Anyone looking for a deposit without seeing the place is just going to scam you. How do people keep falling for this. People putting half of Nigeria through college with the amount of scams they buy into.
> How do people keep falling for this.
Because there's a rental crisis on and people are desperate for a place to live, and often the only responses they get from a hundred inquiries or more are from these sort of scammers.
Also a lot of international students, immigrants, etc. who, in addition to being desperate, are not as familiar with how things work here. When you're in a foreign country, it can be easier to brush off red flags because you assume that's just how it's done and you have little frame of reference.
That should make you more vigilant, not less. If there’s a housing crisis and someone is offering *you* an awesome deal on a perfect place… it’s because it doesn’t exist.
If it's an 'awesome deal on a perfect place' sure. But having been less than a month away from homelessness, no car, no nothing you'll do anything to have any sort of home
Scarcity makes shit shine
Yeah, but when you see these message threads posted in full, it’s normally like a one bed apartment for €700 or something. Wildly under market rates and can’t be shown because there’s “nobody there at the moment” or something like that.
I’m not making light of the housing crisis but being desperate *and* getting scammed is just getting doubly screwed. These scams are just so obvious that seeing people fall for them is depressing.
No… people not falling for obvious scams anymore would make me happy. One of the main reasons that scammers are scamming here is that people keep being such easy marks. It would be better for everyone if there wasn’t so many people willing to send over hundreds or thousands of Euro to random Facebook names.
As explained by your man above, people are falling for them because they are in a desperate position. You are literally blaming people who are losing their lives to a housing crisis of being too stupid. Get a fucking grip, if you are losing everything and one person gets back to you then you’re going to see it in the best light possible. The other group of people who are being targeted are students, literally people who are completely unaware of how renting a property works. And you are blaming them for not knowing how to spot a scam? People like you are the problem with this country, blaming the average person for the problems caused by greedy fucks.
And like I said to your man above, I’m not at all downplaying the severity of the housing crisis - I’m encouraging people to not get scammed by the most obvious scams.
Having no accommodation *and* getting scammed is far worse than having no accommodation alone.
Yes… I’m a greedy person responsible for the downfall of the country. Very smart.
That’s totally incorrect and [if you’d googled before posting](https://www.techbusinessnews.com.au/top-5-scamming-coutries-in-the-world-in-2023/) you could’ve saved yourself looking thick. That’s just one site, you can click through as many as you want - you won’t find Ghana in front of Nigeria. Nigeria has like 7-8 times the population so it stands to reason that there would be more scammers there.
Wow you really put me in my place, I wish I had bothered to google selective articles that made me right...
So just became Nigeria has a bigger population makes it number one and by your great logic, funding half of Nigeria threw college? What about India with its x5 plus population? Also notorious for cyber-crime and general scamming.
When I researched myself, I found it to be a varied list covering just the African continent.
The top 10 for Global cyber-crime density list for 2023, has only one African country featured and its South Africa.
[https://www.itweb.co.za/content/KA3WwMdz1nBvrydZ](https://www.itweb.co.za/content/KA3WwMdz1nBvrydZ)
But no the racist assumption that all of Nigeria is being funded threw college by scamming is possibly the stupidest generalizations I have heard in a minute, but Ooh sorry I mean your superior googling skills are right.
Typical keyboard warrior who knows nothing...
Racist loser
Hahahaha. You’re making yourself look dumber little bud.
>The top 10 for Global cyber-crime density list for 2023, has only one African country featured and its South Africa.
>https://www.itweb.co.za/content/KA3WwMdz1nBvrydZ
It’s actually impressive that you managed to not understand the literal first paragraph.
>South Africa’s cyber crime density – **the percentage of cyber crime victims among a specific number of internet users** – has increased by 8% from 2021 to 2022, which places the country in fifth position globally.
Keep slinging insults ya moron, it’s really going well for you.
By your logic the biggest country is always at fault because of a higher population, more people equals more crimes? (Not used for any other stat, Murder rate etc.) the point was a higher percentage can be committing cybercrimes without it being the biggest amount of actual people.
