'There is such huge demand out there that it is perfect for scammers' - bogus landlords are targeting desperate renters with online fraud

Laura Griffin and Roisin Greaney

Roisin Greaney

Laura Griffin

Cathal McMahon and Brian O'Reilly

April 8 2016 11:57 AM

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• 'There is such huge demand out there that it is perfect for scammers' - bogus landlords are targeting desperate renters with online fraud

  Independent.ie

  A renter has revealed how she and her pal were almost duped into handing over €2,200 to a fake a landlord advertising a bogus property online.

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A renter has revealed how she and her pal were almost duped into handing over €2,200 to a fake a landlord advertising a bogus property online.

Marketing executive Laura Griffin, from Co Kildare, told Independent.ie that she and friend Roisin Greaney were desperately seeking affordable accommodation close to Dublin city centre.

And when the 24-year-old spotted a two-bedroom Smithfield apartment for €1,100 a month on a well-known website she instantly contacted the advertiser.

Ms Griffin exchanged emails with the "landlord" who asked her to pay him a deposit and one-month's rent using well-known website AirBnB.

However the conman had created a proxy page, made to look like the AirBnB homepage, in a bid to extort cash from the pair.

Ms Griffin explained that she only spotted the fraud at the last minute and has now issued a warning to others to be careful online.

"There is so much pressure on people to rent really quickly because there is such huge demand out there that it is perfect for scammers," she said.

"I just want to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else because I can genuinely see some poor person getting caught by this.

Scammer creeated proxy website

"It was only at the last minute, I was all set to pay this guy. Then I noticed the green SSL certificate was missing from the website and I thought that something wasn't right."

Ms Griffin and Ms Greaney are living in Naas, Co Kildare but working in Dublin.

"I got really excited about the prospect of actually getting something reasonable enough in town to rent. I thought 'this is great, this is fab'. It was €550 each to rent a two double-bed in Smithfield. I got my hopes up really high.

"I can see a lot of other people getting similarly excited."

Conman

The conman told Ms Griffin that there was big demand for the property and he asked her to pay €2,200 into a holding account to secure it before viewing.

"He was very clever because he gave me the link through his email for AirBnB. He made a proxy of the website so it was a mirror image of AirBnB. He had all these reviews, he had a profile of himself.

"He had all these ratings. It looked legit, really, really well thought out."

Ms Curtin was about to pay over the cash when she spotted there was no SSL certificate on the page.

She instantly contacted AirBnB who informed her that it was a hoax page and the site, whose European headquarters is in Dublin, advised her to cease communication with the hoaxer.

• Read More: Airbnb asks neighbours to report bad behaviour of guests

Stephen Large, Dublin Services Manager with Threshold, said they have encountered a  number of similar cases.

"Unfortunately it does happen. People are vulnerable at this time. There are fewer properties available and rents are increasing.

"These scammers are playing on people's fears and desperation. There is so little out there."

He advised prospective customers that if it looks too good to be true then it probably is.

"Never pay any money until you have gone, viewed property and you are happy with tenancy agreement and the landlord."

For advice on avoiding scams click here.

Online Editors

'If it seems too good to be true it probably is' - Garda warning over WhatsApp renting scam gang

(Stock photo)

Wayne O'Connor

November 20 2016 2:30 AM

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• 'If it seems too good to be true it probably is' - Garda warning over WhatsApp renting scam gang

  Independent.ie

  Gardai are investigating an Eastern European gang taking advantage of Ireland's housing crisis by preying on people searching for rented accommodation.

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Gardai are investigating an Eastern European gang taking advantage of Ireland's housing crisis by preying on people searching for rented accommodation.

It comes after Daft.ie reported a number of incidents where the gang gained access to adverts on its website and changed them in an attempt to extort money from customers.

The gang is using the WhatsApp smartphone app to access adverts on the site as part of an elaborate scam.

It represents a major shift away from traditional online phishing scams where con artists use emails to lure targets into giving up confidential information such as passwords.

Using the phone numbers in adverts on the website, the gang has been posing as Daft.ie staff and contacting landlords on WhatsApp.

Landlords are then sent a link to a website using an old Daft.ie logo and asked to enter personal details, including their password. These details are then used to access adverts and change the contact details.

• Read more: Shared values: 'I don't want to live in a box with my family by ourselves'

Interested parties are specifically told not to email landlords but to call instead using the foreign phone numbers provided. All the numbers have been linked to phones in Germany and the UK.

Daft.ie said it was removing any of these numbers from its site and had been liaising with gardai and WhatsApp to resolve the issue.

A spokesperson said there were a number of signs that people should be wary of, including foreign-based landlords and poorly written ads.

"They are preying on the fact that the market is so tight that people are desperate," the spokesperson said.

"They might include bills in the rent. If it seems too good to be true it probably is."

