Bank of Ireland is urging consumers to take extra care when making holiday bookings to avoid accommodation scams that typically increase over summer months.
The bank said that rental and holiday accommodation scams trick people into paying rent for property that does not 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 in.
Bank of Ireland said it has seen an increase in the number cases of accommodation scams so far this year compared to the same time last year, along with an increase in the amount of money customers are losing in the scams.
The bank has urged people not to let anyone make them feel rushed or pressured into making a payment while it also warns against clicking on links from social media, emails or text messages and people should always visit official booking websites directly.
It also says that people should not be tempted to move the booking off official sites. It said that when contacting property owners on sites such as AirBnB or Booking.com, it has seen 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.
Bank of Ireland also said that if a deal seems too good to be true, most often it probably is and it urges people to take time to confirm the offer is genuine, as well as checking reviews and prices on independent websites.
It also urges people to avoid making payments by bank transfer as these often cannot be claimed back.
Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud at Bank of Ireland said that fraudsters do not 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'' really important that consumers stay vigilant and Stop, Think, Check before making any accommodation payments," she advised.
She also said that Bank of Ireland customers who think they may have fallen for a scam should call the bank's 24/7 freephone line on 1800 946 764 immediately.