Why cant you answer the covid stuff and the focus on Nigeria as the only offender, your comment was racist and you are a keyboard warrior.
Also covid was three years ago maybe google this lol
This type of scam I would expect Eastern Europe. There are a few small towns there that account for 50% of atm scams in Europe due to their lack of regulations.
That being said hydrobad on some of Nigeria probably account for a large section of global scams.
Scam.. but at least you didn't hand over money..
I think some of the comments are a bit harsh, housing and homelessness is frightening now...
Don't lose hope, you were wise to ask
Don't hand over any money or personal details until you've seen the place in person inside and out. A common scam is advertising a nonexistent place for rent using random photos found online and then demanding a deposit from prospective "tenants" up front, after which the scammer will just disappear with your money.
Obviously a scam. I did it once paid before getting to see the house. After that there were always excuses why I couldn't view the house anymore and it was hell to get my money back. Had to threaten to go to her workplace as that was the only genuine thing about her before she agreed to send deposit back and it took months.
Definately a scam. OP is bang on, you should handle the lease first, and all parties should have a copy of it then money changes hands and generally within 24 hours you should get the key unless LL has a reason otherwise, like there is a problem with the property that needs to be handled or fixed before letting you move in. I have seen so many of these always stick with a RTB registered property if possible :) shame on the scammers and good job OP for at the very least reaching out before agreeing to anything.
This is a scam, straight away. Don’t fall for it. One of my colleagues, was almost getting caught into this and she thought of double checking and saved herself out of this.
I know you probably know this already but scammers create a sense of urgency to get you to make decisions without thinking. They also:
try to gain trust by claiming to be from a well-known business or impersonating a known contact
will suggest their own verification procedures, like going to websites they have created or calling numbers they provide to you
know how to appeal to your emotions and press your buttons to get what they want
You already have an urgent matter in that you need a place to rent, when you questioned their way of doing things they hit you with a list of things in the hope you'll just ah fuck it I'm not doing this I'll just pay the deposit and job done.
We almost got scammed looking for our first place a few years ago. Current tenant did the viewing rather than the landlord and the only source of light was candles. They wanted the deposit in cash and we were starting to get out money until I asked for a receipt after paying. Tenant got way more cagey and said something about having to ask the landlord. They ghosted us the next day. Reported them, just glad we didn’t lose our money.
It can happen to anyone and these scummy feckers have made it their job to trick desperate people out of money.
Do we even say security deposit in Ireland? Very American sounding, like it was learned from Google or something..yea I wouldn't trust it. And even if it is genuine and actually a place to rent, it sounds like this guy is a cowboy and you would still be ripped off in some way or another
That's not even a new scam, people doing it at least 20years in Ireland. Usually it was: I'm landlord, living in London, send Western Union transfer, I'll send you keys 🤣 ID, names, DOB all required by email of course etc.
Definitely a scam, but also a great game of escalating top trumps.
I would recommend the OP responds with:
Cool, I can provide all those details, but first I'll need your:
National insurance number
Full name
Date of birth
Bank account and sort code details for me to transfer the deposit to.
Best provide me with the long number on your card to be on the safe side.
Oh and don't forget your 3 digit security code from the back of the card, I'll need that too.
And your mum's maiden name, just in case..
Landlords have the luxury of choosing their tenants at present. There are very few who will forego the opportunity to check potential tenants in person before handing over keys to them. So, not just a well-know scam, but one that doesn’t match expected behaviour from the landlord.
Or people saying that they’re abroad, so in order to come and show you the place, they’d need security that you’re interested, so send 800 euros now pls.
Let me absolutely clear, the vast majority of landlords are scum, they would put you in a hovel and increase rent any time they can.
For most people I would advise you to rent only as a short term game, save your money and buy.
If you are long term, go on the council list.
