GARDAÍ HAVE ISSUED a warning to third level students to be wary of rental scams ahead of the new academic year.
According to gardaí, there has been an increase of 30% in accommodation fraud this year in comparison with 2019, with €1,300 the median amount stolen.
The return to college timeframe from August to October shows a spike in accommodation fraud. Around 50% of these incidents occur in Dublin, gardaí said.
There has been an over 50% increase in victims of accommodation fraud aged under 25 this year.
Gardaí said €291,452 has been stolen this year in comparison to almost €250,000 in 2019.
Detective Superintendent Michael Cryan of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) said students should only use recognised letting agencies or deal with people “who are bona fide and trusted”.
“Websites can be cloned, check the URL to ensure it’s a real website and take note of the privacy and refund policy sections,” he said.
“Be very wary of social media advertisements or where a person letting the location will only communicate via messenger or Whatsapp. You should push for direct answers if responses are vague disengage immediately.”
He said students should also watch out for unsolicited contacts or where the contact appears to be based in other jurisdictions, especially if there is a sense of urgency like “a one-time offer”.
“If you have decided to take up the offer, only use trusted money transfer systems. An Garda Síochána would recommend using a credit card. Never transfer money direct, pay cash or pay into cryptocurrency wallets,” Cryan added.
Students should be wary if a website is asking them to send money to a random PayPal address or to wire it by Western Union or pay in iTunes gift cards.
Similarly, they should be wary if they are asked to pay for long-term rental accommodation via a short-term letting website or only deals in cryptocurrency.
“Most of the time, those methods are done to avoid scrutiny and ensure that a transaction can not be reversed,” Cryan said.
Other red flags include:
Gardaí are advising students to never agree to rent a property without first having the opportunity to view it, never hand over cash and insist upon a proper receipt.
Students should also ensure that the keys work and that they have proper contact details for the landlord/agent.
Digs ‘a release valve’ for students
Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has said that the model for building student accommodation needs to change, but that the rent-a-room/digs option can be an “immediate release valve” for students going to college this year.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, Harris said that there will be accommodation left for students who are waiting for delayed Leaving Cert results.
“Many colleges reserve a significant amount of student accommodation and on-campus facilities for first year students. There’s also two significant student accommodation developments due to open shortly Trinity and UCC,” he said.
When asked if it will be enough, he said: “That’s a very different question and the truthful answer is we need to change the model when it comes to building student accommodation.
I have got agreement now to pursue a new policy, but the immediate release valve, if you’re listening to this programme this morning and you’re going to college in September, I do think the rent-a-room scheme, what was referred to as digs in the past, is an option.
Harris said the digs model housed ”thousands” of students each year before the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that the Government has changed the rules to make it easier for people to rent a room out where they don’t lose their social welfare entitlements.
“On Friday, there were 737 rooms advertised in higher education colleges across Ireland that were available to rent. I’m not saying it’s a panacea, it’s not. I want publicly funded, college-owned accommodation built across the country,” he added.
“We have a plan to get that moving, but right now we don’t need plans for the future, we need an immediate solution, and I think the rent-a-room, the digs option can be that release valve.”
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