YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
‘My son paid two months’ rent to a scammer who was targeting students’
QMy son is starting college soon and I think he’s fallen victim to a scam. Believing he’d secured accommodation, he signed a contract and paid two months’ rent in advance. Before this, he had spoken to the landlord and had arranged to view the house. He was happy with the photos and the rent seemed reasonable.
However, on the morning he was due to go up to Dublin, the landlord called and cancelled the viewing due to a “family emergency”. We were going on holiday the next day and he was told the house would probably be gone by the time he got back, so he panicked and paid. After that, all contact stopped, and he hasn’t been able to get in touch with the landlord since.
I know it probably sounds stupid, but it all seemed legitimate. My son is still looking for somewhere to live and this is so much money to lose. Is there any way we can get the money back?
Marie, Co Waterford
AI’m so sorry to hear about your son’s experience, Marie. Unfortunately, rental scams are very much alive and well. Scammers take advantage of the pressure that students are under to find a place to live and push them into making decisions and paying money without all the usual checks.
Your son needs to contact the gardaí immediately to report this as a crime. He should also see if he can get the money back from his bank or financial services provider. If he paid by card, then he may be able to organise a chargeback. But if he transferred the money directly to another account, then the chances of getting the money back are slim. There are time limits for requesting chargebacks, so it’s important he does this as soon as possible.
If your son found this listing on a property or booking website, he should contact the site immediately so it can be removed. Scammers often use similar names and cover stories during multiple attempts and usually make contact through email, text, WhatsApp, or via social media platforms.
Your son should also be aware that scammers can re-target people they have successfully scammed once. Sometimes they even pretend to be helping the same consumer to get their money back from the original scam. So be extremely cautious.
Your son can also find some helpful information, including on how to search for rental accommodation safely, by visiting our dedicated page on rental accommodation scams at ccpc.ie.