Accommodation fraud surges ahead of college term, 230 cases and €410k lost

Gardaí warn of a sharp rise in rental scams targeting students, with 230 reports and over €410,000 lost in the first half of 2025.

Rental scams targeting students surge as new academic year approaches

RTÉ News reports that students are being warned of a "sharp annual spike" in accommodation fraud as thousands prepare to start or return to college in the coming weeks.

Gardaí say there is historically a surge in rental scams between August and October, when students scramble to secure houses, apartments and rooms. The latest figures from An Garda Síochána, published on Monday, show 230 reports of accommodation fraud in the first six months of this year, with victims losing more than €410,000 — up from 160 reported cases in the same period last year.

The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) said the incidents include criminals posting fake rental advertisements on established platforms such as daft.ie and booking.com. Posing as landlords, they arrange viewings and request deposits. Once payment is made, all contact is cut off.

The GNECB said it engages directly with those platforms whenever false advertisements are identified.

Rental fraud typically involves a victim paying a deposit and later discovering the transaction was fraudulent. Common patterns include an advertiser claiming to be abroad and insisting a deposit must be paid before any viewing can take place, or a transaction appearing legitimate until the renter finds the property does not exist, is already occupied, or the keys provided do not work and the supposed landlord has vanished.

Detective Inspector Alan Govern of the GNECB urged students to treat any advertisement for unusually cheap accommodation with suspicion, particularly where there is a "sense of urgency" to transfer money quickly. "Be suspicious of those asking for money through cash, cryptocurrency or non-bank transfers," he said.

Det Govern noted that organisations such as Threshold are available to help students identify rental scams, and that colleges also circulate guidance on the issue. He said that if an offer "seems too good to be true, it probably is."

Money mule warning for young adults

Gardaí are also cautioning students about criminal networks that target young people with promises of easy money to act as money mules. A money mule receives stolen funds or proceeds of crime into their bank account and transfers them elsewhere, often in exchange for cash or gifts.

Det Govern said most people exploited in this way are aged between 18 and 24. He said they can be "tricked" into the activity through what appears to be a legitimate job offer, and that criminals are increasingly using social media — including messaging apps and fake job advertisements — to reach teenagers and young adults.

He highlighted the serious legal consequences for those caught, including a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years.

Det Govern also called on parents to watch for warning signs: a child suddenly acquiring expensive items without explanation, or displaying markedly different behaviour, could indicate involvement in this type of criminal activity.

Source: RTÉ News