With the Bank Holiday weekend and peak holiday season now upon us, Bank of Ireland is urging consumers to take extra care when making holiday bookings to avoid accommodation scams that typically increase over summer months.
Rental and holiday accommodation scams trick people into paying rent for property that doesn’t exist or is not actually available to rent. These scams can happen throughout the year, but tend to be aimed at people booking holiday rentals abroad or in Ireland, students looking for college accommodation and people looking to rent properties to live.
To date this year, Bank of Ireland has seen an increase in the number cases of accommodation when compared to the same period last year, along with an increase in the amount of money customers are losing in the scams.
Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud, Bank of Ireland said: “Fraudsters don’t take time off and are always looking at ways to take your money. Holiday scams can be devastating and costly, as you may arrive at your destination before becoming aware that it’s a scam, so it’s really important that consumers stay vigilant and Stop, Think, Check before making any accommodation payments.”
“Bank of Ireland customers who think they may have fallen for a scam should call our 24/7 freephone line on 1800 946 764 immediately. We encourage our customers to save this number in their phone, especially before they go on holiday, so they have easy access to it if they ever need it.”
To help avoid holiday heartache, Bank of Ireland is reminding consumers:
Stop:
- Don’t let anyone make you feel rushed or pressured into making a payment.
- Don’t click on links from social media, emails or text messages – always visit official booking websites directly.
- Don’t be tempted move the booking off official sites – when contacting property owners on sites such as AirBnB or Booking.com, we have seen a number of cases where owners have offered discounted prices for customers to move off the site and book with them directly which later transpire to be fraudulent.
Think:
- Is this deal too good to be true? Often it probably is – take time to confirm the offer is genuine, check reviews and prices on independent websites.
- Are you making a secure payment on a trusted platform? Avoid making payments by bank transfer as these often cannot be claimed back.
- Before you make a payment, is there anything else you can do to verify the price, property and owner?
Check:
- Check any website links – lots of fraudsters will set up websites that look authentic – always double check website links.
- Do your research before making any purchase, especially if booking online – consider reviews, check online maps to make sure the property exists.
- Are they members of a recognised trade association? Don’t trust a logo on the website you’re booking through; be sure to check directly.
If you do fall victim to a holiday accommodation scam, it’s important to be vigilant to re-targeting by fraudsters who may pose as a bank or booking site offering a refund. Be sure you know who you are speaking to before giving out your bank account details and remember if it’s a genuine caller they won’t mind you taking the time to verify who they are.
For detailed advice and information on how to stay safe from all types of financial fraud, visit the Bank of Ireland’s Security Zone section of the website.
Anyone who suspects they have been a victim of fraud should contact their bank immediately so that the bank can try to stop the fraud and where possible recover funds. Bank of Ireland customers can call our 24/7 freephone line on 1800 946 764 immediately.