Sunday Independent

Dunnes Stores worker who tripped over checkout cable and injured knee awarded 94k

Sinead Maloney from Naas, Co. Kildare pictured leaving the Four Courts. She was awarded damages following a High Court judgement. Pic: Collins Courts

Independent.ie Newsdesk Twitter Email

February 24 2017 4:21 PM

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• Dunnes Stores worker who tripped over checkout cable and injured knee awarded 94k

  Independent.ie

  A CHECKOUT operator who injured her knee when she tripped over a cable at a checkout has been awarded €94,000 by the High Court.

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A CHECKOUT operator who injured her knee when she tripped over a cable at a checkout has been awarded €94,000 by the High Court.

Mr Justice Bernard Barton ruled the presence of the cables under the checkout at the Newbridge Dunnes Stores branch was a hazard for any employee working at the checkouts.

Sinead Maloney (35), Castlebawn , Kilmeague, Naas, Co Kildare, tripped over the cable as she got up from the checkout on May 16, 2012.

Ms Maloney, who has worked with Dunnes for 17 years, told court the issue of cables hanging down under the checkout counters had been brought up at health and safety meetings before her accident.

The court heard after it happened, the cables had been tidied.

Mr Justice Barton ruled any inattention on the part of Ms Maloney leaving the checkout was not contributory negligence on her part.

Ms Maloney did not overemphasise her injuries and was a truthful witness, he said.

He was satisfied the accident occurred in the way described by her and she suffered a soft tissue injury to the knee  superimposed on an earlier condition.

The mother-of-two had told the court her foot got caught in the  wire as she left the till area to go on her break or to help a customer.

A colleague took a photograph, she said, of the cable hanging down underneath her desk at the checkout.

She tripped and banged her knee against another part of the checkout, she said.

She went to her GP because she had a pain in the knee and later had to have a surgical procedure on it.

She sued Dunnes Stores (Newbridge ) Ltd claiming there was an alleged failure to ensure the cables were properly secured.

Dunnes Stores denied the claims.

It contended Ms Maloney was the author of her own misfortune, that she failed to look at what she was doing, and allegedly failed to bring the fact of any loose cabling to the attention of Dunnes Stores.

Mr Justice Barton refused a stay on the payment out of the award in the event of an appeal.

Online Editors

News Irish News 'Absolute gentleman' captain Mark Duffy was known for community work

Captain Mark Duffy Picture: Tom Conachy

March 27 2017 2:30 AM

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• 'Absolute gentleman' captain Mark Duffy was known for community work

  Independent.ie

  Captain Mark Duffy joined the Coast Guard in 2002 while living in Blackrock, Co Louth with his wife Hermione.

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Captain Mark Duffy joined the Coast Guard in 2002 while living in Blackrock, Co Louth with his wife Hermione.

The father-of-two had previously worked with the California Coast Guard in San Francisco for seven years after completing his training in the US.

The weekend before the fatal collision, Capt Duffy (51) was also involved in the helicopter rescue helping to save the lives of a father and son.

In an operation befitting his career, Capt Duffy was one of the first on scene in the Cooley Mountains in Louth when Donie and Dustin Marron had to be cut from their Robinson R-44 Clipper following a crash.

It was just one of the many life-saving cases the Rescue 116 crew responded to throughout their dedicated careers.

In January of this year, Rescue 116 helped save five fishermen from a sinking trawler off the Dublin coast. Heroic acts were an almost regular part of Capt Duffy and his colleagues' lives.

When Mark got his dream job as a Coast Guard pilot in Dublin, the family opted to base themselves again in ­Dundalk, near Hermione's dad, who lives in Omeath, and her mum in Gormanston.

• Read More: Poignant scenes as sea finally gives up remains of heroic R116 captain

A much-respected man in his community, Mark once surprised pupils in his son's school, St Francis National School, in 2015 by arriving in the Coast Guard's helicopter.

Senior investigators also praised the work done by Mark Duffy and his crew, with Supt Tony Healy saying: "These are a crew who have put their lives at risk day in day out for the Irish community."

According to locals, Capt Duffy was known for his community work on behalf of the Coast Guard, which the ­community of Blackrock is "very proud of".

Mary Moran, a teacher and former senator described him as "an absolute gentleman".

"We are absolutely devastated for his wife, his children, his mother and brothers and the whole family."

Cllr Mark Dearey, chairperson of the Dundalk Municipal District, previously said: "We are proud of him and people think of Mark and his colleagues are heroic.

"We are so aware that he put himself in danger to save others."

Capt Mark Duffy, a co-pilot aboard the Rescue 116 aircraft, is survived by his wife, Hermione, daughter Esme (14) and son Fionn (12).

Irish Independent

News Irish News O'Sullivan remains defiant as support fades

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Kevin Doyle Twitter Email

March 27 2017 2:30 AM

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• O'Sullivan remains defiant as support fades

  Independent.ie

  Nóirín O'Sullivan has indicated she will not voluntarily stepdown as Garda Commissioner ahead of a Cabinet meeting to decide her fate.

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Nóirín O'Sullivan has indicated she will not voluntarily stepdown as Garda Commissioner ahead of a Cabinet meeting to decide her fate.

Government confidence in the Garda chief was ebbing away last night as ministers privately acknowledged it will be difficult to defend her position in light of the latest scandals.