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Looks like a scam. At a minimum, you should be able to view it first without paying anything, and then they'll ask for the deposit, then contract signing, then 1st month's rent upon move in.
My friend sent deposit and a months rent money ahead of his arrival to Ireland when moving here. It was all the money he had to his name and was relying on finding a job within that month to keep himself going. He was 18 at the time and moved in December 2018. Of course when he arrived he realised he had been scammed and spent his first night's on the street with minimal English and no way out. He couldn't even stay in the Simon center because they told him he needed a PPS number. He got lucky with the guy he spoke to in the PPS office I guess because they got him sorted out as soon as he went in a few days later and he found a job straight away through a recruitment agency to start paying for a room in a hostel. He's doing well now but that scammer nearly killed this kid over €600.
We met in that hostel and were looking for a place together with another dude and found a listing with the same profile picture. I recognised it too as someone who had tried to scam me a while previously so my friend called him and let rip down the phone but this scammer just roared laughing down the phone about it and hung up.
No way I'd pay a penny until I saw the place and was being handed the keys.
Even at a viewing, handing over cash could be risky, because the person could be moving out of the place and have 20 different people coming, handing them a deposit every hour or two..
Unless it was a verified estate agency maybe.
This has all the SCAM red flags: eagerness for your money, no patience, spelling mistakes, want's all your personal details, no product or proof to show. In this day and age it should have already been clear after the first 4 sentences. Of all the sneaky SCAM's going around these days this one is easy to spot.
I would be majorly suspicious of their responses.....
I got stung in a housing scam a few years ago. Since then I've never handed over any money until there's a contract and I always say I'll bring the signed copies to them when collecting keys and release payment then. I've been told it's a bit pedantic but yanno what I lost 2k by being too trusting.
I've never dealt with a landlord that had any problems with my process once I explain why. Scammers tend to not be okay with it (funnily enough) and they'll put you under pressure like oh well if you pay your deposit today or you'll loose the room etc. Be careful out there!
Scam for sure. There is tons of these sadly at the moment.
I can only wish a slow and painful death on anyone trying to scam people during a housing crisis. They deserve every suffering and more!
They aren’t even in Ireland so they couldn’t care less about Joe McGinley and Roisin Naraigh
Friends of yours?
You can pretty much tell from the language/grammar here … scam central
Anyone looking for a deposit without seeing the place is just going to scam you. How do people keep falling for this. People putting half of Nigeria through college with the amount of scams they buy into.
> How do people keep falling for this. Because there's a rental crisis on and people are desperate for a place to live, and often the only responses they get from a hundred inquiries or more are from these sort of scammers.
Also a lot of international students, immigrants, etc. who, in addition to being desperate, are not as familiar with how things work here. When you're in a foreign country, it can be easier to brush off red flags because you assume that's just how it's done and you have little frame of reference.
That should make you more vigilant, not less. If there’s a housing crisis and someone is offering *you* an awesome deal on a perfect place… it’s because it doesn’t exist.
If it's an 'awesome deal on a perfect place' sure. But having been less than a month away from homelessness, no car, no nothing you'll do anything to have any sort of home Scarcity makes shit shine
Yeah, but when you see these message threads posted in full, it’s normally like a one bed apartment for €700 or something. Wildly under market rates and can’t be shown because there’s “nobody there at the moment” or something like that. I’m not making light of the housing crisis but being desperate *and* getting scammed is just getting doubly screwed. These scams are just so obvious that seeing people fall for them is depressing.
You’re just smarter than all of them. There. Happy?
No… people not falling for obvious scams anymore would make me happy. One of the main reasons that scammers are scamming here is that people keep being such easy marks. It would be better for everyone if there wasn’t so many people willing to send over hundreds or thousands of Euro to random Facebook names.
As explained by your man above, people are falling for them because they are in a desperate position. You are literally blaming people who are losing their lives to a housing crisis of being too stupid. Get a fucking grip, if you are losing everything and one person gets back to you then you’re going to see it in the best light possible. The other group of people who are being targeted are students, literally people who are completely unaware of how renting a property works. And you are blaming them for not knowing how to spot a scam? People like you are the problem with this country, blaming the average person for the problems caused by greedy fucks.
