Over half a million euro was stolen from the public in rental scams last year.
Gardai are warning people to watch out for con artists, as accommodation fraud rose by almost a third in 2021.
Typical red flags include prices that are too good to be true, time pressure and unusual requests like payment in gift cards.
Detective Inspector Stephen Meighan says anyone who is scammed out of their money should report it to the bank and Gardai immediately:
"Ideally almost within the day that you learn you've been defrauded.
"It's when the payment is made, and realistically the sooner you get onto your bank the better chance they have to freeze your money at the destination."