The Cabinet will tomorrow be forced to take some form of action or face an unprecedented scenario whereby the Dáil could express no confidence in Ms O'Sullivan.

The Irish Independent understands one option being considered is a review similar to the Patten commission, which led to the establishment of the PSNI in Northern Ireland.

This would allow space for an examination of the culture within An Garda Síochána and an analysis of Garda management's performance.

"Such a report would be likely to call for significant change in Garda management with more emphasis on Garda officers running policing and civilian experts in charge of actually managing the organisation," said one source.

A review with a short deadline for completion may also pacify Fianna Fáil and the Independent Alliance. Sinn Féin will today publish a Dáil motion of no confidence in Ms O'Sullivan.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has called on her to "consider her position" in a move that now means a majority of TDs do not have confidence in her.

But Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar said: "The reason why we have confidence in her is that we believe she is part of the solution to cleaning up the gardaí, not part of the problem."

It was revealed last Thursday that 937,000 breath tests were falsely recorded on the Garda Pulse system. And in a separate scandal, 14,700 wrongful convictions occurred because officers brought people to court rather than issuing them with fixed-charge notices.

Ms O'Sullivan has argued she was the person to put safeguards in place to ensure such incidents cannot happen again.

"We're looking at a problem that goes back more than a decade," she said over the weekend. "This is an issue which is more than systemic. It's about ethics. It's about supervision. It's about measurement. Most of all, it's about trust."

The criteria under which the Cabinet could force Ms O'Sullivan to resign are very strict and sources said last night that she will not walk away "without proper procedure and an opportunity to defend herself".

Mr Martin said his party wants the commissioner to give a "very blunt" explanation for how the scandals were born and went undetected for so long.

Fianna Fáil also intends to heap pressure on Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald in the coming days to outline what actions will be taken to ensure somebody is held accountable.

"This is an appalling vista that people cannot just wish away in internal reports and audits," he said.

Mr Martin did back the idea of a review of Garda practices "to be established to fundamentally, radically reform An Garda Síochána and bring it into the 21st century".

Read More: Scale of this scandal is bigger than one person

Fine Gael will today be trying to reassure members of the Independent Alliance to hold their nerve after junior minister John Halligan told RTÉ's 'This Week' the commissioner should "maybe consider stepping aside".

Transport Minister Shane Ross has decided to hold his counsel until after he meets with his colleagues tomorrow.

Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin has said the "lack of understanding from Government of the seriousness of these matters beggars belief".

"There must be an acceptance of responsibility, and a consequent action of accountability," he said.

Irish Independent

News Irish News Thousands of passengers facing chaos as strikers get support from Dublin Bus and Irish Rail drivers

Bus Éireann staff on strike outside Busáras in Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney

Anne-Marie Walsh

March 27 2017 2:30 AM

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• Thousands of passengers facing chaos as strikers get support from Dublin Bus and Irish Rail drivers

  Independent.ie

  Public transport passengers face severe disruption this week as Dublin Bus and Irish Rail drivers plan to stay out of work in support of their Bus Éireann colleagues during an all-out strike.

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Public transport passengers face severe disruption this week as Dublin Bus and Irish Rail drivers plan to stay out of work in support of their Bus Éireann colleagues during an all-out strike.

Sources revealed industrial action is set to escalate as workers at all three CIÉ companies may attend a protest at the Dáil on Wednesday when Transport Minister Shane Ross is due to appear before an Oireachtas committee.

It is understood that workers are considering a protest as a show of solidarity with those on strike at Bus Éireann over its decision to impose cuts that would reduce their earnings without agreement.

Unions have claimed that changes to work practices that are being imposed will cut pay by up to 30pc.

Bus Éireann wants €12m in payroll cuts as part of a €30m cost-cutting plan that it will present to its board today, as it faces the threat of insolvency by May.

It will discuss a management plan to cut 300 jobs through a voluntary redundancy programme. However, the company could go bust within a fortnight as it has roughly €7m in cash reserves but is losing €500,000 a day during the strike.

Some Irish Rail drivers took unofficial action on the first day of the strike last Friday by refusing to pass pickets at shared depots, hitting intercity services.

Complex

It is also understood that they failed to show up to work at a depot in Cork in solidarity with colleagues from Bus Éireann who turned up ahead of shifts.

But so far, their colleagues at Dublin Bus have not taken supportive action, while school bus drivers will not take a decision until later this week.

Services ground to a halt on Friday as the 2,600-strong workforce mounted an indefinite all-out strike. Siptu transport organiser Willie Noone said Mr Ross should appoint an industrial relations troubleshooter to help resolve the complex dispute as he said there were too many staff to reach agreement on efficiencies within a very short time frame.

He said a voluntary redundancy plan was the only solution if efficiencies meant there was a surplus of staff, but it must not be funded by cuts to earnings.

Meanwhile, the chief executive of Irish Rural Link, Seamus Boland, said it had been inundated with phone calls from passengers who were unsure how they could travel to work during the strike. He said many people were concerned that rail services would be hit again.

