Gardaí issue rental fraud warning as people scammed for as much as €3,700

Visiting an estate agent used to be the main way to source an apartment to rent but many offers are now made on social media and some of these will be fraudulent: Twelve people lost a total of €20,000-plus through accommodation scams in Ireland last month alone. iStock

Gardaí are advising students to be wary of rental scams, as they revealed that 12 victims suffered a combined loss of over €20,000 through accommodation fraud last month alone.

The victims lost an average of €1,729 each, with one person out of pocket to the tune of €3,685. At least eight of the 12 victims who reported the fraud last month were deceived through social media/online adverts or contacts.