Gardaí freeze bank account in holiday scam

GARDAÍ have obtained a court order freezing a bank account into which would-be holidaymakers paid upfront for the use of a luxury apartment not owned by the man purporting to offer it for rent.

The order was granted at Monaghan District Court yesterday after Gardaí launched an investigation following complaints that a man passing himself off as Michael Haden, quantity surveyor, was not, as he had claimed, the owner of an apartment in the five-star Malibu Beach complex in Puerto Banus, Spain.

Mr Haden had advertised the exclusive property for rent at the knock-down price of €500 per week in a complex where typical rental costs are €3,000 a week. Those who fell victim to his elaborate scam were given bank account details by Mr Haden to lodge payment for the apartment upfront in exchange for which he promised to send them the keys. When the keys failed to arrive, victims realised they had been duped.