Mr Boland said he had seen a young man plead with a bus driver on Citylink to get home on a bus last Friday, which passed many passengers afterwards on the side of the road because it was too full.

• Read More: Bus Éireann to cut 300 jobs as workers mount indefinite all-out strike

"I don't know how they managed," he said last night. "One couple got on with a bus pass and it never occurred to them that they should pay, but the driver was very decent and waved them on.

"There is a lot of anger and people are trying to figure out what way they're going to travel.

"It's still not clear tonight whether trains will be running tomorrow. People need to get to work somehow. I've to be in Dublin for meetings in the morning from Tullamore on the Galway train, and there's no clarity about whether it's coming.

"It's a vital service. It's not just workers at Tesco that have gone on strike. Those who use it don't have a lot of choice."

He said he expected traffic to be congested today as many people arranged lifts to get to appointments.

Solidarity TDs this morning said Bus Eireann should hire more workers than promote redundancy packages.

Deputy Mick Barry said: "Last week we heard the IDA state that it costs them €10,500 to create a job and that it costs Connect Ireland €4000 to do the same. The same Government that funds the IDA and Connect Ireland stands idly by while mass redundancies are planned in the semi state sector. The double standard is glaring."

Irish Independent

Body in suitcase 'taller than wife missing from cruise', says lawyer

Missing mother Li Yinglei with her husband David Belling Photo: Kyran O’Brien

Conor Feehan and Ryan Nugent

March 27 2017 2:30 AM

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• Body in suitcase 'taller than wife missing from cruise', says lawyer

  Independent.ie

  The solicitor of a man currently in prison on suspicion of murdering his wife while on a cruise believes a body discovered in a suitcase floating in an Italian bay is not that of the missing woman.

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The solicitor of a man currently in prison on suspicion of murdering his wife while on a cruise believes a body discovered in a suitcase floating in an Italian bay is not that of the missing woman.

Italian police are investigating if the remains found in the port of Rimini are those of Dublin-based woman Li Yinglei.

A passer-by raised the alarm on Saturday after they noticed a blue, locked suitcase in the water off the north-east coast of Italy on the Adriatic Sea.

Police discovered the remains of a woman wrapped in a bin-bag in the suitcase. Some reports said the remains were dismembered.

Authorities are due to carry out a post-mortem today, and while there was an immediate suspicion the body might be that of Ms Li, there are some factors - such as the height of the body discovered - which make Italian police now believe it may be a different person.

Ms Li disappeared from a luxury cruise in the Mediterranean and was last seen on February 11. She was with her husband Daniel Belling (45) and their children when she vanished.

The couple, who live in Clare Hall, Dublin, had set off on the 11-day cruise with their two children aboard the MSC Magnifica. The ship set sail from the Italian port of Civitavecchia on February 9 and continued on to Genoa, Malta, Greece and Cyprus.

Ms Li's husband was arrested by police in Italy after he tried to catch a Ryanair flight to Ireland with his two young children.

Earlier, the cruise company found that Ms Li was unaccounted for when it did a head count at the end of the cruise and contacted the authorities.

Row

Mr Belling, who was born in Germany, denied killing her but said she had quit the trip after they had a row. He said he expected her to travel to either Ireland or her native China.

Today, Mr Belling's solicitor said he believed the body found in the suitcase was not that of the missing mother of two.

Luigi Conti said he has heard the body that has been recovered does not match the description of Ms Li.

"The body in the suitcase is 170cm in height, but Daniel Belling's wife is smaller than that," he said. "I am also told it is a different type of body than that of Mr Belling's wife."

It was not clear whether this meant the body found was of a different nationality or of a different description to the missing Chinese woman.

Mr Conti said he would be visiting Mr Belling in prison today. Last week, an Italian judge ruled that Mr Belling must remain in custody in Rome's Regina Coeli prison after attempts were made for him to be freed on bail.

Sources close to the investigation say the corpse found in the suitcase would initially appear to be a taller person than Ms Li, and was at a level of decomposition that would appear to be more recent than the time she went missing.

"DNA samples of Ms Li's children or mother may have to be taken and compared with the DNA from the body to see if they match," the source said.

Irish Independent

News Irish News Plans to raise Rescue 116 helicopter wreckage suspended due to deteriorating weather conditions

Keeping a vigil: A member of the Irish Coast Guard looks out towards a misty Achill as the search continues for Rescue 116 along the Blacksod coastline in Co Mayo Photo: Steve Humphreys

The Garda Sub Aqua Unit leave Blacksod Co Mayo to continue in the search for Rescue 116 and its crew. Pic Steve Humphreys 25th March 2017

The body of Captain Mark Duffy is borne gently ashore at Blacksod, Co Mayo, by some of his colleagues from the Coast Guard service for formal identification. Photo: Chris Radburn, PA

The Garda Sub Aqua Unit leave Blacksod Pier to continue in the search for Rescue 116 and its crew. Pic Steve Humphreys 25th March 2017

Members of the Irish Coast Guard at Blacksod Pier as the search continues for Rescue 116 along Blacksod coastline in Co Mayo. Pic Steve Humphreys 25th March 2017

