Fraudsters target international students looking for accommodation

Ireland has the worst record in Europe for fraudsters trying to con international students with accommodation scams, EU-funded research shows.

Nearly one-third of students who came to third-level college had experienced fraud while looking for accommodation. The 29% figure was the highest rate, and more than double the average of 12% for all 8,000 students who had studied at 600 institutions in almost 30 European countries.

The types of fraud mentioned in survey responses included being asked for a deposit in return for a key being sent by post. Other students referred to fake advertisements for accommodation on social media.