Fraud alert: What new students looking for housing need to watch out for

STUDENTS LOOKING FOR housing for this academic year after being offered advice ahead of tomorrow’s CAO round one offers. 

Students are being warned to be vigilant when looking for housing as rental scams remain prevalent.

Gardaí have issued advice on warning signs for those looking for housing after receiving their offers on Wednesday. 

They should be wary of unrealistically low, too-good-to-be-true rent prices that often indicate a scam. 

Students should use the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) rent index to benchmark average asking prices in their college’s area. 

They should always make sure the property is registered with the RTB and ask for official photo identification from landlords.

Students should always insist on viewing the property before making any payment and when paying should do so using a credit card or secure, traceable banking methods where consumer protections apply.

People are being warned to never pay in cash, cryptocurrency, or peer-to-peer apps. 

Advice is also being given to conduct a reverse image search when looking at properties online to ensure photos have not been stolen from other legitimate advertisements.

Gardaí said there have been over 230 reports of rental or reservation scams in the first seven months of this year. 

Reported total losses for these stand at over €400,000.

Gardaí have also issued a warning to students about ‘money mule’ targeting, where organised criminal networks manipulate college students with promises of “easy money”.

This kind of targeting involves someone receiving stolen money or proceeds of crime into their bank account and transferring it into another account, often in return for money or an expensive gift. 

Criminals are urging people to be vigilant on social media as criminals are using various platforms to contact teenagers and young adults in financial need, build trust and ask for financial favours. 

Gardaí warn that even unwittingly allowing your bank account to be used to launder this money is a criminal offence and those doing it could face a permanent ruined credit rating, difficulties securing loans, employment or travel visas in the future and a prison sentence of up to 14 years.