Members of the Irish Coast Guard at Blacksod Pier as the search continues for Rescue 116 along Blacksod coastline in Co Mayo. Pic Steve Humphreys 25th March 2017

The Garda Sub Aqua Unit at Blacksod Pier as they continue in the search for Rescue 116 and its crew. Pic Steve Humphreys 25th March 2017

A member of the Irish Coast Guard looks out towards Blackrock Lighthouse as the search continues for Rescue 116 along Blacksod coastline in Co Mayo. Pic Steve Humphreys 24th March 2017

Family liaison officer Garda Sinéad Barrett brings flowers to Blacksod Pier as the search continues for the Rescue 116 crew Photo: Steve Humphreys

The search continues for Rescue 116 along Blacksod coastline in Co Mayo. Pic Steve Humphreys 24th March 2017

The search continues for Rescue 116 along Blacksod coastline in Co Mayo. Pic Steve Humphreys 24th March 2017

An Irish Coast GuardHelicopter lifts off from Blacksod Pier next door to the house where family members of the missing crew are watching from as the search continues for Rescue 116 along Blacksod coastline in Co Mayo. Pic Steve Humphreys 25th March 2017

The Irish Coast Guard land at Blacksod Pier as the search continues for Rescue 116 along Blacksod coastline in Co Mayo Picture: Steve Humphreys

Robin Schiller

March 27 2017 9:25 PM

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• Plans to raise Rescue 116 helicopter wreckage suspended due to deteriorating weather conditions

  Independent.ie

  Plans to raise the wreckage of the Rescue 116 helicopter to allow dive teams to search for two missing Irish Coast Guard members have been suspended due to deteriorating weather conditions.

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Plans to raise the wreckage of the Rescue 116 helicopter to allow dive teams to search for two missing Irish Coast Guard members have been suspended due to deteriorating weather conditions.

Rescue workers had hoped to partially lift the main section of the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter this evening with the help of flotation devices.

A Naval Service dive team would then be deployed and carry out searches for the two missing crewmen-winch operator Ciaran Smith (38) and winch man Paul Ormsby (53).

However, weather conditions have forced the operation to be postponed with the hope of raising the aircraft at 2pm tomorrow.

Investigators said that flotation devices have been placed underneath the airbag and a Naval Service dive team will be deployed at 11am tomorrow to carry out inspections before searching for the two missing men.

Their colleague, Capt Mark Duffy (51) was brought to shore on Sunday afternoon after Naval Service divers recovered his body from the cockpit of the helicopter wreckage.

(Clockwise from top left): Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Captain Mark Duffy, Ciaran Smith and Paul Ormsby

A post mortem examination was completed by the State Pathologist this morning and Capt Duffy's remains were returned to Co Louth ahead of his funeral on Thursday morning at St Oliver Plunkett Church, Blackrock.

The fourth crew member, Capt Dara Fitzpatrick (45) was recovered by an RNLI lifeboat but was later pronounced dead.

Supt Tony Healy said that flotation devices would be used to slightly raise the aircraft allowing for examinations of the seabed underneath the wreckage in the hope of locating the missing Irish Coast Guard members.

If the remains are not located then the search area- involving divers from the Garda Water Unit- will be expanded.

The hearse carrying Capt Mark Duffy to Mayo General Hospital is escorted by rescue workers. Photo: PA

Investigators have also revealed that the aircraft's flight recover has suffered corrosive damage but hope to have the information made available to them by the end of this week. 

The recorder, commonly refereed to as the 'black box' will form an integral part of the investigation and help the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) determine what led to the tragic collision.

The body of Captain Mark Duffy is borne gently ashore at Blacksod, Co Mayo, by some of his colleagues from the Coast Guard service for formal identification. Photo: Chris Radburn, PA

Chief Inspector of the AAIU Jurgen Whyte said that information from the recorder would be available by the end of this week.

"There is some slight corrosion damage to some of the contact points of the recorder. Our English colleagues are consulting with the manufacturer of the recorder but we're confident that by some time towards the end of he week we will be able to extract data from the recorder itself," Mr Whyte said.

Asked if the damage would interfere with retrieving the data, the senior investigator said: "We don't think so. We will have all the connectors in the right place at the right time to ensure that we get a 100pc download.

"We won't do any download until we're fully confident that it's in the right condition to do so."

Online Editors

Renters beware: Scam artists advertising unavailable properties on rental websites

Pictures of the apartment advertised

Amy Molloy Twitter Email

March 27 2017 1:46 PM

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• Renters beware: Scam artists advertising unavailable properties on rental websites

  Independent.ie

  Tenants looking to rent accommodation are being warned to beware of scam artists who are asking for rent to be transferred before the property has even been viewed.

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Tenants looking to rent accommodation are being warned to beware of scam artists who are asking for rent to be transferred before the property has even been viewed.

A number of these suspicious advertisements have appeared on rental portal pages for apartments in Dublin city centre.

One prospective tenant who made contact with the purported property owner was informed that the transaction would be carried out through an 'Airbnb agent'.

