Banks warn customers to be vigilant over holiday scams

Irish Times

4 days ago

Banks are urging customers to be on their guard in the coming weeks as the holiday season brings increased risk of falling victim to rental scams.
Bank of Ireland warned customers to be wary when making holiday bookings to avoid falling victim to accommodation scams, where fraudsters trick people into paying for property that doesn't exist or is not available to rent.
The bank said it had seen an increase in the number of cases, and also a rise in the amount of money that customers were losing to the scams.
'Fraudsters don't take time off and are always looking at ways to take your money,' said Nicola Sadlier, head of fraud, Bank of Ireland. '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.'
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Rental scams happen throughout the year, but are usually targeted at people booking holiday rentals abroad or in Ireland, students looking for college properties and people looking to rent living accommodation.
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The bank has issued advice to customers, including double-checking websites are genuine, not being pressured into making payments, don't click on links from social media, emails or texts, and going to official booking websites directly.
Holidaymakers should also be wary of moving off official sites in return for a discount, as this can often be the hallmark of a scam.
Customers should also be wary about deals that seem too good to be true, and ensure that any payments are made on a secure, trusted platform.
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