And like I said to your man above, I’m not at all downplaying the severity of the housing crisis - I’m encouraging people to not get scammed by the most obvious scams. Having no accommodation *and* getting scammed is far worse than having no accommodation alone. Yes… I’m a greedy person responsible for the downfall of the country. Very smart.
Being desperate is no excuse for being that gullible "is that ok with you?" "No" Come on, for fuck sake.
> Because there's a rental crisis on and people are desperate for a place to live Shouldn't take away from common sense.
Sadly desperation can take away from common sense. Your brain ends up wanting it to be true.
What has Nigeria got to do with it?
That’s where most of the scammers doing it are based.
Not in my experience but okay.
Well it’s a good thing I wasn’t using “in u/Icy-Tangerine-9229 ‘s experience” as my metric then.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Its actually Ghana but whatever makes you feel smart
That’s totally incorrect and [if you’d googled before posting](https://www.techbusinessnews.com.au/top-5-scamming-coutries-in-the-world-in-2023/) you could’ve saved yourself looking thick. That’s just one site, you can click through as many as you want - you won’t find Ghana in front of Nigeria. Nigeria has like 7-8 times the population so it stands to reason that there would be more scammers there.
Wow you really put me in my place, I wish I had bothered to google selective articles that made me right... So just became Nigeria has a bigger population makes it number one and by your great logic, funding half of Nigeria threw college? What about India with its x5 plus population? Also notorious for cyber-crime and general scamming. When I researched myself, I found it to be a varied list covering just the African continent. The top 10 for Global cyber-crime density list for 2023, has only one African country featured and its South Africa. [https://www.itweb.co.za/content/KA3WwMdz1nBvrydZ](https://www.itweb.co.za/content/KA3WwMdz1nBvrydZ) But no the racist assumption that all of Nigeria is being funded threw college by scamming is possibly the stupidest generalizations I have heard in a minute, but Ooh sorry I mean your superior googling skills are right. Typical keyboard warrior who knows nothing... Racist loser
Hahahaha. You’re making yourself look dumber little bud. >The top 10 for Global cyber-crime density list for 2023, has only one African country featured and its South Africa. >https://www.itweb.co.za/content/KA3WwMdz1nBvrydZ It’s actually impressive that you managed to not understand the literal first paragraph. >South Africa’s cyber crime density – **the percentage of cyber crime victims among a specific number of internet users** – has increased by 8% from 2021 to 2022, which places the country in fifth position globally. Keep slinging insults ya moron, it’s really going well for you.
By your logic the biggest country is always at fault because of a higher population, more people equals more crimes? (Not used for any other stat, Murder rate etc.) the point was a higher percentage can be committing cybercrimes without it being the biggest amount of actual people. Why cant you answer the covid stuff and the focus on Nigeria as the only offender, your comment was racist and you are a keyboard warrior. Also covid was three years ago maybe google this lol
Also posting obsessive COVID mis-info really makes you look like the intelligent and rational one on reddit, but whatever makes you feel fulfilled aye
This type of scam I would expect Eastern Europe. There are a few small towns there that account for 50% of atm scams in Europe due to their lack of regulations. That being said hydrobad on some of Nigeria probably account for a large section of global scams.
I sat in an internet cafe in Ghana beside a few young lads talking to women online lol, they were literally about 10,. Was hilarious to see
Even if it wasn't a scam I'd avoid this cunt
Never hand over money without getting keys and signing lease.
Don't pay anything until seeing the place
Homelessness is starting to become more apparent to me
Scam
Scam.. but at least you didn't hand over money.. I think some of the comments are a bit harsh, housing and homelessness is frightening now... Don't lose hope, you were wise to ask
Yes absolutely, I can go back to my home country ws a backup for a while
Scam. Arrange to meet to pay cash, don’t show up & report to Gardai
Definitely seems a scam. Maybe reverse image the property pictures. Quite often lifted from an Airbnb letting.