The 'landlord' claimed he lived in Italy and could not arrange a viewing in person but said the 'Airbnb agent' would handle all the financial transactions.

The bedroom which is being advertised

However, he said a deposit and one month's rent would have to be transferred before the viewing.

• Read More: 'There is such huge demand out there that it is perfect for scammers' - bogus landlords are targeting desperate renters with online fraud

Independent.ie visited the apartment in question, which is located on Church Street in Dublin 7.

The pictures in the advertisement portrayed a high-end apartment.

The two-bed apartment was sold in 2016 for €190,000. However, it is not clear who owns it as it is currently not registered with the Land Registry.

When we spoke to a tenant living on the floor below this apartment and showed him pictures of the flat being advertised, he confirmed his apartment looked "nothing like that", saying it looked a lot nicer than his.

The sockets in the pictures advertised also appear to be two-prong which would indicate the property is not based in Ireland.

The person advertising the flat said via email: "Right now I'm currently living in Italy and for the moment I cannot come in person to show you the apartment. I used to come to Ireland every once in a while but for now I am very busy with my work and I really don't have enough time to come there in person to rent it. 

"However, I hope this will not change your intentions to rent my apartment because we can do the transaction through Airbnb (www.airbnb.com). I have used this company in the past and I was very happy with them. You can inspect the apartment in the presence of the Airbnb agent."

He claimed rent would be €1,300 per month and asked for proof of financial stability.

The advertisement initially appeared on Rent.ie but was soon taken down.

Another Independent.ie reader got in touch to say they had been targeted by the same scam.

The property they were interested in was based in Ballsbridge.

They were informed it was a one-bed apartment, however when they looked up the property price register, it was listed as a two-bed apartment.

Martin Clancy of Daft.ie said: "I'd advise that this person ceases all contact with this person and as we suggest in blog posts around security and also our safety tips we recommend that no one transfers money before viewing a property as this sounds very much like a 'long distance' landlord scam."

A spokesperson for Airbnb said that they do not advertise any properties in this manner.

"This website has nothing to do with Airbnb. Airbnb provides a secure platform for people to find, book and list unique accommodation around the world. We encourage users to report fake emails or websites to our trust and safety team on report.phishing@airbnb.com, who will investigate. "

Online Editors

Strike takes out a vital rural lifeline

Tickets please: A woman waits for a Bus Eireann bus in Busaras in Dublin Photo: Damien Eagers

Wayne O'Connor

March 26 2017 2:30 AM

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• Strike takes out a vital rural lifeline

  Independent.ie

  The 21 Bus Eireann coach out of Athlone isn't one of those roadliners you see on the TV ads populated by attractive students with a Red Setter galloping across pristine meadows emblazoned on the side.

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The 21 Bus Eireann coach out of Athlone isn't one of those roadliners you see on the TV ads populated by attractive students with a Red Setter galloping across pristine meadows emblazoned on the side.

It's an altogether more functional affair. There's no loo, the seats are tight and there are no fancy recliners.

There were only eight of us taking the 11.05am out of Athlone heading to Westport - a route which brings you across the heartland of the west.

Most 'flashed the pass' and minded dodgy knees and creaky hips as they got on board.

Strike action at Bus Eireann will enter a third day today and there is no end in sight. Transport Minister Shane Ross has refused to get involved and no talks are planned to resolve a row that escalated after the company made plans to enforce cost-cutting measures without union agreement.

These plans will see 300 job losses and routes linking Dublin with Derry, Limerick, Galway and Clonmel close as management look to address massive deficits that could see the company marked insolvent within three months.

The 21 is earmarked to go on April 16, leaving thousands of Bus Eireann customers in a transport purgatory.

Among them is Maureen Taylor, a pensioner from Westport, who uses the threatened 21 route to access a connecting bus in Claremorris. This then carries her to Galway for cancer treatment.

"These buses help me get to where I need to go.

"I leave at 7.05 in the morning and I am usually able to get home in the evenings depending on how long the treatment takes."

She was one of 42 passengers to hop on board the service with the Sunday Independent at various stages on a recent trip from Athlone to Westport.

"God knows how I would cope without it."

The majority of customers I met on the 21 were travel-pass holders. These are problematic for Bus Eireann. To generate more money, Bus Eireann needs to draw more customers but there are few incentives to use the service.

The small car park next to Athlone's bus station was choked by 10.40am. The next nearest car park charges €8 per day to use their facility, inflating the cost of leaving the car behind. A single ticket to Westport is already €12.50.

The journey takes more than three hours but travelling by car saves an hour and 15 minutes.

Taking the 11.05am bus as far as Westport means an overnight stay because there is no direct service back to Athlone after arrival.

"You won't get caught short on the train," said one elderly passenger, pointing to the lack of a toilet on board.

The bus is warm and clean but the seats are a bit too snug for my 6'3" frame. The scenery is reminiscent of the Saw Doctors vision of the N17, "stone walls and the grass is green".

However, the issues plaguing rural Ireland are also clear to see. The land is scarred with standing water from recent floods - the region was the worst hit by storms last year as the Shannon burst its banks.

