Police in Northern Ireland are urging the public to be on their guard when booking holiday stays, after it received 20 reports of fraudulent ads on Facebook for accommodation in Co Donegal.
The scam first came to light in May of this year and involves the fraudulent use of images of genuine holiday accommodation in Co Donegal.
Under a number of different names, the ads are placed on Facebook Marketplace, which is used to buy or sell items on the social media platform.
Victims pay deposits of between £100 to £500 to try to book the accommodation and once the funds have been transferred, the scammer blocks the victim on social media, preventing any further communication.
Police are encouraging anyone who believes they’ve fallen victim to such a scam, and have not reported it, to do so now by calling 0300 123 2040, contacting your bank, or online at www.actionfraud.police.uk.
An Garda Síochána said in a statement that it has no reports of this nature currently listed, but would advise those booking accommodation to be fraud aware.