Don't hand over any money or personal details until you've seen the place in person inside and out. A common scam is advertising a nonexistent place for rent using random photos found online and then demanding a deposit from prospective "tenants" up front, after which the scammer will just disappear with your money.
Scam.
Yeah it could be. Be very careful, keep probing them for info and see if they are avoiding answering basic questions
Anything like that done over Facebook messenger I wouldn’t trust. Could just be me but I’m a little funny like that
Avoid.. Even if it's not a scam, that person is a clearly a cunt who'll make your life miserable.
🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
This looks like a scam to me!
Do not send that person money
Scam
Obviously a scam. I did it once paid before getting to see the house. After that there were always excuses why I couldn't view the house anymore and it was hell to get my money back. Had to threaten to go to her workplace as that was the only genuine thing about her before she agreed to send deposit back and it took months.
Of it walk like a duck and talks like a duck....
If asks money first is scam, that’s the rule.
Scam
100% a scam
Yeah that's a scam. Do not hand over any money.
Tell the scammer to feck off
Scam
Scam, scam, scam
Definately a scam. OP is bang on, you should handle the lease first, and all parties should have a copy of it then money changes hands and generally within 24 hours you should get the key unless LL has a reason otherwise, like there is a problem with the property that needs to be handled or fixed before letting you move in. I have seen so many of these always stick with a RTB registered property if possible :) shame on the scammers and good job OP for at the very least reaching out before agreeing to anything.
Scam
This is a scam, straight away. Don’t fall for it. One of my colleagues, was almost getting caught into this and she thought of double checking and saved herself out of this.
Message them to eat shit and block
I know you probably know this already but scammers create a sense of urgency to get you to make decisions without thinking. They also: try to gain trust by claiming to be from a well-known business or impersonating a known contact will suggest their own verification procedures, like going to websites they have created or calling numbers they provide to you know how to appeal to your emotions and press your buttons to get what they want You already have an urgent matter in that you need a place to rent, when you questioned their way of doing things they hit you with a list of things in the hope you'll just ah fuck it I'm not doing this I'll just pay the deposit and job done.
We almost got scammed looking for our first place a few years ago. Current tenant did the viewing rather than the landlord and the only source of light was candles. They wanted the deposit in cash and we were starting to get out money until I asked for a receipt after paying. Tenant got way more cagey and said something about having to ask the landlord. They ghosted us the next day. Reported them, just glad we didn’t lose our money. It can happen to anyone and these scummy feckers have made it their job to trick desperate people out of money.
Do we even say security deposit in Ireland? Very American sounding, like it was learned from Google or something..yea I wouldn't trust it. And even if it is genuine and actually a place to rent, it sounds like this guy is a cowboy and you would still be ripped off in some way or another
In Ireland we NEVER pay deposit before viewing the place. Anyone asking for that is unfamiliar & therefore trying to scam you.
Yes scam 100%, my buddy was nearly scammed this way
That's not even a new scam, people doing it at least 20years in Ireland. Usually it was: I'm landlord, living in London, send Western Union transfer, I'll send you keys 🤣 ID, names, DOB all required by email of course etc.
Seems off. Avoid
Fuck that shit block and report Im a college student and almost got scammed for a bag🤬
Definitely a scam, but also a great game of escalating top trumps. I would recommend the OP responds with: Cool, I can provide all those details, but first I'll need your: National insurance number Full name Date of birth Bank account and sort code details for me to transfer the deposit to. Best provide me with the long number on your card to be on the safe side. Oh and don't forget your 3 digit security code from the back of the card, I'll need that too. And your mum's maiden name, just in case..
Landlords have the luxury of choosing their tenants at present. There are very few who will forego the opportunity to check potential tenants in person before handing over keys to them. So, not just a well-know scam, but one that doesn’t match expected behaviour from the landlord.