Gardai work with customs officials at a checkpoint outside Knockcroghery village taking fuel samples from passing motorists as part of a clampdown on fuel laundering that previously caused havoc in the area.

The bus is waved on and the driver is happy to chat with passengers along the way. The route's closure is the main topic of concern.

In Ballinlough, a blink-and-you-miss-it village near Roscommon's border with Mayo, Brian Quinn is welcomed on board.

The retired farrier has been waiting patiently outside the Whitehouse Hotel, a stop where many moons ago a bus driver would come in and round up the last few stragglers finishing off the evening's few pints before giving them a safe passage home.

Brian uses the bus several times a week to attend dances, meet friends in Ballyhaunis and run errands.

"I haven't a car and I was an athlete and did a lot of cycling in my day but when you get on in years, and I have had my hip done as well, you can't always do that."

Everybody on board knows him and the driver looks particularly pleased to see him. Today he is too busy talking about football to entertain the other passengers with his usual singing.

"I'm the last of four generations. There were eight of us in the family and all the others got married but I was the one who stayed at home to mind the farm.

"I am going to Ballyhaunis today to do a bit of shopping and I'll come home then at 3.30pm. I'll do my shopping, call in to the bookies and have a bit of craic with the lads to get out of the house."

The National Transport Authority has reacted to Bus Eireann's decision to withdraw its service by looking at maintaining and expanding the route's Public Service Obligation status. No definitive plan has been announced.

Should Bus Eireann become insolvent in May, it will mean even more uncertainty for Brian and Maureen, for whom the bus is vital.

"If the weather was good I'd dust off the aul' bike again or depend on lifts," said Brian, "but it's like they are closing the country down."

Sunday Independent

'I have shed many tears' - Mother of Westminster killer says she is 'deeply shocked, saddened'

The scene of the attack at Westminster last week (Left: Attacker Khalid Masood)

Luck played a part: Extremist Khalid Masood is thought to have been shot by a member of the close protection team of UK defence secretary Michael Fallon, whose car only happened to have been parked in New Palace Yard because a vote was taking place at the time

Attacker: Khalid Masood. Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA Wire

Westminster attacker Khalid Masood receives treatment after being shot during the attack. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Police leave flowers outside parliament in London in tribute to the victims of Khalid Masood Picture: PA

Emergency services bid to save the life of Khalid Masood after his murderous terror attack was ended by an armed policeman at the Palace of Westminster, London

Police officers conduct a fingertip search at Carriage Gate near to the Houses of Parliament in London. Photo: PA

A young girl lights a candle during a candlelit vigil at Trafalgar Square. Photo: GETTY

Independent.ie Newsdesk Twitter Email

March 27 2017 5:44 PM

• 0 Comments
• 'I have shed many tears' - Mother of Westminster killer says she is 'deeply shocked, saddened'

  Independent.ie

  The mother of Westminster terrorist Khalid Masood has said she is "deeply shocked, saddened and numbed" by the actions of her son.

  http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/britain/i-have-shed-many-tears-mother-of-westminster-killer-says-she-is-deeply-shocked-saddened-35569276.html

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The mother of Westminster terrorist Khalid Masood has said she is "deeply shocked, saddened and numbed" by the actions of her son.

Janet Ajao said she did not condone the attack or the beliefs which had led Masood to commit the "atrocity".

In a statement released through the Metropolitan Police, she said: "I am so deeply shocked, saddened and numbed by the actions my son has taken that have killed and injured innocent people in Westminster.

"Since discovering that it was my son that was responsible I have shed many tears for the people caught up in this horrendous incident.

Westminster attacker Khalid Masood receives treatment after being shot during the attack. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

"I wish to make it absolutely clear, so there can be no doubt, I do not condone his actions nor support the beliefs he held that led to him committing this atrocity.

"I wish to thank my friends, family and community from the bottom of my heart for the love and support given to us."

Muslim convert Masood killed four people in an 82-second rampage in Westminster on Wednesday.

He was shot dead by armed police after fatally knifing Pc Keith Palmer in the Palace of Westminster's cobbled forecourt.

Emergency services bid to save the life of Khalid Masood after his murderous terror attack was ended by an armed policeman at the Palace of Westminster, London

• Read more: Tourist killed in London terror attack 'would not have borne ill feelings towards attacker', family claim
• Read more: Former security chief says Government is 'using' Westminster attack to grab unnecessary spying powers

Scotland Yard said it had found "no evidence" Masood was linked to Islamic State or al Qaida but said he "clearly" had an interest in jihad.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack and called Masood "a soldier of the Islamic State".

Attacker: Khalid Masood. Photo: Metropolitan Police/PA Wire

But the announcement was greeted with scepticism by commentators who noted the terror group has a record of opportunistically claiming attacks.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the senior national coordinator for UK counter-terrorism policing, said: "His attack method appears to be based on low sophistication, low tech, low cost techniques copied from other attacks, and echo the rhetoric of IS (Islamic State) leaders in terms of methodology and attacking police and civilians, but at this stage I have no evidence he discussed this with others.

