Gardai and Dublin City Council are warning renters about an email scam. A message is doing the rounds from a so-called "Alfred Marshall" in a fake City Council department. The email claims to require a deposit to secure a tenancy.
The local authority says there is no such person, that it has no involvement in the private rental market and no money should be handed over. Officials say don't respond to the email and alert the Gardai immediately.
If the email is responded to, it is followed up with a bogus Tenancy Agreement where the prospective renter is asked to hand over a down-payment The council has posted the 'agreement' online so other people won't fall into the trap.
"We have been alerted to three such incidents to date and it would appear that persons living abroad and looking to rent in Dublin are currently being targeted."
If you have any concerns check out the Gardai's advice on how to spot a rental scam.