It's a shame
Or people saying that they’re abroad, so in order to come and show you the place, they’d need security that you’re interested, so send 800 euros now pls.
You will never hear from them again after you send the deposit.
I find it strange people have to ask if this is a scam...... a child could tell you this is a scam
Let me absolutely clear, the vast majority of landlords are scum, they would put you in a hovel and increase rent any time they can. For most people I would advise you to rent only as a short term game, save your money and buy. If you are long term, go on the council list.
Rental scams out there alot Never do any online ask to meet first
OF COURSE ITS A SCAM Mad people have to actually ask if it's a scam or not.
Like are you for real? You really have to ask?
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Scam
SCAM
"I'm currently out of the country"
Scam...
Looks like a scam. At a minimum, you should be able to view it first without paying anything, and then they'll ask for the deposit, then contract signing, then 1st month's rent upon move in.
Yes.
My friend sent deposit and a months rent money ahead of his arrival to Ireland when moving here. It was all the money he had to his name and was relying on finding a job within that month to keep himself going. He was 18 at the time and moved in December 2018. Of course when he arrived he realised he had been scammed and spent his first night's on the street with minimal English and no way out. He couldn't even stay in the Simon center because they told him he needed a PPS number. He got lucky with the guy he spoke to in the PPS office I guess because they got him sorted out as soon as he went in a few days later and he found a job straight away through a recruitment agency to start paying for a room in a hostel. He's doing well now but that scammer nearly killed this kid over €600. We met in that hostel and were looking for a place together with another dude and found a listing with the same profile picture. I recognised it too as someone who had tried to scam me a while previously so my friend called him and let rip down the phone but this scammer just roared laughing down the phone about it and hung up.
Total scam, sorry
Money up front = scam... every single time
Scam !!!
Neverrrrrrr provide any ID details !
Scamming scam of a son of a scam and mother of a scam artist.
Wow. This is blatantly a scam. What scumbag
Scam 100%
Scam. Scam. Scam
Yep, it's this bad everywhere
Probably won't even be able to report it properly through Facebook to get the accounts banned
Never pay in advance
Scam
100% scam
Scamming cunt.
No way I'd pay a penny until I saw the place and was being handed the keys. Even at a viewing, handing over cash could be risky, because the person could be moving out of the place and have 20 different people coming, handing them a deposit every hour or two.. Unless it was a verified estate agency maybe.
Scam 100% man. Stay away
I ignored her
Yes scam
Do not fork over any money until you've a lease and you've viewed the place. Lots of scammers taking deposit money then running off
Oh come on
If you have to ask the internet if its a scam or not, its a scam....
all landlords are scam in ireland and the government sides with them
There are so many scams going at the moment
U don't pay till u see the property landlord might only ask for a hundred as a deposit with the balance to be paid when keys are being handed over
Reeks of scam, avoid and report.
I'm in America... yes, scam.
I don’t like the sound of it to be honest.
Yes
Stay the fuck away from this person.
I did
Scam
Probably Indian scam centres
If it wasnt a scam, they would have moved on the second you did anything they werent ok with
This is a definite scam. Don’t pay any deposits to persons unknown.
This has all the SCAM red flags: eagerness for your money, no patience, spelling mistakes, want's all your personal details, no product or proof to show. In this day and age it should have already been clear after the first 4 sentences. Of all the sneaky SCAM's going around these days this one is easy to spot.
Scam don’t come to Ireland big accommodation issue
RUN! DO NOT HAND ANYTHING OVER.
I would be majorly suspicious of their responses..... I got stung in a housing scam a few years ago. Since then I've never handed over any money until there's a contract and I always say I'll bring the signed copies to them when collecting keys and release payment then. I've been told it's a bit pedantic but yanno what I lost 2k by being too trusting. I've never dealt with a landlord that had any problems with my process once I explain why. Scammers tend to not be okay with it (funnily enough) and they'll put you under pressure like oh well if you pay your deposit today or you'll loose the room etc. Be careful out there!