"There is no evidence that Masood was radicalised in prison in 2003, as has been suggested; this is pure speculation at this time.

"Whilst I have found no evidence of an association with IS or AQ (al Qaida), there is clearly an interest in jihad."

Press Association

Search begins for lucky €500k Euromillions winner 22:51Gareth McAuley feared worst two days after Seamus Coleman suffered broken leg 19:01Garda commissioner resisting pressure to quit over fake figures 19:01Polish minister questions legality of Tusk's EU re-election 22:51Gareth McAuley feared worst two days after Seamus Coleman suffered broken leg

Staff members Aine Byrne and Damien Kenny celebrate selling the €500,000-winning Euromillions ticket in O’Reilly’s Londis store in Hackets town last Friday

Deborah Coleman

March 25 2017 12:00 AM

• 0 Comments
• Search begins for lucky €500k Euromillions winner

  Independent.ie

  Tongues are wagging on both sides of the Wicklow and Carlow border after a local shop sold a €500,000 winning Euromillions ticket on St Patrick's Day.

  http://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/news/search-begins-for-lucky-500k-euromillions-winner-35552878.html

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Tongues are wagging on both sides of the Wicklow and Carlow border after a local shop sold a €500,000 winning Euromillions ticket on St Patrick's Day.

Speculation is rife as to the identity of the lucky winner following the purchase of a Quick Pick ticket in O'Reilly Stores, Moffat Street, Hacketstown last Friday.

The winning ticket was picked up on the day of the draw and store owner PJ O'Reilly couldn't believe it when the __news was announced.

However, he is experienced in such things, as sister store O'Reilly Stores in Baltinglass also sold a €500,000 winner last November.

'I got the phonecall at 9.45 a.m. and I thought someone might be calling in sick. I was delighted when it was the Lotto rep to tell me we had sold a winning ticket,' he said.

'We don't know who won it yet, but we hope it is a local. This is the main road through to Arklow, Tinahely, Gorey so it the winner could be from anywhere.'

It's actually the third time lucky for O'Reilly Stores, as the Hacketstown branch also previously sold a €100,000 winning ticket.

An O'Reilly Stores Facebook post for St Patrick's Day was spot on when it encouraged customers to drop in and play Euromillions, as the 'third time lucky' prediction came true.

The timing is perfect for a celebration, as the branch is also approaching its second anniversary in April.

Wicklow People

Tourist killed in London terror attack 'would not have borne ill feelings towards attacker', family claim

Kurt Cochran, who was killed in the Westminster terrorist attack, and wife Melissa who was also injured Photo: PA Wire

Independent.ie Newsdesk Twitter Email

March 27 2017 3:59 PM

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• Tourist killed in London terror attack 'would not have borne ill feelings towards attacker', family claim

  Independent.ie

  The family of US tourist Kurt Cochran who was killed in last week's assault on the British parliament said on Monday he would not have borne any ill feelings towards the attacker.

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The family of US tourist Kurt Cochran who was killed in last week's assault on the British parliament said on Monday he would not have borne any ill feelings towards the attacker.

Cochran, 54, and his wife, Melissa, were in Europe to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary when they were mowed down on Westminster Bridge by a car driven by British man, Khalid Masood, who went on to fatally stab an unarmed policeman at the parliament building.

The couple from Utah had been due to return to the United States the day after the attack took place last Wednesday. Melissa remains in hospital where she is recovering from a cut to the head, a broken rib and badly injured leg.

"We know that Kurt wouldn't bear ill feelings towards anyone and we can draw strength as a family from that," Clint Payne, Cochran's brother-in-law, told a __news conference at police headquarters, just yards from where the attack took place.

Angela Still (left) and her mother Sandra Payne (right), sister and mother of Melissa the wife of US tourist Kurt Cochran in the Westminster terrorist attack attends a press conference at New Scotland Yard in London, where they said they had been through a "humbling and difficult experience" Photo: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

"His whole life was an example of focusing on the positive. Not pretending that negative things don't exist but not living our life in the negative - that's what we choose to do."

Cochran was one of four people killed in the assault, Britain's deadliest attack since the 2005 London underground bombings, and his family said they had since been overwhelmed by the "love of so many people" in London and around the world.

Celebrating their anniversary, the couple had left the U.S. for the first time to visit Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and parts of Britain before visiting London last week to see the neo-Gothic parliament building on the banks of the River Thames.

The couple, who had a recording studio business, were visiting Melissa Cochran's parents, who are missionaries in London for the Salt Lake City-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), also known as the Mormon church.

"They loved it here and Kurt repeatedly said that he felt like he was at home so thank you for that, thank you for being such good people," Melissa's father Dimmon Payne said.

Shantell Payne, Melissa's sister and one of 13 family members to attend the __news conference, said it was "awful, horrible and gut wrenching" that the attack had been carried out in the name of religion, but that the family would focus on the positive's of Cochran's life.

"We’re thankful in a sense that everyone can know what an amazing person he really was," she said.

Reuters