The fraud occurs when a person looking for a place to live is asked to send a deposit and a months rent through an online money sharing platform, only to find out that the "landlord" is a scammer and their money can’t be recovered.
Crime Prevention officer for Cork City Sgt Brian McSweeney is advising people to verify that the house or room really is for rent and to be especially careful when asked to send large amounts of money
Speaking to RedFM News, Sgt McSweeney says people are trying everything to secure a place to live:
Gardaí say one of the methods to avoid being scammed is to rent through an established letting agency.
Speaking to RedFM News, Kelly Mellerick from ERA Downey McCarthy on South Mall says letting agencies offer a level of security for renters:
