season to take extra care when making bookings to avoid accommodation scams that typically increase over the summer months.

Rental and holiday accommodation scams trick people into paying rent for a property that doesn’t exist or is not actually available to rent. These scams can happen throughout the year, but tend to be aimed at people booking holiday rentals abroad or in Ireland, students looking for college accommodation and people looking to rent properties to live, the lender warned.

To date this year, Bank of Ireland says it has seen an increase in the number cases of accommodation when compared to the same period in 2024, along with an increase in the amount of money customers are losing in the scams.

Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud, Bank of Ireland said: “Fraudsters don’t take time off and are always looking at ways to take your money. 

"Holiday scams can be devastating and costly, as you may arrive at your destination before becoming aware that it’s a scam, so it’s really important that consumers stay vigilant.” 

“Bank of Ireland customers who think they may have fallen for a scam should call our 24/7 freephone line immediately."

The bank is warning customers not to let anyone make them feel rushed or pressured into making a payment, and to not click on links from social media, emails or text messages.

"Don’t be tempted to move the booking off official sites," Bank of Ireland said.

"When contacting property owners on sites such as Airbnb or Booking.com, we have seen several cases where owners have offered discounted prices for customers to move off the site and book with them directly, which later transpires to be fraudulent."